Staff Controls Engineer - Qcells

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

We are looking for a Staff Controls Engineer to join our digital solutions team to play a pivotal role on the systems engineering team and will be working to develop control software and configuration solutions for both behind-the-meter and front-of-meter applications. The ideal candidate will have expertise in controls systems for renewable energy applications, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and solar PV for our commercial and industrial (C&I) and distributed energy (DE) business. This will be a high-visibility, high-impact initiative in a fast-growing team with an opportunity to contribute to overall project execution and corporate vision of renewable growth. The ideal candidate will be a motivated self-starter with demonstrated success in similar roles previously. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely to develop and implement a solution that requires understanding of concepts of controls, systems, SCADA, and software engineering 

• Develop and implement controller code for PV and BESS systems 

• Test configurations and testing with lab hardware environment. Develop test plans and automated tests 

• Debugging any issues during development, implementation, commissioning and operations 

• Creating supporting documentation of functions and features based on project and market requirements 

• Staying updated with emerging technologies in the control systems domain and driving their integration into our products wherever applicable 

• Having a strong work ethic and working well in a team environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
 

• Bachelor’s or higher Degree in Software, Electrical, Control Systems, Power Systems, Instrumentation, Computer Engineering, or a related field 

• 10+ years of experience working with renewable energy systems (PV and storage) 

• Understanding various energy tariffs and rate structures of U.S. markets, ISOs, utilities, and regions 

• Experience in behind-the-meter and front-of-meter applications, including both AC and DC coupled systems 

• Familiarity with integrating various battery storage systems and inverter systems 

• Knowledge of control schemes including active/reactive power controls, frequency control, voltage control, power factor control 

• Strong understanding of network communication architectures, telemetry, and protocols (Modbus, DNP3, OPC-UA, MQTT, 61850, etc.) 

• Interpret schematics and block diagrams for networking, controls and electrical systems 

• Exceptional collaborative skills, with a demonstrated ability to work across functional teams and drive alignment. Strong analytical skills with a problem-solving attitude. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of Software in the Loop (SIL) and Hardware in the Loop (HIL) testing paradigms 

• Familiarity with the challenges and nuances of integrating control systems with firmware and hardware 

• Knowledge of industry standards related to renewable energy and power electronics 

• Field experiences deploying SCADA systems for renewable projects in the US 

• Familiarity with electrical modeling & simulation tools like PSSE, PSCAD, ETAP, MATLAB 

• Experience programming HMI, PLCs, IEDs, meters, and RTU devices 

• Has worked with NERC, FERC and reliability standards 

• Understanding of cloud applications and engineering (AWS, Azure) 

• Network and cybersecurity engineering experience 

• Experience with energy optimization, data science, VPP, and associated software development 

• BMS experience 

Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc. (“HQCA”) is headquartered in Irvine, CA, and handles sales for the North American region. It is a subsidiary of Hanwha Q CELLS Co., Ltd., one of the world´s largest and most recognized photovoltaic manufacturers for its high-performance, high-quality solar cells and modules. It is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ). Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, the company provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, government, and residential markets. Hanwha Q CELLS is a flagship company of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 firm, and a Top 8 business enterprise in South Korea. HQCA recently acquired Geli, a leading developer of Energy Management System software for energy storage, solar, and other renewable resources.