Breakthrough Energy is a network of entities and initiatives, including investment funds, nonprofit and philanthropic programs, united by a shared commitment to scale the technologies needed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. We accelerate innovation from lab to market, solve planning barriers to grid solutions, and bring together governments, research institutions, companies, and investors to expand and enhance clean-energy investment. The GRIDS program focuses on improving and accelerating electric system planning and reducing the time to investment by tackling processes and tools for electric system design, building quality fundamental data inputs, and consistent and focused decision-making tools to understand trade-offs and options.
OVERVIEW:
Breakthrough Energy seeks a technically grounded and execution-oriented Senior Manager, Grid Modeling, to join our GRIDS program. The Senior Manager will help advance the technical core of the GRIDS program, with a particular focus on power system modeling. Primary focus areas are benchmarking and facilitating development and adoption of emerging open-source grid modeling tools and data sources to increase transparency, interoperability, and accessibility of planning models that inform the buildout of reliable low-carbon grids worldwide. This role also scopes and stewards philanthropic investments in partner organizations advancing open-source solver, tool, and methods development, and helps global utilities, grid operators, think tanks, and consultancies experiment with and adopt open-source grid modeling tools. GRIDS is a small team, this role combines hands-on technical work with partner activation: the Senior Manager will be the dedicated practitioner on benchmarking and pilot workflows while also ensuring that the substantial body of work executed through partners is well-scoped, on track, and useful. The ideal candidate combines deep planning expertise with strong program scoping and partner management skills, is comfortable moving between detailed technical analysis and external-facing program leadership and brings an entrepreneurial mindset to a rapidly evolving global initiative. This role reports to the Director, Research and Analytics, GRIDS.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serve as the on-team practitioner for the GRIDS Research and Analytics function - conducting hands-on benchmarking of grid modeling tools and data sources, prototyping analytical workflows on open tools and public data, and surfacing performance and capability gaps between leading commercial tools and open-source alternatives. Communicate findings clearly and concisely to GRIDS leadership to inform targeted philanthropic investment in closing those gaps.
- Design industry-standard tool and data benchmarking programs in partnership with external collaborators, oversee the philanthropic funding of those programs, and help make their outputs broadly accessible so that modelers globally can compare what tools (commercial and open-source) can do, how feature-complete and performant they are, which solvers pair best with them, and what data sources are available and reliable - including public datasets and estimations of security-constrained data. Monitor progress against milestones and synthesize outcomes for internal leadership and public communications.
- Scope, monitor, and steward grants and contracts to partner organizations advancing solver, tool, and methods development - for example, solver performance improvements, open-source tool benchmarking, and AC power-flow-informed capacity expansion modeling. Define scope and deliverables, track progress, manage funding, and report up internally and publicly. The GRIDS team is small, so most technical execution will happen through partners; this role is a primary lever for ensuring that work is well-scoped and lands.
- Lead targeted efforts to help anchor partners - utilities, grid operators, consultancies - move pilot or production planning workflows onto open-source tools, identifying what is missing for adoption and translating those findings back into the GRIDS investment roadmap.
- Pressure-test the analytical workflows GRIDS aims to democratize - i.e., analyses that today require CEII access or proprietary tooling - by prototyping them end-to-end on open tools and public data, and identify the gaps that prevent them from being run openly today.
- Evaluate modeling tool, data, and methodology requirements for accurately assessing the role of emerging technologies on the grid - shape and contribute solutions back to the modeling community.
- Serve as a technical thought partner to the Director, Research and Analytics in vetting external proposals and ongoing partner work, bringing a planner's perspective on whether proposed tools, data products, and methods would be genuinely useful to practitioners at utilities and grid operators.
- Build collaboration across the broader Breakthrough Energy network to leverage shared expertise and ensure GRIDS' technical work informs and is informed by adjacent BE activities.
- Deliver technical thought leadership on behalf of GRIDS in industry forums, working groups, and convenings related to grid modeling, benchmarking, and open-source development - helping build awareness of GRIDS' work and expanding the program's technical influence in the field.
- Stay current on industry trends, emerging power system technologies, and best practices in power systems modeling and open-source software development.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
- At least 5 years of transmission and/or distribution planning and power systems modeling experience at a utility, ISO/RTO, or consulting firm supporting system operators. This should include hands-on experience building, developing, and maintaining planning models - including the underlying network, generator, and dynamic models - and conducting the full range of planning studies: steady-state power flow, transient stability, short-circuit, and electromagnetic transient (EMT) analysis.
- Strong track record of building productive relationships across diverse internal and external stakeholder groups, particularly in the climate, energy, or grid modeling space.
- PowerFactory and/or PSS®E experience required; familiarity with adjacent industry tools (e.g., TARA, PowerWorld, PSCAD) and open-source equivalents (e.g., PowSyBl) is a plus.
- Experience with electric reliability and resource adequacy studies.
- Working knowledge of transmission, distribution, and utility interconnection processes and electrical infrastructure.
- Deep understanding of data requirements for transmission and distribution models, including data sources, data pipelining, data validation, data interoperability challenges across datasets, and the handling of Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) data.
- Demonstrated project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, including coordinating external consultants and grantees in the execution of scoped work.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex technical findings into clear, actionable insights for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Entrepreneurial orientation, with experience thriving through ambiguity and change in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's or advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field. Equivalent practical experience and demonstrated expertise will also be considered.
- Knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards and familiarity with transmission planning forums and standards, including internationally.
- Experience using and/or contributing to collaborative open-source software projects.
- Working understanding of the optimization solver landscape relevant to power systems, including the commercial-vs-open-source trade-offs.
- Proficient in Python for power systems work - including parsing and manipulating planning model data formats, running open-source modeling tools, and prototyping analytical workflows - and comfortable working in version-controlled environments (Git/GitHub) and reading code written by others. Candidates without this background but with strong interest in developing these skills are also encouraged to apply.
- Hands-on familiarity with open-source capacity expansion or production cost modeling tools such as PyPSA, GenX, or Sienna, including the practical realities of building, running, and validating models in those environments.
- Experience with interconnection studies for inverter-based resources (IBRs), including variable wind and solar resources and utility-scale battery systems.
- Demonstrated ability to learn and integrate AI tools into work.
Remote candidates will be considered within states where Breakthrough Energy is registered or has an established presence. The GRIDS team is concentrated in Mountain and Pacific time zones, candidates based in Mountain or Pacific Time Zones are strongly preferred for team coverage.
The starting salary range for this position is $165,000 - $175,000 annually. Salary offers within this range will vary depending on several factors, including, but not limited to, education, experience, skills, relevant certifications, and other qualifications. Employees may also be eligible for bonuses based on individual performance.
In addition to compensation, we offer a comprehensive benefits package. Our package includes paid medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, annual leave, sick leave, and a 401(k) program for eligible employees. Our commitment to the well-being and support of our team members is reflected in the comprehensive coverage of our offers.
Breakthrough Energy celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all. Breakthrough Energy is an equal opportunity employer. Breakthrough Energy does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Breakthrough Energy will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and/or receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact BEHR@breakthroughenergy.org.
