{"id":1293441,"url":"https://alion.io/job/xl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader","title":"Software & Controls Engineering Leader","company":{"id":2045479,"name":"XL Batteries","domain":"xlbatteries.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/xlbatteries","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Breezy","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Marlborough, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":99000,"max_usd":200000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":1961},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Battery Management Systems","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":false},{"name":"DNP3","optional":false},{"name":"Docker","optional":false},{"name":"GitLab","optional":false},{"name":"IEC 61850","optional":false},{"name":"Kanban","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Structured Text","optional":false},{"name":"C","optional":true},{"name":"Git","optional":true},{"name":"GitLab CI","optional":true},{"name":"MQTT","optional":true},{"name":"ZeroMQ","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-20T17:23:01Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-07-20","last_verified_at":"2026-11-09T02:08:22Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":111,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":110},"description":"Requisition Number: XL2026-001\nPosition: Software & Controls Engineering Leader\nLocation: Marlborough, MA\nAbout Us\nXL Batteries, a Massachusetts-based development stage company focused on long duration energy storage at the grid level. We are growing a highly collaborative team with the addition of a Software and Controls Engineering Leader. Our mission is to create a safe, low-cost and reliable grid-scale battery that will enable the transition of the grid from fossil fuels to renewable sources. We are a fast paced, nimble startup where no job is too big or small, and where we strive to ask ourselves the hard questions before problems arise.\nXL Batteries is an equal opportunity employer.\nAbout Our Location\nMarlborough, MA is a beautiful small city in central Massachusetts, surrounded by quaint Massachusetts towns and within a day-trip distance of the Berkshires, White Mountains, and Cape Cod. For those who prefer a more urban lifestyle, we are located directly off I-495 within easy commuting distance of Boston and Cambridge (30-40 minutes), Worcester (25 minutes), Nashua, NH (45 minutes) and Providence, RI (50 minutes).\nOverview\nA Software & Controls Engineering Leader is needed to lead the development of a next-generation Battery Management System (BMS) and Energy Management System (EMS) for a new form of grid-scale energy storage. This role blends hands-on engineering with technical leadership, guiding a small, multidisciplinary development team responsible for both software and controls architecture.\nThe ideal candidate is equally comfortable designing PLC logic, building CI/CD pipelines, architecture of external control software, and communicating complex technical concepts in a clear, accessible way. This position is central to shaping the control strategy, deployment, and long-term maintainability of the system.\nKey Responsibilities\nTechnical Leadership & Architecture\nLead the design and implementation of the system-level BMS and associated control software.\nServe as both leader and hands-on technical contributor within a small engineering team.\nDefine control strategies, communication architectures, and deployment models for a distributed array of PLCs.\nTranslate complex engineering concepts into simplified explanations for internal and external stakeholders.\nManage a Kanban-based development workflow, ensuring clear prioritization and predictable delivery.\nTechnical Development\nSelect PLC, I/O, and industrial networking hardware appropriate for grid-connected energy systems.\nDevelop core PLC logic using Structured Text, Python, C++ and Ladder Logic.\nIntegrate industrial protocols such as Modbus, IEC 61850, or DNP3.\nSupport system simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and lab-based development.\nDevelop external supervisory control software to manage fleets of PLCs.\nBuild and maintain CI/CD pipelines using GitLab.\nImplement containerized services using Docker and manage virtualized environments (VMs).\nDesign and maintain databases for sensor and telemetry data.\nProcess & Team Management\nMentor engineers, review code, and enforce high standards for reliability and maintainability.\nCollaborate cross-functionally with hardware, power systems, and product teams.\nRequired Skills & Experience\nCore Technical Skills\nStrong proficiency in Python and C/C++.\nExperience with multithreaded application development.\nHands-on PLC programming using Structured Text or Ladder Logic.\nIndustrial communication protocols: Modbus, IEC 61850, or DNP3 (any one required; more is a plus).\nExperience with Git, GitLab CI/CD, and modern build pipelines.\nFamiliarity with Docker, VMs, and containerized deployment strategies.\nExperience collecting and storing sensor/telemetry data in databases.\nKnowledge of message frameworks like AMQP or ZeroMQ, MQTT and OPCUA.\nDeep understanding of server, router, and network architectures.\nPower & Grid Systems Experience\nExposure to DC-side and/or AC-side power systems equipment.\nExperience with grid interfaces, grid-connected devices, or utility-scale systems is a strong plus.\nExperience interacting with electricity utilities in the deployment of 3rd-party add-ons for substation is a strong plus.\nPreferred Qualifications\nBachelor’s Degree in Engineering preferably in Software and Controls\nPrior work on energy storage systems, microgrids, or utility-scale controls.\nExperience with simulation frameworks or hardware-in-the-loop environments.\nBackground in safety-critical or high-reliability industrial systems.\nCompensation & Benefits\nWe offer competitive salary and benefits, including healthcare, dental, vision, and a retirement plan\nApplication Process\nApply through xl-batteries.breezy.hr","description_format":"text","description_chars":4688,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Energy & Utilities","Energy Storage","Chemical Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-26T08:34:54Z"},{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-24T22:26:01Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":11,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.398,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":110,"expected_fill_days":31,"reasons":["conf:1","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/xl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/xl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-09T02:43:11Z","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":207,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-10T00:00:00Z"}},"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":2045479},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2045479"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fxl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"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%2Fxl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader"},{"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%2Fxl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader"},{"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/xl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fxl-batteries-software-controls-engineering-leader"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1293441}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"xlbatteries.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1293441},"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); 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