Role: Renewable Energy Specialist (Senior Grid Interface Manager)
Location : Jeddah, KSA
Full-time role
Purpose:
The position demands strong technical insight into Saudi Arabian Grid Code (SAGC), grid integration feasibility, inverter and BESS behavior under grid conditions, and testing protocols. You will act as the bridge between ACWA Power team, external consultants, and grid stakeholders, ensuring our projects meet both regulatory and performance expectations.
Key Responsibilities:
Grid Compliance & System Integration
- Coordinate external consultants responsible for Grid Compliance and Grid impact deliverables, ensuring alignment with Project equipment configurations.
- Act as the primary technical liaison with EPC,NG-SA, Consultants and Owners Engineers during grid compliance stages.
- Participate in technical discussions, workshops with OEM, EPC,External Grid consultants and NG-SA,
- Review and validate inverter, PPC, EMS, and SCADA/SAS configurations to ensure compliance with Saudi Arabian grid codes and regulatory expectations.
- Support the coordination and resolution of grid integration issues by collaborating across EPC,OEMs, External Grid cosnultants and ensuring relevant actions (e.g. firmware upgrades, design clarifications, equipment availability) are tracked and closed by respective OEM.
System Modeling & Analysis
- Provide support and technical oversight to the consultants and OEM in system modeling for fault studies, harmonic analysis, and generator behavior simulations
- Collaborate with consultants on the interpretation and validation of PSCAD, PSS/E, or PowerFactory models.
- Review inverter and BESS control logic for performance under fault ride-through, FCAS, ramping, and reactive support conditions.
Commissioning Support & Grid Testing
- Support the commissioning team with system tuning, parameter setting, and data collection for grid testing.
- Monitor progress of PR/ Grid compliance testing and ensure alignment between factory configurations and site implementation.
- Troubleshoot issues during grid integration and assist in resolving non-compliance during testing.
- Track grid compliance-related actions during commissioning, such as grid compliance punch list items, and coordinate with site and OEM teams for closure.
Documentation & Milestone Tracking
- Maintain documentation on connection requirements, protection settings, testing results, and submission records.
- Track and manage grid connection milestones and regulatory timelines to ensure project readiness and compliance.
- Proactively follow up on interface documents (e.g. SAS Point list, protection SLDs, auxiliary load specs), and ensure alignment between design outputs and site installation.
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (Power System (Master's or PhD are preferred)).
- Advanced training or certification in grid compliance, power system modeling, or protection systems is highly desirable.
Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of experience in grid connection engineering for utility-scale renewable energy or energy storage projects
- Familiarity with SAGC,TRGC or AEMO compliance framework.
- Direct experience working with TSPs and grid modelling consultants.
- demonstrated ability to track technical actions across teams, follow up on deliverables, and manage issue closure through the project execution cycle.
Technical Skills:
- Strong understanding of inverter-based systems and BESS under grid conditions.
- Proficiency in interpreting and reviewing PSCAD, PSS/E, or PowerFactory models.
- Experience with SCADA integration, protection schemes, and communication protocols (e.g., Modbus, DNP3, IEC 61850).
Soft Skills:
- Excellent coordination and stakeholder communication skills.
- Strong documentation and milestone tracking capability.
- Proactive in interfacing with engineering, procurement, and site teams to ensure technical tasks and dependencies are resolved on schedule.
- Mandarin skills are a plus for coordination with equipment OEM
- Willingness to travel to project sites as required for commissioning or technical support.
