Vice President, Power Infrastructure Design

Nscale

3d•$210,000 - $360,000

About The Position

NScale is seeking a VP of Power Infrastructure Design to lead the power infrastructure design strategy for NScale's data centers. This role is crucial for ensuring that technical standards effectively support high-density AI/GPU workloads. The leader will be responsible for the organization that manages AI load power strategy and substation/grid engineering design. Key responsibilities include setting engineering standards for utility interfaces, substations, and grid infrastructure, and leading a team of Directors and engineers to deliver design solutions across the project portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
10-15+ years of experience in power systems engineering or utility design, including engineering leadership.
Strong technical expertise in substations, protection and controls, and grid-connected infrastructure design.
Demonstrated success leading engineering teams delivering complex, multi-project portfolios.
Excellent communication skills, able to translate technical topics for non-engineers.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Power Systems.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Experience designing power infrastructure for AI/GPU or HPC data centers.
Familiarity with renewable energy integration, storage, and microgrids.
Experience with generator OEMs, EPCs, and commissioning providers for large-scale standby/prime power plants supporting mission-critical facilities.

Responsibilities

Define technical requirements and design standards for utility interfaces to high-density GPU data centers, including substations, transformers, switchgear, and protection schemes.
Own the strategy for AI/GPU load power profiles and translate them into engineering design requirements.
Set standards for redundancy, reliability, and fault studies across the portfolio.
Lead and develop the Directors of AI Load Power Strategy and Substation & Grid Engineering, along with their engineering teams.
Build engineering capability and capacity to support a growing project pipeline.
Mentor senior engineers and support career development across the design organization.
Oversee engineering design deliverables including one-line diagrams, protection schemes, and system studies (load flow, short-circuit, reliability).
Provide engineering leadership on integration of alternative or on-site energy sources (renewables, storage, generators, microgrids).
Ensure designs meet reliability targets suitable for high-density AI/GPU workloads.
Set architecture and design-basis standards for on-site power generation (e.g., reciprocating engines, turbines, dual-fuel strategies) supporting data center capacity, schedule acceleration, and resilience.
Own standards for generation electrical topology and one-lines, including medium-voltage distribution, paralleling, synchronization, islanding, and black-start concepts.
Set protection and controls philosophy for generation integration (relaying, coordination, fault duty, grounding, synchronization, load sharing).
Define standards for integrating generation with UPS/BESS/microgrid controllers across operational modes (grid-parallel, island, peak shaving, backup).
Guide equipment specification and procurement strategy for generator sets, switchgear, transformers, e-houses, and balance-of-plant, managing long-lead risk and schedule certainty.
Oversee commissioning planning and field execution standards for generation systems, including performance verification and reliability demonstration.
Partner with Utility Development, Construction, and Operations to align design standards with project delivery.
Communicate design trade-offs and technical risk to non-technical stakeholders and executive leadership.
Contribute to enterprise infrastructure strategy, including power availability, cost, and carbon intensity.