What are the responsibilities and job description for the VP/ Sr. Director, Transmission and Interconnection Engineering position at 1st Avenue Power?
Head of Transmission & Interconnection Engineering
Location: Remote
Team: Engineering
The Impact You’ll Make:
The Sr. Director/VP, Transmission and Interconnection Engineering will lead all technical and strategic aspects of transmission analysis, grid interconnection, and system integration for large-scale solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. This leader will oversee the evaluation of transmission capacity, grid constraints, and interconnection requirements, ensuring that projects are developed with optimal technical performance and economic value.
Key Responsibilities:
Minimum salary of $220,000 to maximum salary of $275,000 equity benefits.
The range provided is 1AP’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.
About 1st Avenue Power:
At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.
You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles’ power.
When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night.
Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.
1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Join our team and make a real difference in the world.
[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]
California Pay Range: $220,000 USD - $275,000 USD
Location: Remote
Team: Engineering
The Impact You’ll Make:
The Sr. Director/VP, Transmission and Interconnection Engineering will lead all technical and strategic aspects of transmission analysis, grid interconnection, and system integration for large-scale solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. This leader will oversee the evaluation of transmission capacity, grid constraints, and interconnection requirements, ensuring that projects are developed with optimal technical performance and economic value.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement strategies to optimize project siting based on transmission availability, congestion analysis, and queue positioning.
- Direct the preparation and review of power flow, short circuit, transient stability, and reactive power studies.
- Manage interconnection requests (FERC, CAISO, MISO, PJM, ERCOT, etc.) and interface with ISOs/RTOs and utilities throughout the study process.
- Evaluate system performance, network upgrades, and curtailment risks for both solar and hybrid (solar storage) configurations.
- Ensure compliance with NERC, IEEE, and regional reliability standards.
- Work closely with criss-functional team members and consultants to ensure grid-compliant designs and optimized points of interconnection (POIs).
- Support due diligence for M&A and joint venture activities by assessing interconnection risks and opportunities.
- Present complex grid and transmission topics to executives, investors, and regulatory stakeholders in a clear, business-relevant manner.
- Develop standardized tools, models, and methodologies for evaluating interconnection and congestion across regions.
- Oversee consultants and external transmission studies, ensuring quality and consistency.
- Monitor policy and regulatory developments that affect transmission access and queue processes.
- Other duties as assigned
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field (Master’s preferred).
- 7 years of experience in power systems, interconnection engineering, or grid planning.
- Deep understanding of ISO/RTO interconnection processes (e.g., CAISO, ERCOT, SPP).
- Experience with PSS®E, PSCAD, TARA, PowerWorld, or similar power systems modeling tools.
- Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to manage multi-disciplinary teams and external stakeholders.
- Proven track record of successful delivery of interconnection applications and execution of large-scale renewable or hybrid projects.
- Experience with hybrid systems (PV BESS) and inverter-based resource modeling.
- Utility-Scale Energy Asset Management experience preferred.
- Competitive Compensation Package
- Remote Flexibility with 5-15% travel to sites as needed
- Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.
- Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.
Minimum salary of $220,000 to maximum salary of $275,000 equity benefits.
The range provided is 1AP’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.
About 1st Avenue Power:
At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.
You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles’ power.
When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night.
Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.
1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Join our team and make a real difference in the world.
[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]
California Pay Range: $220,000 USD - $275,000 USD
Salary : $220,000 - $275,000