Your Impact as a Principal Project Engineer
We seek an experienced Principal Project Engineer, BESS Projects, to own the engineering strategy, design optimization, and technical execution of Energy Vault BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) projects. In this role, you will serve as the senior technical authority across multiple concurrent projects, partnering with project managers, construction managers, customers, outside vendors, AHJs, and consultants. You will bring strong electrical and substation engineering depth to the team, ensuring MV/HV interconnection, protection, and balance-of-plant designs are technically sound, constructible, and optimized. As we rapidly grow and deliver on more contracts worldwide, you will define and scale the processes, standards, technology, and products that drive repeatable project success. Energy Vault operates as both an independent power producer (IPP) and an integrator for customer projects.
Your Mission
Own end-to-end technical execution across a portfolio of BESS projects, ensuring scope, schedule, and stakeholders remain aligned from development through commissioning and turnover.
Proactively identify gaps in scope, responsibility, and interfaces across the engineering, procurement, construction, and permitting process; drive resolution with stakeholders to protect project success.
Serve as the technical authority on complex project issues, applying engineering principles and engaging subject matter experts to drive sound, timely solutions.
Define equipment specification standards and lead the specification, technical evaluation, and selection of major equipment, including transformers, switchgear, and protection solutions.
Act as the primary technical interface with internal (project managers, product engineers, sales team) and external stakeholders (utilities, AHJs, EPC contractors, end customers), representing Energy Vault in critical technical discussions.
Lead the review and approval of project design documents, including single line drawings, communication diagrams, layouts, and equipment test reports; maintain design configuration control.
Review and assess electrical designs for BESS projects, covering MV/HV substation design, switchgear, transformers, protection systems, grounding, and balance of plant.
Direct and review electrical system studies, including load flow, short circuit, protective relay coordination, arc flash, grounding, and cable sizing; ensure designs meet utility interconnection requirements and applicable IEEE/ANSI, IEC, and NEC standards.
Plan, direct, and oversee BESS project commissioning across multiple sites.
Provide technical input to proposals and early-stage project development, including design approach, cost, and technical risk.
