{"id":3723392,"url":"https://alion.io/job/boxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls","title":"Head of Microgrid Controls","company":{"id":2062181,"name":"BoxPower","domain":"boxpower.io","url":"https://alion.io/company/boxpower","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"BambooHR","truth_index":null},"role":"Energy","role_family":"Energy","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Grass Valley, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"ChatGPT","optional":false},{"name":"Claude","optional":false},{"name":"Copilot","optional":false},{"name":"DNP3","optional":false},{"name":"IEC 61850","optional":false},{"name":"JavaScript","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Asana","optional":true},{"name":"AWS","optional":true},{"name":"ClickUp","optional":true},{"name":"Digital Twin","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-06-08T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-06-08","last_verified_at":"2026-11-15T15:16:37Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":160,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":159},"description":"The Head of Microgrid Controls is the technical owner of BoxPower’s controls platform and the future leader of BoxPower’s controls engineering team. This role has two interlocking arcs: a hands-on individual-contributor phase now, and a player-coach leadership phase over the next 12-18 months as BoxPower scales the controls function and hires additional engineers under this role’s direction.\nIn the near term, you will operate primarily as an IC - owning the architecture, software design, and evolution of the controls systems that run every BoxPower microgrid. You will translate scope documents, control narratives, and state machine definitions into working control logic and validated systems. You will define and evolve the software architecture, evaluate and select compute platforms, build simulation and testing environments, and integrate emerging AI-driven development practices into the controls engineering workflow. Your work spans from factory acceptance testing at BoxPower’s facility through on-site commissioning and startup of utility-grade microgrid systems.\nOver the medium term, you will build and manage a controls engineering team - hiring, mentoring, and developing direct reports as project volume grows. You will set technical direction for the discipline, partner with the VP of Technology on roadmap decisions, and represent the controls function in cross-functional planning. Project sizes range from 100 kW to 20 MW and include solar PV, BESS, generators, and other distributed energy resources.\nYou will work closely with the Applications Engineer (who owns broad design and analysis work) and the Senior Field Commissioning Engineer (who owns physical-plant commissioning), with the Head of Microgrid Controls owning the controls platform and integration end-to-end.\nBoxPower’s engineering culture integrates AI tools (Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, and others) throughout our workflow for code, documentation, analysis, and design assistance. As Head of Controls, you will help shape how BoxPower’s engineering org uses AI in production controls work.\nKey Responsibilities\nPlatform Architecture and R&D\nDefine and evolve BoxPower’s controls software architecture for scalability, maintainability, and reuse across project types.\nArchitect a modular, reusable code base that accelerates deployment across BoxPower’s standard and custom products.\nEvaluate, select, and develop on SEL RTAC/PLC, industrial PCs, embedded PCs, and other compute platforms for controls applications.\nDevelop and maintain integration libraries for batteries, solar PV inverters, generator controllers, fuel cells, wind, and emerging DER types.\nBuild simulation and testing environments for validating controls logic across diverse interconnection configurations.\nIntegrate AI tools and methods into controls software development, testing, and documentation workflows.\nDevelop and enhance remote monitoring, control, and diagnostics capabilities for deployed microgrid assets.\nBuild tools and workflows that enable remote commissioning support, reducing on-site time and travel requirements over time.\nControls Engineering and Programming\nOwn the design, programming, and configuration of PLC/RTAC-based control systems for microgrid applications.\nProgram and configure industrial PCs, HMIs, and SCADA/HMI platforms.\nDevelop and implement DER/microgrid control logic including generator paralleling, BESS charge/discharge management, solar PV curtailment, load management, and black start sequences.\nTranslate control narratives, state machine documents, and sequences of operation into tested, validated control code.\nProgram breaker controls, protective relay settings, and paralleling/synchronization logic.\nConfigure communication protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, IEC 61850) and verify addressing, mapping, and data flow between field devices and controllers.\nIntegration and Commissioning\nConfirm all equipment for controls integration: verify specifications, communication maps, protocols, and addressing prior to programming.\nAlign scope documents, control documents, and state machine definitions with actual hardware configurations and project requirements.\nPerform factory acceptance testing (FAT) at BoxPower’s facility and support site acceptance testing (SAT) at project locations.\nIntegrate BoxPower control systems with third-party generators, BESS (including Tesla Megapack), solar PV inverters, fuel cells, wind, and other DERs.\nCommission and start up microgrid control systems on-site, including point-to-point verification, functional testing, and performance validation.\nWork safely on electrical control equipment, including energized panels, switchgear, and protection systems.\nTeam Leadership and Development\nBuild the controls engineering team over time: scope hiring needs, lead recruiting for direct reports, and onboard new engineers.\nMentor and develop direct reports and field technicians on controls topics; set performance expectations and conduct regular 1:1s as the team grows.\nSet technical direction for the controls discipline at BoxPower; partner with the VP of Technology on roadmap and resourcing decisions.\nCross-Functional Leadership\nCoordinate with the Applications Engineer on design intent and the Senior Field Commissioning Engineer on commissioning execution.\nInterface with external clients, vendors, and subcontractors on controls integration requirements and commissioning activities.\nSupport sales engineering and estimating with controls-specific technical inputs for proposals and RFPs.\nDocumentation and Standards\nCreate and maintain controls documentation including control system architecture drawings, I/O lists, communication diagrams, and programming documentation.\nDevelop and maintain standard controls templates, libraries, and reusable code modules for BoxPower’s product lines.\nSupport project engineering with controls-specific inputs for electrical plansets, cable/conduit schedules, and panel schedules.\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.\n8+ years of experience in controls engineering, power systems controls, or industrial automation, with significant focus on microgrid, DER, or power generation applications.\nDemonstrated track record as a platform or software architecture owner for industrial controls or microgrid systems - not just project delivery experience.\nDemonstrated experience programming PLCs or automation controllers for power/energy applications. SEL RTAC experience strongly preferred.\nStrong software architecture and development skills with the ability to design modular, reusable code for production controls platforms.\nWorking knowledge of communication protocols used in power systems (Modbus TCP/RTU, DNP3, IEC 61850).\nExperience with structured text, codesys, ladder logic, linux, python, javascript, etc\nAbility to read and interpret single-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, relay settings, and protection schemes.\nExperience with generator paralleling controls, breaker controls, and protection relay coordination.\nHands-on experience commissioning and troubleshooting electrical control systems in the field.\nAbility to work safely on energized electrical control equipment.\nDemonstrated interest in or experience with people leadership: mentoring junior engineers, leading project teams, or formally managing direct reports.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex technical information to engineers, executives, and external stakeholders.\nWillingness to travel 10-25% based on project demands.\nPreferred Qualifications\nPrior experience formally managing a small engineering team (1-4 direct reports).\nCombined software and electrical engineering background.\nExperience with SEL RTAC, SEL-735, SEL-700G, SEL-751, or similar SEL devices.Experience with Ignition SCADA platform by Inductive Automation.\nExperience with industrial PCs or embedded PCs in control system architectures.\nFamiliarity with AWS IoT, cloud data pipelines, or remote monitoring architectures for distributed energy assets.\nExperience integrating Tesla Megapack or other utility-scale BESS into microgrid control systems.\nExperience with solar PV, wind, fuel cells, or other DER integration.\nExperience developing controls simulation or digital twin environments for testing and validation.\nDemonstrated use of AI tools (e.g., Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT) for accelerating engineering development workflows.\nS. Navy Nuclear (ELT, ET, EM, or MM) background with reactor plant controls, electrical distribution, and power generation experience.\nExperience working at an EPC, system integrator, or OEM in the energy sector.\nFamiliarity with NEC/CEC, NFPA, IEEE, ANSI, UL codes and standards for microgrid and BESS applications.\nFamiliarity with project management tools such as ClickUp, Asana, or equivalent.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8971,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Smart Grid","Energy Storage","Power Grid","Solar Energy"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-04T03:54:05Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":0,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 1 · green card filings: 1","filings_12m":1,"filings_prev_12m":1,"green_card_filings_12m":1,"median_offered_wage_usd":80000,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-15T09:21:55+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":5,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.182,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":160,"expected_fill_days":26,"reasons":["conf:5","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-11-15T07:52:55Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/boxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/boxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-15T22:25:13Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":18311,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-16T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":2062181},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2062181"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fboxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"free","price":{"credits":0,"usd":0},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fboxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fboxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/boxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fboxpower-head-of-microgrid-controls"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3723392}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"boxpower.io","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3723392},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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