mainspringenergy - Staff Project Engineer - Grid Scale

• This role will be responsible for: • Leading the overall technical definition and direction of assigned projects, including site layouts, single-line diagrams, equipment selection, sequences of operation, plant controls, communication, and network security schemes, protection and metering schemes, grounding, code and grid code compliance, fuel systems, and safety systems • Serving as the technical integrator across electrical, mechanical, civil, controls, fuel, and utility scopes: providing design coordination, value engineering, and interface reviews so all disciplines come together into one buildable, compliant project, and collaborating with project managers, development, procurement, and other stakeholders within timelines and budgets • Providing technical support to the interconnection team: supplying plant data, single-lines, and equipment models for applications, reviewing Feasibility, System Impact, and Facility Studies, and advising on technical terms in interconnection agreements • For large-load and data center sites, defining how the plant serves and protects the load, including islanding, load-following, and transfer schemes • Guiding selection and specification of medium-voltage and plant interconnection equipment such as switchgear, breakers, transformers, protective relays, revenue meters, reclosers, and PPC/SCADA hardware, plus fuel equipment such as gas regulators and valves; developing specifications, sequences of operation, EPC scopes of work, design standards, and testing procedures; and supporting procurement and proposal requests • Working directly with clients & engineering partners to translate project requirements into official plan sets using best practices, QA/QC standards, and due diligence; answering RFIs, approving submittals, and reviewing documents and designs to close gaps in function, performance, scope, and responsibility from initial design through commissioning • Approving design variances, independently resolving engineering modifications to maintain design intent and schedules • Conducting engineering reviews of site assessments, inspections, and power system studies (load flow, short circuit, coordination, arc flash), and ensuring plant controls and protection settings meet utility, ISO/RTO, IEEE 1547/2800, and applicable NERC/FERC requirements, including ride-through, reactive power, and telemetry • Monitoring changes to regional grid codes, utility interconnection handbooks, and IEEE/NERC standards, proactively compiling compliance risks and necessary product adaptations • Supporting permitting for large facilities in coordination with development, environmental, and AHJ stakeholders • Leading final grid code compliance demonstrations, including NERC/IEEE (1547/2800) model validation and protection relay checkout, and supporting commissioning and energization activities such as witness testing, metering checkout, and utility acceptance testing to secure final Permission to Operate (PTO) • Participating in and developing improvement initiatives, using Lean or similar methods, that increase operational efficiency within a rapidly growing project delivery department • Documenting execution challenges and creating training materials and instructional documents to better define engineering requirements for future deployments • Travelling to project sites at varying stages based on availability