Fruition Group
Director of Engineering — Utility-Scale Energy Storage (Chicago, IL)
The Director of Engineering will lead the engineering and design of the company’s growing pipeline of
utility-scale battery energy storage projects
across PJM/MISO and Midwest municipal/co-op utilities. The ideal candidate is a seasoned ESS engineer with demonstrated experience coordinating across owners, utilities, OEMs, EPCs, and AHJs to develop safe, bankable, and value-optimized utility storage systems. This role will be based in
Chicago
with periodic regional travel to sites, partners, and permitting authorities.
The Director of Engineering will build and lead the engineering team and work cross-functionally with development, commercial, construction, and operations to ensure that BESS projects are designed, procured, constructed, and commissioned to meet
grid interconnection, utility, cost, schedule, safety, and performance
requirements.
Accountabilities
Lead all phases of design for utility-scale BESS projects: conceptual & advanced design, interconnection study support, code compliance (NEC/IEEE/NFPA), site & constructability assessment, BoP architecture, development support, construction technical support, commissioning planning
Coordinate with utilities (interconnection/tariff groups), EPCs, OEMs, engineering partners, and AHJs to translate functional requirements into technical baselines and IFC deliverables
Define system use cases (capacity, arbitrage, transmission support, FFR/FCR, black start, etc.) and embed performance & control requirements into design
Contribute to completeness and bankability of BESS designs across development, construction, and asset operations
Lead technical workstreams for proposals, project diligence, M&A of development pipelines, and supplier qualification
Interface with inverter/BMS/EMS technology partners and remain current on grid-forming inverter trends, codes, and compliance pathways
Prepare technical exhibits and design inputs for EPC contracts and procurement packages
Develop and execute RFOs/RFPs for ESS equipment; oversee technical evaluation and award
Conduct technical due diligence on technology partners and project opportunities
Report on design maturity, risk, gaps, and readiness to executive leadership and investment partners
Establish and enforce engineering standards, design QA/QC, and process controls
Drive digital tools and process improvements to shorten design cycles and reduce error risk
Hire, manage, and mentor a growing engineering team; build scalable delivery capability
Support general management functions that elevate operational maturity of the organization
B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, or related engineering discipline (advanced degree a plus)
5+ years
professional engineering experience in utility-scale BESS or inverter-based renewable generation
Demonstrated technical ownership of BESS plant design and optimization
Working knowledge of
grid interconnection processes
(PJM/MISO preferred) and utility protection/controls interfaces
Knowledge of NEC, IEEE, NFPA, UL, and applicable utility standards
Proven ability to lead multi-stakeholder, multi-discipline engineering efforts at scale
Demonstrated people‑leadership — coaching, delegation, and team growth
Excellent written & verbal communication; ability to brief executives and work tightly with project finance
Seniority level Director
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Engineering and Project Management
Industries Services for Renewable Energy and Semiconductor Manufacturing
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utility-scale battery energy storage projects
across PJM/MISO and Midwest municipal/co-op utilities. The ideal candidate is a seasoned ESS engineer with demonstrated experience coordinating across owners, utilities, OEMs, EPCs, and AHJs to develop safe, bankable, and value-optimized utility storage systems. This role will be based in
Chicago
with periodic regional travel to sites, partners, and permitting authorities.
The Director of Engineering will build and lead the engineering team and work cross-functionally with development, commercial, construction, and operations to ensure that BESS projects are designed, procured, constructed, and commissioned to meet
grid interconnection, utility, cost, schedule, safety, and performance
requirements.
Accountabilities
Lead all phases of design for utility-scale BESS projects: conceptual & advanced design, interconnection study support, code compliance (NEC/IEEE/NFPA), site & constructability assessment, BoP architecture, development support, construction technical support, commissioning planning
Coordinate with utilities (interconnection/tariff groups), EPCs, OEMs, engineering partners, and AHJs to translate functional requirements into technical baselines and IFC deliverables
Define system use cases (capacity, arbitrage, transmission support, FFR/FCR, black start, etc.) and embed performance & control requirements into design
Contribute to completeness and bankability of BESS designs across development, construction, and asset operations
Lead technical workstreams for proposals, project diligence, M&A of development pipelines, and supplier qualification
Interface with inverter/BMS/EMS technology partners and remain current on grid-forming inverter trends, codes, and compliance pathways
Prepare technical exhibits and design inputs for EPC contracts and procurement packages
Develop and execute RFOs/RFPs for ESS equipment; oversee technical evaluation and award
Conduct technical due diligence on technology partners and project opportunities
Report on design maturity, risk, gaps, and readiness to executive leadership and investment partners
Establish and enforce engineering standards, design QA/QC, and process controls
Drive digital tools and process improvements to shorten design cycles and reduce error risk
Hire, manage, and mentor a growing engineering team; build scalable delivery capability
Support general management functions that elevate operational maturity of the organization
B.S. in Electrical, Mechanical, or related engineering discipline (advanced degree a plus)
5+ years
professional engineering experience in utility-scale BESS or inverter-based renewable generation
Demonstrated technical ownership of BESS plant design and optimization
Working knowledge of
grid interconnection processes
(PJM/MISO preferred) and utility protection/controls interfaces
Knowledge of NEC, IEEE, NFPA, UL, and applicable utility standards
Proven ability to lead multi-stakeholder, multi-discipline engineering efforts at scale
Demonstrated people‑leadership — coaching, delegation, and team growth
Excellent written & verbal communication; ability to brief executives and work tightly with project finance
Seniority level Director
Employment type Full‑time
Job function Engineering and Project Management
Industries Services for Renewable Energy and Semiconductor Manufacturing
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