Staff Electrical Engineer, Interconnection

Company

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.

About the Team

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.

About the Role

This role is our portfolio's technical leader inside the interconnection process. You qualify every new site, validate every interconnection ruling against the original application, classify viability, and take overscoped rulings back to the utility for negotiations. You will occasionally produce engineering drawings and perform analysis on interconnection data that provide insights to team leaders. Reports to the Director of Origination Engineering.

What you’ll do

• Qualify originated sites against sizing, feeder proximity, interconnection cost estimate, and utility specification.
• Validate every interconnection ruling against the original application.
• Classify project viability using our internal rubric, flag every overscoped ruling and negotiate reductions with utility’s project managers and engineers.
• Deliver required data analysis that includes substation capacity analysis from the interconnection queue and flag every significant headroom change.
• Feed site screening patterns, CESIR trends, and specification improvement proposals back to the Principal Engineer.
• Provide technical mentorship and support to our designers.
• Produce engineering drawings for utility interconnection or design iterations for complex drawings or iterations requested by the Principal Engineer.

Requirements

• 4+ years in utility distribution planning, interconnection, or DER engineering
• Demonstrated success reviewing interconnection studies (CESIR or equivalent) against applications
• Working knowledge of IEEE 1547 and a state interconnection process (NY SIR strongly preferred)
• Experience engaging utility engineers directly (meetings, RFIs, negotiations)
• Comfort owning recurring analytical deliverables with hard deadlines
• Ability to produce engineering drawings (single line diagrams, site plans) in AutoCAD
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field

Preferred Qualifications (Bonus)

• Con Edison territory experience (SIR, CESIR, hosting capacity)
• Battery storage project exposure
• Load flow or short circuit study exposure (CYME or Synergi)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license

Skills and Attributes

• Utility engagement: Assess utility estimates and run meetings with the utility to negotiate interconnection cost.
• Data analytics: turns raw interconnection queue data into actionable insights for senior leadership.
• Drafting capability: produces AutoCAD site plans and single line diagrams, including complex drawings and design iterations.
• Revision agility: absorbs utility or Principal feedback and returns corrected drawings inside the required windows.
• Distribution analysis literacy: reads load flow and short circuit results and understands the thermal and voltage criteria behind utility screens.
• Takes ownership and delivers on personal and team commitments.
• Learns, iterates, and scales what works.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, in-office position requiring work from our headquarters (Brooklyn, NY) five days a week, with regular travel to project sites within the NYC area.

Why join Orenda?

At Orenda, you’ll help build the real-world infrastructure that makes the energy transition possible.

You’ll do this in a mission-driven culture that values ownership, accountability, continuous learning, high performance, and genuine collaboration. We work hard, move quickly, and enjoy doing it together.

In addition to the chance to do important work with a great team, Orenda offers a competitive compensation package designed to attract and retain top talent:

• Base Salary: The anticipated base salary range for this full-time position in New York City is $110,000-$370,000 per year. The final base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the successful candidate's relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.
• Bonus: In addition to the base salary, this role is eligible for a significant annual performance-based bonus.
• Benefits: Our comprehensive benefits package includes:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) plan, with 3% Employer Match
  • LifeTime Fitness corporate membership
  • Monthly commuter stipend
  • Learning and education stipend
  • Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy
  • Regular company events

Orenda Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair and inclusive hiring and employment practices in accordance with federal, New York State, and New York City law. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment—including hiring, promotion, compensation, or termination—on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

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