ESS - EMS Engineering, Director

SK battery America•Troy, MI

About The Position

SKOn, a proud member of SK Group, the second largest conglomerate with a revenue size of $150 billion, is one of the fastest growing battery manufacturers globally. With ambitious plans to reach over 180GWh manufacturing capacity in the US, SKOn is at the forefront of innovation in the energy storage section. In response to the increasing domestic demand, SKOn is set to manufacture state-of-the-art 5.3MWh DC Blocks, fully compliant with the latest US domestic content requirements and eligible for full ITC benefits. Additionally, SKOn has contracted and awarded projects totaling 7GWh to be installed in the US starting in 2026. SKOn is seeking an experienced, visionary EMS/Software Engineering Leader to own the end-to-end strategy, architecture, development, and commercial execution of our Energy Management Systems (EMS) solutions. In this leadership role, you will build and direct a high-performing software engineering team tasked with building software that seamlessly interfaces with Battery Management Systems (BMS) and Power Conversion Systems (PCS). You will bridge deep technical engineering with commercial strategy - working closely with product management to align EMS capability with SK On's broader Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and PCS roadmaps. From initial DC-Block deployments with 3rd-party centralized inverters to next-generation AC-Block solutions with integrated string inverters, you will position SKOn as an industry leader in grid-scale energy storage software, with a heavy focus on high-reliability applications like AI Data Centers (AIDC).

Requirements

B.S., M.S., in Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field
10+ years in software development within clean energy or power systems, with 5+ years in a senior engineering leadership role building and scaling teams.
Proven track record of launching commercial grid-scale EMS, SCADA, or Power Plant Controller (PPC) products
Deep domain knowledge of grid-scale energy storage systems, including BMS architecture, PCS operation, and grid-interconnection dynamics
Technical familiarity with both centralized PCS architectures and distributed strong inverter configurations
Experience with microgrid controllers, dispatch optimization, or hybrid plant controls involving conventional generation (CCGT, Gen-SETs, Gas Turbines)
Deep expertise with industrial protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, CAN bus, IEC 60870-5-104) and real-time control loops
Proficiency with C/C++, Rust, Python, Go, Edge runtime environments (Linux, RTOs), and cloud platforms (AWS/Azure) for remote monitoring and fleet analytics. Vibe coding and advanced AI agentic platform management.

Responsibilities

End-to-End EMS Ownership: Lead the complete software lifecycle for SKOn's proprietary EMS, ensuring high availability control, real time telemetry, edge/cloud integration, and seamless interfacing with BMS and PCS controllers.
Architecture Evolution: Phase 1 (DC-Block Focus): Drive EMS integration with SKOn's DC-Block enclosure hardware and 3rd-party centralized PCS units. Phase 2 (AC-Block Focus): Architect and execute software solutions for upcoming AC-Block architectures incorporating string inverters.
Control & Protocol Mastery: Standardize communication protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3, CAN, IEC 61850) for fast response power control, state-of-charge (SoC) management, thermal balancing, and fault recovery.
Roadmap Alignment: Co-develop product roadmaps alongside BESS hardware and Systems engineering teams to ensure unified hardware-software solution delivery.
PPC Strategy (Co-exist vs. Compete): Strategize how SKOn's EMS solutions will either integrate alongside or directly replace 3rd-party Power Plant Controllers (PPC) and system integrator software.
Market Applications: Deliver targeted algorithms and software features across key verticals: Stand-alone utility-scale storage (arbitrage, frequency regulation, capacity firming), Solar + Storage hybrid systems, AI Data Centers (AIDC): High-reliability microgrid and power firming applications.
Spearhead software capabilities tailored to mission-critical AIDC power requirements (sub-second backup switching, peak shaving, islanding).
Orchestrate multi-asset control strategies integrating BESS with Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT), backup Diesel/Gas Generator Sets (Gen-SETs), and utility grid interconnections.
Build & Scale the Team: Recruit, hire, and mentor a top-tier team of software architects, control system engineers, QA testers, and cloud/edge developers.
Culture & Standards: Establish best-in-class software engineering practices (CI/CD, automated testing, cybersecurity compliance, Agile/Scrum processes, and ISO/IEC software standards).