Principal Engineer, Interconnection

Principal Engineer, Interconnection

New York, New York, United States

Orenda is on a mission to make the grid more efficient with renewable energy projects and proprietary asset management technology. We develop, build, own and operate battery energy storage projects in dense urban environments to bridge the gap between renewables and electricity consumption. We are a dynamic, NYC-based company at the forefront of a new industry. We are seeking highly motivated and incredibly talented individuals who wish to contribute to our important mission.

The Origination Team works to identify potential project sites, performs preliminary site diligence, prepares and submits interconnection application packages, interprets system studies, and manages the ever-growing pipeline of development opportunities. The output of the Origination Team is proof of commercial, electrical, and physical viability for future green energy infrastructure projects.

This role is the senior technical authority of Origination Engineering. You create the templates, product narrative, and technical directives the team runs every day, and you keep them optimal as utility specifications, products, and investment strategies change. You lead the technical negotiations that affect our projects. And for each new investment strategy, you derive the optimal way to interconnect. In the next 6 months, you will take ownership of the design standards behind a 100+ project Con Ed portfolio, drive specification optimizations into production, and shape how we enter the next market.

Reports to the Director of Origination Engineering.

This role is ideal for: a senior electrical engineer with experience in the interconnection process and passion to derive critical engineering decisions against a tight budget and small footprint.

• Own the design templates, product narrative, and technical directives inside the OE process documents.
• Optimize the standard design so every project leaving origination is optimized for cost and footprint.
• Efficiently review and stamp drawing packages.
• Derive the interconnection path as applicable each new investment strategy with a validation plan, scope assessment, optimal design, and the process to run it.
• Qualify new technologies and OEMs (battery platforms, EV charging) for compatibility with our process.
• Lead escalated technical negotiations with utility engineering on substation upgrades, cost deduplication, and cost sharing.
• Mentor the Staff Electrical Engineer and Designer through structured technical review.
• Absorb breaking changes in utility specifications and ship the process update within days.

• 8+ years in power systems, distribution planning, or DER interconnection engineering
• Demonstrated success reviewing or challenging utility interconnection studies (CESIR or equivalent)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license
• A track record of creating design standards, templates, or engineering processes
• Experience negotiating technical scope with a utility
• Ability to operate as the most senior technical voice in a fast moving team
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field

• Con Edison territory experience (SIR, CESIR, distribution design standards)
• Battery storage project exposure (BESS, PCS, switch gear)
• Power systems modeling tools (ETAP, PSS/E, or similar)
• Master's degree in electrical engineering or power systems

• Distribution interconnection mastery: deep working knowledge of DER interconnection studies and screens (NY SIR and CESIR or equivalent), hosting capacity, and IEEE 1547.
• Templating and standardization: converts engineering judgment into templates and technical directives that non senior roles can execute correctly every day.
• Technical diligence: designs validation plans for a new investment strategy, tests the assumptions, and lands on the optimal interconnection approach.
• Precedent level negotiation: wins scope and policy discussions with utility engineering
• Product and OEM evaluation: qualifies new technology or equipment for compatibility with the process.
• Mentorship: raises the Staff Engineer's and…