Director, Grid Strategy & Utility Planning
HybridChicago, Illinois, United States or Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Job Summary
Engage utility planning and engineering teams to identify opportunities to increase hosting capacity on constrained circuits and develop technically credible, data-driven proposals that align distributed energy deployment with utility reliability objectives. Build strong relationships across utility planning, asset management, engineering, operations, regulatory, and innovation teams while interpreting integrated distribution plans, resource plans, and long-range transmission filings to inform market and siting strategy. Analyze hosting-capacity maps, load forecasts, infrastructure plans, and system-planning studies to evaluate feeder and substation constraints, electrification trends, and planned utility investments. Identify circuits and substations where targeted operational changes, grid technologies, or infrastructure investments could unlock additional DER capacity, and provide strategic guidance on integrating distributed solar and battery energy storage systems within utility distribution networks. Support development, interconnection, policy, and New Markets teams with early-stage grid intelligence and utility-planning insight, translating complex grid issues into actionable business recommendations for leadership.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, or a related field
- 10–20+ years of experience in electric utility planning, transmission or distribution engineering, grid modernization, or DER integration
- Deep understanding of utility planning methodologies, system constraints, reliability, infrastructure development, and capital planning
- Experience with distributed energy resources, renewable energy, battery energy storage, or advanced grid technologies
- Strong familiarity with utility planning studies, hosting-capacity analysis, interconnection impacts, and grid-modernization initiatives
- Demonstrated ability to influence utility stakeholders and advance new technical or operational approaches
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex grid issues into actionable business recommendations
Desired Qualifications
- Experience within a major electric utility, ISO/RTO, grid consulting firm, or adjacent energy organization
- Familiarity with PJM, NYISO, CAISO, ERCOT, MISO, or other major U.S. power markets
- Experience advancing DERMS, dynamic hosting capacity, flexible interconnection, non-wire alternatives, or related pilots
- Professional Engineer license or an advanced degree in power systems, energy policy, or a related discipline
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