Back to jobs

Power Systems Control Engineer

Los Angeles, CA

About 1st Avenue Power:

1st Avenue Power (1AP) is solving the world’s rapidly accelerating demand for reliable, affordable, and clean energy. Our mission is to power the future—sustainably. As industries undergo electrification, data centers multiply, and decarbonization becomes a global imperative, we are pioneering the next generation of hyper-firm, clean power plants to meet these challenges head-on.

You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, a clean energy technology innovator and entrepreneur who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 10% of Los Angeles’ power.  When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business  to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night. Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.

About the Role:

Join a groundbreaking team of proven leaders at the forefront of the clean energy transition. We are building a future where sustainable energy is accessible to all. The Principal Controls Software Engineer will lead a team building Energy Management Software (EMS) that manages power electronics and power flows throughout our power plants. They’ll own the architecture design, implementation, and technical quality level of the software that runs 1AP’s products. They’ll design and optimize algorithms that make power plants more electrically and economically efficient, including battery management, smart load response, and energy trading.

What Makes This Job Unique:

  • Leadership Impact: As Principal Controls Software Engineer you will have significant influence on key strategic decisions and play a vital role in shaping the future of 1st Avenue Power' energy strategy.
  • Growth Potential: 1st Avenue Power and the project pipeline is in high growth mode, offering excellent opportunities for career growth and professional development.
  • Co-Founder Mindset: This is an opportunity for a passionate and driven individual to join a groundbreaking team and contribute significantly to our mission. We encourage candidates who bring a co-founder mindset, with a focus on ownership, innovation, and a deep commitment to building a sustainable and equitable energy future.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Design and implement software that integrates with first- and third-party power electronics, SCADA platforms, controllable loads, and cloud technologies
  • Design and implement control and optimization algorithms for grid stability and reliable power
  • Collaborate with power electronics engineers to design hardware/software systems
  • Troubleshoot and debug hardware and software issues during development and after deployment of systems.
  • Work with and educate leaders, peers and junior engineers on software tech
  • Guide the company’s technology decisions and software architecture
  • Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or another related field.
  • 9+ years of software development experience. At least 2 of those should be in the field of power controls, industrial controls, or energy management.
  • Ability to handle ambiguity and manage your own progress and timelines. We have a lot to do, and we have to deliver the right thing, working well, at the right time.
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills: we’re going to be a small team and work closely together. Each of us will give and receive plenty of feedback and grow together.
  • Technical breadth: you should know more than one programming language, stack, development ecosystem, etc.
  • Technical depth: you should know how to write and maintain good software. Testing, optimizing for readability, and managing system complexity are everyday skills.
  • Problem oriented: You keep the problem to be solved in mind, and can optimize solutions based on quality, timeline, and other business constraints.
  • Strong leadership skills: we expect you to partner with functional and company leaders, and maintain the team’s effectiveness at building effective products.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with MV or HV (medium or high voltage) systems
  • Experience writing real-time controls on a Real Time Operating System (RTOS)
  • Familiarity with regulatory and compliance requirements for power electronics and power facilities
  • Previous work in a startup or growth-stage environment

Compensation & Benefits:

  •  Competitive compensation package
  • Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.
  • Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.

 

1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process. 

 

 

Join our team and make a real difference in the world.



[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]  

California Pay Range

$140,000 - $230,000 USD

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at 1st Avenue Power? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in 1st Avenue Power’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.