Head of Operational Engineering and Controls

Intersect•Austin, TX

About The Position

As Head of Operational Engineering and Controls on Intersect’s Operations team, you will serve as Chief Engineer and final technical authority for power generation, controls, and electrical systems across the company’s natural gas, solar, wind, and battery energy storage portfolio. You will make complex engineering decisions, including determining whether designs are ready for field deployment, diagnosing asset underperformance, and turning lessons into fleet-wide standards. You will help ensure systems are safe, reliable, and meet customer, regulatory, and operator expectations. You will build, mentor, and lead multidisciplinary engineering teams, partnering with Operations, Asset Management, Engineering & Construction, external EPC contractors, and OEMs. The Engineering and Controls organization connects project execution with long-term asset performance by translating field lessons into durable standards and developing the technical talent needed to scale the portfolio. The role is for candidates located within 60 miles of one of the listed locations. Intersect holds team gatherings four times a year and has hubs in the SF Bay Area, NYC Metro Area, Denver, Austin, Calgary, and Toronto. Intersect was acquired by Google in March 2026 and operates as an independent subsidiary.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Controls Engineering.
Active Professional Engineer (PE) license in electrical or control systems.
10–12+ years of progressive experience in electrical and controls engineering, with ownership of high-stakes design decisions and field operating outcomes.
Deep domain background in utility-scale power generation, clean energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, or mission-critical infrastructure.
Track record of building, leading, and developing multidisciplinary engineering teams, including mentoring engineers who advanced into senior technical or leadership roles.
Ability to negotiate technical scope, manage OEMs and EPC organizations, and resolve complex equipment and controls disputes under tight schedule constraints.
Principled, humble, and decisive leadership style aligned with Intersect’s values of Equity, Humility, Authenticity, Long-run Value, and People Come First.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience commissioning or operating large natural gas, solar, battery storage, or hybrid plants.
Familiarity with grid interconnection, utility-scale controls, or data center power systems.
Track record of building engineering standards, technical playbooks, and outcome-driven OKR systems in a fast-growing organization.

Responsibilities

Set technical direction for power generation, plant controls, and electrical equipment across gas, solar, wind, and BESS assets.
Serve as the final technical authority on design reviews, new technology evaluation, and complex field problem resolution across projects.
Identify recurring technical issues and convert resolutions into repeatable engineering standards or playbooks adopted across teams.
Lead and develop multidisciplinary electrical and controls engineering teams, establishing technical pathways for engineers to advance into senior leadership roles.
Own and drive the engineering and controls organization’s OKR framework, setting objectives, tracking measurable results, and holding the team accountable for field outcomes.
Provide actionable feedback and technical mentorship to strengthen engineering judgment across the company.
Partner with Operations, Asset Management, and Engineering & Construction to align design specifications, commissioning protocols, and operating decisions across the asset lifecycle.
Translate operational performance data and field commissioning lessons into upfront engineering requirements for future clean energy and data center power projects.
Define technical expectations and scope requirements with EPC contractors and major equipment OEMs before and during execution.
Lead technical dispute resolution under schedule pressure and hold external partners accountable to contracted reliability, compliance, and performance standards.

Benefits

Equity grant in the parent company.
100% premium coverage for employees and dependents on medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Unlimited PTO and two company-wide breaks (Fourth of July and end of year).
Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, plus six additional weeks for birth parents.
Family planning and family care support through Carrot and Maven.
Free access to Spring Health, including five therapy and psychiatry sessions, and a Headspace account through Wellhub+.
$150 monthly food stipend.
$150 monthly reimbursement for cell phone and internet.
Pet insurance allowance.
Full home office setup.
Free access to UrbanSitter with $625 in quarterly company-paid credits.
ActiveHero.
One Medical.