Senior Energy Optimization & Controls Specialist

Schneider Electric • Richmond, VA

2d

About The Position

At Schneider Electric, we are helping shape the future of connected energy by bringing together solar generation, battery storage, EV charging, and intelligent energy management solutions into a unified ecosystem. As homes and energy systems become increasingly electrified and interconnected, optimizing how these technologies interact is becoming one of the industry's most important engineering challenges. As a Senior Energy Optimization & Controls Specialist, you will develop advanced forecasting, optimization, and control solutions that help coordinate distributed energy resources and improve how energy is generated, stored, and consumed. Leveraging data-driven approaches, controls engineering, and applied AI/ML techniques, you will contribute to solutions that address real-world energy challenges and support the evolution of Schneider Electric's growing ecosystem of connected energy products. Working closely with teams across software, controls, power electronics, and product development, you will play a key role in shaping the next generation of intelligent energy management capabilities across residential and distributed energy applications.

Requirements

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Energy Systems, Mechatronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in controls, optimization, energy management systems, distributed energy resources (DERs), power electronics, or related technologies.
• Strong background in control system design, modeling, simulation, and optimization.
• Experience with solar PV, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging systems, microgrids, distributed energy resources (DERs), or related energy applications.
• Experience applying forecasting, optimization, machine learning, AI, or advanced analytics to real-world engineering challenges.
• Proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink and Python; experience with C/C++ is considered an asset.
• Experience working with embedded and/or cloud-connected systems.
• Strong collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with EMS, HEMS, DERMS, VPPs, or DER coordination strategies.
• Experience developing forecasting solutions for energy production, consumption, EV charging, or related applications.
• Familiarity with Digital Twin, HIL, or CIL validation environments.
• Knowledge of AI-enabled optimization, predictive analytics, or intelligent energy management solutions.
• Publications, patents, or technical presentations related to energy systems, controls, optimization, or applied AI/ML.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop advanced control, forecasting, and energy optimization strategies for solar PV, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging infrastructure, microgrids, and distributed energy resources (DERs).
• Design and implement Energy Management System (EMS) algorithms to coordinate energy assets across device, site, and fleet-level applications.
• Develop optimization strategies for energy arbitrage, demand response, demand charge reduction, time-of-use optimization, managed EV charging, grid services, and virtual power plant (VPP) applications.
• Build forecasting models for solar generation, load demand, EV charging behavior, and electricity pricing using data-driven methodologies.
• Apply advanced control and optimization techniques, including Model Predictive Control (MPC), scheduling, dispatch, and rule-based control approaches.
• Leverage MATLAB, Simulink, Python, and related engineering tools to model, simulate, and validate energy systems, power converters, generation sources, loads, and DER assets.
• Design, deploy, and support applications across embedded Linux and cloud-connected platforms using Docker, Podman, or similar technologies.
• Develop and validate embedded control software using model-based design methodologies.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends related to AI, machine learning, digital twins, DERMS, VPPs, demand flexibility, and grid-edge solutions.
• Prepare technical requirements, test plans, verification procedures, validation reports, and supporting engineering documentation.
• Support HIL, CIL, Digital Twin, certification, and field validation activities throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Partner with product management, firmware, software, systems, cloud, compliance, and power electronics teams to deliver integrated energy management solutions.

Benefits

• insurance coverage for health, inclusive of medical, dental, vision, basic life, accident, and disability insurance
• telemedicine program
• paid family leaves
• parental and care leave
• employee assistant program with mental, family, and legal counselling
• flexible work arrangements
• competitive pay
• incentive plans
• employee share ownership plan
• retirement plan with employer pension match
• ongoing performance and development conversations
• Senior Talent Program
• global career opportunities
• access to our Schneider Career Hub for new positions, projects, and mentors
• learning platforms like Coursera
• project opportunities on the Schneider Career Hub
• smart ways to collaborate
• recognition program (including service anniversary)
• sharing your voice in our engagement survey
• volunteer leave
• programs through the Schneider Electric Foundation
• initiatives that support youth education

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior