Principal BESS Engineer

Clearway Energy seeks a Principal Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Engineer to lead preliminary engineering, fire safety engineering, technical specifications, system optimization, and procurement support for stand-alone, hybrid, and co-located BESS facilities. Reporting to the Sr. Manager of BESS Engineering, you will work across project teams, external engineering partners, vendors, and consultants to advance a multi-gigawatt project pipeline. This hybrid role is based in Denver, Colorado, with flexibility to work from Clearway offices in Scottsdale, San Diego, San Francisco, or Houston.

Responsibilities

• Update and refine EPC contractual agreements and BESS requirements, clarifying EPC obligations and division of responsibilities
• Evaluate, track, and optimize BESS designs to conform to safety, technology, regulatory, and compliance standards
• Quality-control BESS engineering, design, product validation, EPC touchpoints, and responsibility allocation
• Provide BESS subject matter expertise to project teams through origination, development, design, construction, and commissioning phases
• Drive consensus on optimal BESS design and operational strategies with Development, Construction, and Operations organizations
• Serve as primary technical contact with customers and build relationships with energy storage equipment and service suppliers
• Develop and maintain tools for optimizing BESS sizing, auxiliary loads, and augmentation
• Generate BESS system design requirements from PPAs, interconnection agreements, and other applicable contracts
• Assess BESS system designs based on project constraints and propose optimal solutions considering technical and commercial factors
• Establish hardware and software control requirements for market applications, including utility and ISO compliance
• Review and negotiate technical requirements and performance guarantees in offtake agreements
• Develop BESS CapEx, auxiliary load, and augmentation assumptions for financial modeling and underwriting
• Technically qualify new vendors and products; maintain and update technical specifications for supply contracts
• Support Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) teams during RFQ phases, including technical coordination, RFIs, and design-of-record (DOR) work
• Support permitting and fire safety compliance requirements
• Coordinate design review, construction coordination, and commissioning of BESS facilities
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and process improvements across projects

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in BESS engineering, integration, development, and commissioning for utility-scale BESS projects
• Demonstrated experience writing technical specifications, performance requirements, and technical reports
• Knowledge of electrical standards (UL/IEEE), fire safety codes and standards, National Electrical Code, and interconnection standards
• Familiarity with technical communication protocols (TCP/IP, Modbus/TCP) and control software/hardware platforms
• Knowledge of energy storage product safety standards, tests, and certifications including NFPA 72, 68, 69, 855, UL1973, and UL9540/A
• Proficiency with Power Plant Controller, Energy Management Systems (EMS), Battery Management Systems (BMS), utility communication systems, and SCADA
• Basic software programming skills, particularly MS Excel and Python
• Familiarity with energy market applications and telemetry requirements
• Knowledge of utility equipment specifications

Benefits

• Annual salary range: $140,000–$195,000 USD (varies by location, experience, education, and certifications)
• Annual cash bonus eligible, subject to personal and company performance goals
• Comprehensive benefits for employees working 20+ hours per week: generous PTO, medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Health Savings Accounts with company contributions, health and dependent care FSAs, commuter benefits
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Life and accident insurance, fertility programs, adoption assistance, and generous parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement and benefits for same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships
• Relocation assistance available