Lead Control Engineer - design authority Power Plant/MicroGrid Controller

We are looking for a Lead Control Engineer to contribute to the design, development and validation of advanced control solutions for power generation plants, microgrids and energy storage systems. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing control architectures and algorithms for active and reactive power regulation, voltage and frequency control, ramp-rate management and curtailment, coordinating inverters, battery energy storage systems (BESS), conventional generation and loads. The role will also involve the development of advanced grid-support functionalities, including grid-forming capabilities, virtual synchronous machine control, synthetic inertia, islanding, resynchronization and black-start functions. The candidate will work on industrial control platforms and communication protocols, contributing to system modelling, hardware-in-the-loop validation and regression testing. They will also provide technical support during grid-code certification and commissioning activities, analyse field events and define corrective actions. The role includes responsibility for technical design documentation, configuration change control and mentoring other engineers within the team.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the design, development and validation of advanced control solutions for power generation plants, microgrids and energy storage systems; Develop control architectures and algorithms for active and reactive power regulation, voltage and frequency control, ramp-rate management and curtailment; Coordinate inverters, battery energy storage systems (BESS), conventional generation and loads; Develop advanced grid-support functionalities, including grid-forming capabilities, virtual synchronous machine control, synthetic inertia, islanding, resynchronization and black-start functions; Work on industrial control platforms and communication protocols, contributing to system modelling, hardware-in-the-loop validation and regression testing; Provide technical support during grid-code certification and commissioning activities, analyse field events and define corrective actions; Responsible for technical design documentation and configuration change control; Mentor other engineers within the team

Requirements

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering or Power Electronics; Proven hands-on experience in developing a Power Plant Controller, microgrid controller, Energy Management System (EMS) or BESS controller deployed in real-world installations; Strong knowledge of control theory and the dynamics of power systems with converter-based generation; Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation platforms, such as Typhoon HIL, OPAL-RT or equivalent solutions; Programming experience on PLC or soft-PLC platforms compliant with IEC 61131-3, or in C/C++ for real-time systems; Experience with industrial control platforms such as Beckhoff TwinCAT, CODESYS and SEL RTAC; Knowledge of communication protocols, including IEC 61850, Modbus, DNP3 and IEC 60870-5-104; Experience in modelling and simulation using MATLAB/Simulink; Fluency in English

Nice to have

PhD in converter control or electrical power systems; Knowledge of Italian; Publications or patents in grid-forming technologies, virtual synchronous machines or synthetic inertia; Experience with grid-code certification, including VDE-AR-N 4110/4120, EN 50549, CEI 0-16 or UL 1741; Experience with power system modelling tools such as DIgSILENT PowerFactory or PSCAD; Knowledge of secure development practices for Operational Technology (OT) products, particularly IEC 62443-4-1; Experience working on microgrids and isolated power networks, including projects in emerging markets