Lead Electrical Engineer, BESS

Westwood Professional Services Inc•Westminster, CO

About The Position

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to support our Battery Energy Storage team. The position is for a lead electrical engineer to design battery energy storage systems (BESS), which includes: site electrical design, power conversion system (PCS) and battery management system (BMS) integration, medium and high voltage interconnection design, auxiliary power systems, protection and control schemes, and being the client and internal leader for the electrical engineering of projects. As Lead Electrical Engineer, the individual will coordinate with the Westwood Service Leaders and Director of Electrical Engineering to maintain firm standards and consistency as well as oversee other electrical designers. This position may also include supervision responsibilities of direct reports for timesheet/expense/PTO approval, annual growth planning, disciplinary actions, and compensation annual adjustments.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or Power Systems Engineering Program
Knowledge of NEC (particularly Article 706), NESC, UL 9540, NFPA 855, IFC Chapter 12, and IEEE standards (1547, 519, C37 series)
Knowledge and proficiency in the use of electrical power system modeling programs for protection, short circuit, and power flow studies
Approximately 4-10 years of experience in the design of electrical distribution, power generation, energy storage systems, and/or substation design
Understanding of battery storage system components including battery cells/modules/racks, power conversion systems, transformers, switchgear, and control systems
Working knowledge and ability to read and create construction drawings and specifications, including one-line diagrams, panel schedules, grounding plans, and conduit/cable schedules
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products
Professional appearance with excellent written and verbal communications skills, including ability to write detailed technical reports with minimal oversight
Experience with writing proposals, managing project budgets, invoices and change order process, progress reports, managing project data and communicating project requirements to client and internal stakeholders
Must have a strong work ethic along with a positive attitude
Must be a supportive team member, able to work in a collaborative environment
Must be self-motivated with an ability to balance multiple projects under tight deadlines without supervision
Ability to use AutoCAD in a limited capacity

Nice To Haves

Experience and knowledge of overall design and construction of utility scale battery energy storage systems (50 MW+)
Understanding of various battery chemistries (lithium-ion NMC/LFP, flow batteries, sodium-ion) and their electrical characteristics
Experience with grid services applications including frequency regulation, peak shaving, capacity firming, black start, and renewable integration
Knowledge of ISO/RTO market structures and ancillary service requirements (CAISO, ERCOT, PJM, MISO, etc.)
Experience designing hybrid renewable + storage facilities (solar + storage, wind + storage)
Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and electrical design software
Electrical PE License or ability to be licensed in multiple states
Proficiency with ETAP, SKM PowerTools, CYME, and/or DigSilent PowerFactory to model electrical power systems and perform load flow, short circuit, voltage drop, arc flash, harmonics analysis, and protective device coordination studies
Experience with PSS/E, PSCAD, EMTP-RV, or similar software for performing transient/dynamic modeling, IBR (inverter-based resource) studies, and interconnection studies
Experience with battery energy storage system design and modeling software (HOMER, SAM, BatteryOS, etc.)
Experience with thermal modeling and fire safety analysis for battery systems
Knowledge of communication protocols used in BESS (Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850, CAN bus)
Experience with commissioning and testing of battery storage facilities
NABCEP Energy Storage certification or similar credentials
Experience with microgrid design and islanding capabilities

Responsibilities

Manage the electrical engineering of commercial and utility scale battery energy storage projects and be responsible for managing the electrical design budget for the project to ensure budgets are met
Design medium voltage collection systems, step-up transformers, switchgear, and interconnection facilities for BESS projects
Develop single-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, AC/DC schematics, panel schedules, and protection and control drawings
Specify and integrate power conversion systems (PCS/inverters), battery management systems (BMS), and energy management systems (EMS)
Design fire suppression systems, HVAC requirements, and auxiliary power systems specific to battery storage facilities
Perform arc flash analysis, protective device coordination, and relay setting calculations for battery storage facilities
Responsible for contractual electrical engineering scope, verify incorporation into design, and coordination of change orders with project manager
Coordinate interconnection studies including system impact studies, facilities studies, and compliance with ISO/RTO requirements
Ensure compliance with UL 9540, UL 9540A, NFPA 855, IFC, NEC Article 706, IEEE 1547, and other relevant codes and standards
Assist project managers in responding to RFPs by preparing proposal scope and fees for the electrical engineering
Coordinate with other project disciplines including civil engineers, structural engineers, fire protection engineers, and battery system integrators
Schedule and plan necessary resources needed to support projects weekly
Oversee project electrical team resources and be responsible for staff performing electrical calculations and studies such as short circuit, load flow, voltage drop, harmonics analysis, and transient stability studies
Be the primary electrical contact for clients and coordinate with utilities, code enforcement officers, fire marshals, and independent system operators (ISOs)
QA/QC of design work performed on projects for which you are the lead electrical engineer responsible for the project
Maintain awareness of currently available battery technologies (lithium-ion, flow batteries, etc.), power conversion systems, safety systems, and industry best practices
Review and evaluate battery system vendor proposals for technical compliance and performance specifications
Collaborate with and support electrical engineering teams in other offices as projects and workload sharing between offices dictates
Support construction of the projects by responding to contractor and owner requests including RFIs and submittal review
Conduct site commissioning support and witness testing of protection systems, PCS, and BMS integration
Assist Market Directors as needed for marketing efforts and creation of marketing materials surrounding electrical engineering work
Supervise, train, and/or mentor graduate engineers, staff engineers, and design technicians