Controls and Commissioning Engineer, BESS

Job Description

Job Description

About Sparkfund

Sparkfund is the deployment services company utilities rely on to take DERs from grid edge to grid core.

With over a decade of experience as a utility services company, Sparkfund has pioneered a smarter approach to deploying distributed assets as part of a fast-growing grid. Through its Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, Sparkfund enables utilities to plan, deploy, and dispatch DERs at the scale and pace necessary to meet load growth demand and unlock the full value of the grid. We support program design, assessment of DER grid value, host engagement, and value chain management to ensure on-time, on-budget deployment of distributed resources with maximum grid value and lowest cost.

With more than 3,500 projects deployed across 43 states and more than 300MW of energized assets constructed, Sparkfund is transforming buildings into a valuable extension of the grid for the benefit of our society.

Position Summary

As the Controls and Commissioning Engineer, you will serve as our senior expert for all SCADA, controls, and plant communications systems. You will play a pivotal, hands-on role in our deployment model by leading the integration and testing of BESS assets at our central integration and commissioning center. Your expertise is critical to de-risking projects before they reach the field, ensuring every system we deploy is fully functional, cybersecure, and integrates seamlessly with our utility partners' control platforms (DERMS / ADMS).

Location

While Sparkfund is a remote-first company, with a digital workplace built around emerging hub-offices, this role is required to be in / around our Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC hubs area. Candidates must be within commuting distance, or open to relocating, to be considered for this role. Company subsidized relocation is available for this role and will be covered by the recruiter.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership : Serve as the senior subject matter expert for all SCADA and plant controls systems, including equipment, network architecture, data interfaces, and cybersecurity.
• System Integration : Lead technical communications with utility system operators and planners to define requirements for BESS controls, commissioning, and DERMS integration.
• Testing and Validation : Develop and execute detailed Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and Site Acceptance Test (SAT) plans. Standardize testing protocols for our integration center to simulate utility dispatch signals and validate system performance, including full functional and alarm testing.
• Design and Specification : Develop detailed design specifications for controls and communications architecture based on project agreements and regulatory requirements (ISO, NERC).
• Field Support : Oversee on-site commissioning activities, act as the highest tier of support for troubleshooting complex controls issues, and ensure all systems meet design specifications before handoff.
• Continuous Improvement : Analyze performance data to baseline and improve control algorithms and equipment performance. Stay current with industry innovations to enhance plant reliability.

Preferred Skills & Qualifications

Benefits

For full-time positions :

We Want You To Know

You can be a great candidate even if you don't fit everything we've described above. You can also have important skills we haven't thought of. If that's you, don't hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. We are dedicated to environmental stewardship, and recognize we need diverse perspectives to successfully tackle this massive challenge. To change the world, we must first change ourselves, which is why Sparkfund has created a space that sources viewpoints from people who look and think differently.

We are committed to diversity and building an equitable and inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and experiences, and we're taking steps to meet that commitment. Sparkfund is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Sparkfund will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records consistent with federal, state, and local legal requirements.