Senior Grid & Interconnection Analyst

Solar Provider Group•Chicago, IL

About The Position

Solar Provider Group (SPG) is a global solar developer with offices in the United States, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. This role is part of the North American team, which focuses primarily on developing solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the United States and Canada. The team advances projects from early-stage land acquisition to construction readiness. The Senior Grid & Interconnection Analyst will own SPG’s grid and interconnection analytics across distributed-generation solar, front-of-meter BESS, and utility-scale storage. Working with the Strategy and Development teams, the analyst will develop and operate data, screening tools, and analyses to assess grid capacity, interconnection costs, and schedules, and will carry this work through utility engagement and the interconnection process. The role supports strategic growth by screening and prioritizing points of interconnection, securing queue positions, advancing applications with utilities and internal engineering teams, and translating interconnection costs, timelines, and operating limits into project valuation and business-case inputs. The successful candidate will combine analytical and data skills, power-systems knowledge, and commercial judgment. They will synthesize hosting-capacity data, queue data, utility study results, and market dynamics into recommendations, and lead utility and ISO/RTO engagement while managing applications from pre-application through executed agreement. The position requires occasional travel in the United States and Canada.

Requirements

4–6 years of experience in interconnection, distribution or transmission planning, or grid analytics for solar and/or BESS, including hands-on management of interconnection applications through study and agreement stages.
University degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems, or a related quantitative field.
Demonstrated analytical and technical competence and commercial acumen to interpret grid studies and interconnection data and develop clear business cases.
Working knowledge of state distribution interconnection rules and PJM and MISO interconnection processes under FERC rules.
Experience working closely with engineers and other technical teams, with an understanding of technical requirements and the project development cycle.
Understanding of BESS interconnection, including charging and import limits and operating modes, and utility-scale interconnection processes.
Understanding of hosting-capacity methods, cluster studies, flexible interconnection, curtailment, and generation shifting.
Thorough understanding of technical considerations and electrical theory, with the ability to explain complex technical matters to nontechnical audiences.
Proficiency with grid modeling and simulation tools such as CYME, Synergi, OpenDSS, PSS/E, PowerFactory, or similar.
Strong data skills in Python and/or SQL and advanced Excel.
Comfort navigating utility interconnection portals and hosting-capacity maps, including underlying GIS data in QGIS or ArcGIS.
Ability to own a function with limited supervision, structure ambiguous problems, document and verify data sources, and use AI tools and automation to build repeatable analyses.
Willingness and ability to travel occasionally in the United States and Canada.

Nice To Haves

PE, P.Eng., or EIT credential.
Experience with ISO-NE and non-RTO markets, such as the Southeast.
Experience working with investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, municipal utilities, independent system operators, regional transmission operators, and public utility commissions in the United States.
Power BI or similar experience.
Exposure to financial models for PV and BESS.
An established network of utility interconnection contacts in PJM and/or MISO.

Responsibilities

Identify utility-territory regions with hosting capacity, charging headroom, and favorable queue conditions for generation and BESS projects.
Run screening-level power-flow and hosting-capacity analyses on distribution and sub-transmission networks, and scope and manage utility or consultant studies as needed.
Analyze grid data and utility filings to identify suitable areas for solar and BESS development and land acquisition campaigns.
Screen candidate points of interconnection (POIs), prepare and submit pre-applications and applications, and advise internal teams on interconnection viability at prospective sites, including go/no-go recommendations during due diligence.
Review and manage interconnection and study agreements, track deposits, milestones, and cost responsibility, and provide information to de-risk projects and reduce costs.
Identify and propose flexible interconnection arrangements, including export or charging limits, curtailment, DC-coupled configurations, and adding storage to queued solar projects.
Build relationships with utility interconnection staff and work with them to develop solutions and secure grid access.
Build and maintain interconnection analytics tools, including automated hosting-capacity and queue data pulls, GIS maps and displays, and interconnection inputs to site scorecards and project tracking boards.
Interpret utility technical studies and advise on potential project downsizing to secure faster and less expensive grid access.
Build and maintain interconnection cost and timeline benchmarks, including upgrade costs per kW, estimate accuracy by study stage, queue-to-agreement durations, withdrawal rates, and contingent upgrade exposure.
Assess BESS interconnection requirements, including charging studies, import limits, operating modes, transfer trip, and protection, and quantify their business-case impact.
Translate interconnection costs, schedules, and design changes into financial-model inputs and assess impacts on project viability and value at NTP.
Advise on interconnection strategy and new-market entry, including cost allocation, congestion risks, and mitigation strategies.
Participate in utility and public utility commission interconnection working groups, track rule changes and proceedings, and summarize their implications for SPG’s strategy.
Maintain accurate interconnection data across SPG systems and regularly report project-specific information to support schedules, budgets, and decisions.