Sr. Project Controls Engineer

Role Purpose

The Project Controls Engineer supports the design, configuration, commissioning, and documentation of plant control systems for utility-scale solar, storage, and hybrid renewable energy projects. This engineer executes project work with guidance from senior engineers, applies working knowledge of grid functionality and Utility/ISO standards, and contributes to the continuous improvement of product standards. Approximately 90% of this role is project execution, while up to 10% is continuous improvement and product development.

Responsibilities

Project Execution & Technical Delivery (~90%)

•       Execute controls design for utility-scale solar, BESS, and hybrid projects under the guidance of senior engineers, including review of the project scope to identify project-specific requirements and deviations from the standard Terabase controls product offering.

•       Program and commission SEL controllers using AcSELerator; develop control logic in Codesys using IEC 61131-3 structured text and continuous function charts

•       Follow the controls development process for any project-specific development work, including documentation of requirements, logic development, testing in a simulated/lab environment and documentation of test results.

•       Implement and validate closed-loop Active Power and Reactive Power, AVR and PFR Algorithms

•       Maintain version control for all code artifacts according to established version control procedure (Bitbucket)

•       Troubleshoot SCADA and controls issues using Wireshark, breakpoints, cross-reference, and watch list tools, escalating complex issues to senior engineers as needed

•       Produce project deliverables: System Architecture Diagrams, Control Narratives, Logic Diagrams, commissioning documents, and operator manuals

Product & Process Improvement (~10%)

•       Contribute to new feature development and bug fixes in collaboration with the Product Engineering team

•       Prepare technical and non-technical documentation for review by senior controls engineers

•       Participate in the Continuous Improvement and Lessons Learned program, sharing field insights to inform product standards and templates

•       Prepare for FATs and customer-facing presentations with coaching from senior engineers

Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration

•       Support senior engineers as a controls technical contact for EPCs, asset owners, and grid operators through project execution, FAT, and commissioning

•       Support FATs and lead assigned portions as formal presentations; communicate to non-technical audiences with supporting materials prepared in advance

•       Flag technical risks and schedule pressures to project management team with context and proposed solutions

•       Maintain Jira tickets daily with thorough detail, following Jira best practices

Expectations & Success Indicators

•       Deliver high-quality work across multiple concurrent projects with ownership and urgency, seeking guidance when needed

•       Leverage standardized platforms and tools to work efficiently

•       Maintain 100% adherence to Terabase quality processes

•       Actively develop technical skills through code reviews, feedback, and FAT participation alongside senior engineers

•       Project deliverables completed on time, within scope, and meeting Utility/ISO regulatory standards

•       Jira, version control, and documentation consistently maintained without follow-up from management

•       Build growing expertise in Terabase SCADA and Utility-Scale grid controls, progressing toward independent project ownership

•       Travel up to 10% for on-site commissioning, FAT, and customer engagements

Role Purpose The Project Controls Engineer supports the design, configuration, commissioning, and documentation of plant control systems for utility-scale solar, storage, and hybrid renewable energy projects. This engineer executes project work with g...

Requirements

Education & Experience

•       Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Control Systems, Computer Science, or related field

•       3+ years of IEC 61131-3/PLC programming experience, preferably in Codesys or AcSELerator environment

•       2+ year of utility-scale renewable power plant controls experience (solar, BESS, or hybrid) preferred, including exposure to project-specific development work, Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), commissioning and Site Acceptance Test (SAT)

 

Technical Skills

•       Proficient IEC 61131-3 programming; primary IDE is AcSELerator (SEL controllers) and Codesys, familiarity with Diagram Builder; proficiency with using traces, cross-references, breakpoints, and watch lists

•       Working knowledge of industrial protocols: Modbus-TCP, DNP3, OPC-UA, C37.118, etc.

•       Solid understanding of grid functionality: Primary Frequency Response (PFR), Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR), Active/Reactive power closed loop control, and capacitor bank functionality – including the underlying principles

•       Familiarity with Utility/ISO testing and interconnection requirements (ERCOT, PJM, BPA, IEEE 2800, NERC, etc.)

•       Exposure to Power Plant Controller (PPC) design, configuration, and commissioning

•       Familiarity with PSCAD, PSSE, and/or TSAT modeling processes for utility-scale sites is a plus

•       Exposure to hardware in the loop (HIL) hardware, such as RTDS, OPAL-RT, Speedgoat, Typhoon, etc., is a plus