Senior Controls Engineer

The AES Corporation is the largest US-based global power company with a commitment to renewable energy. The Senior Controls Engineer will lead the design and implementation of control systems for utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects, ensuring reliable operations and compliance with industry standards.

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain plant-level control logic for utility-scale solar PV and BESS facilities, including PPC, EMS, and supervisory control systems
• Develop control strategies for active power control (APC), reactive power control (RPC), frequency response, voltage regulation, ramp rate limiting, and state-of-charge (SOC) management for hybrid solar and storage facilities, ensuring performance under expected grid operating conditions
• Develop control logic in IEC-61131-3 environments such as Codesys, AcSELerator, Beckhoff TwinCAT, or equivalent platforms
• Review OEM and EPC-supplied control strategies and design documentation, identify gaps and risks, and provide recommendations that support successful commissioning and long-term operational performance
• Define and support control interfaces for inverter OEMs and BESS vendors, including protocols such as Modbus, DNP3, and IEC 61850
• Develop and review dynamic controller models in PSS/E to support interconnection and controls validation activities
• Support EMT modeling and validation activities in PSCAD/EMTDC to identify and resolve control design issues before field implementation
• Support NERC MOD-026 and MOD-027 submissions and respond to ISO/RTO model review comments alongside the power systems team
• Develop structured test plans for new control features and product releases, with clear acceptance criteria and documented pass/fail expectations
• Support HIL testing environments (RTDS, OPAL-RT, or equivalent) for controller validation before hardware ever touches a real plant
• Lead or support factory and site acceptance testing (FAT/SAT), including setpoint verification, alarm and trip logic validation, and SCADA communications checkout, while escalating issues and driving resolution as needed
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action development for post-commercial-operation issues, ensuring lessons learned are incorporated into future designs and processes
• Ensure control designs comply with applicable standards, including IEEE 1547, IEEE 2800, relevant NERC requirements, and project interconnection obligations
• Develop clear and complete documentation, including functional specifications, logic descriptions, I/O lists, test procedures, and commissioning reports that support consistency, maintainability, and knowledge transfer
• Stay current on evolving inverter-based resource grid code requirements and apply those insights to engineering standards and project delivery
• Partner with project development, engineering, and construction teams to support equipment selection, vendor evaluation, and early identification of controls-related risks
• Collaborate with SCADA, commissioning, and operations teams to support reliable plant performance through startup and ongoing operations
• Provide technical guidance to less-experienced engineers through knowledge sharing, design review, and coaching to support team capability and quality outcomes

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a closely related field required
• 5+ years of controls engineering experience, including work with utility-scale solar PV and/or BESS facilities
• Experience developing control strategies for grid-connected renewable energy assets
• Experience reviewing OEM or EPC control submissions and functional design documents, and providing substantive technical feedback
• Working knowledge of PSS/E or PSCAD for controller-level modeling and validation
• Hands-on experience with PPC or EMS commissioning and acceptance testing for utility-scale renewable projects
• IEC-61131-3 control logic development in Codesys, AcSELerator, Beckhoff TwinCAT, or equivalent PLC-based environments
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills, with the ability to trace issues through software, controls interfaces, and system behavior
• Working knowledge of PSS/E and/or PSCAD at the controller level
• Communication protocols: Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, IEC 61850 (GOOSE/MMS), SunSpec
• SCADA/historian familiarity: PI Historian, OSIsoft, or equivalent
• Python or MATLAB/Simulink for control analysis, test automation, or data evaluation
• IEEE 1547-2018 and IEEE 2800-2022 interconnection requirements for inverter-based resources
• NERC MOD-026, MOD-027, and PRC-024 familiarity
• General awareness of UL 9540 / UL 9540A for BESS systems
• HIL testing experience with RTDS/RSCAD, OPAL-RT, or Speedgoat
• MATLAB/Simulink for control modeling or algorithm prototyping
• BESS dispatch optimization, degradation-aware SOC management, or demand response control strategies
• Experience with Emerson Ovation, ABB Ability, or Schweitzer SEL platforms in renewable energy applications
• Working knowledge of interconnection processes at ERCOT, CAISO, MISO, PJM, or WECC as they relate to controls and model submissions
• Familiarity with OT/ICS cybersecurity frameworks (IEC 62443, NERC CIP basics)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license