Director Performance Engineer Jobs in Chicago, IL

About Us

Fullmark Energy is unlocking the potential of energy storage to accelerate renewables, enhance grid reliability, and benefit communities, financial investors, stakeholders, and partners. Founded in 2018, Fullmark Energy develops, builds, owns, and operates energy storage projects across the U.S. Fullmark Energy is securely backed by a fund managed by InfraRed Capital Partners, an infrastructure asset manager with $13 billion in equity under management. Recognized as one of 2025’s Best Places to Work in the Power Industry by POWER magazine, with a four-gigawatt pipeline and a mix of projects operating and under construction, we are making the promise of energy storage a reality.

Compensation and Benefits

• $150,000 - $200,000 annual base salary, compensation commensurate with experience
• Performance-based annual bonus
• Excellent health insurance with 100% premium covered
• Pre-tax Dependent Care Benefit with employer contribution match
• 401k with employer match
• Commuter Benefit
• Competitive PTO and SICK leave
• Family Leave Benefit

Job Summary

The Director of Performance Engineering will lead the strategy, development, and execution of performance monitoring, analysis, and optimization programs across Fullmark Energy’s operating BESS portfolio. This role is responsible for ensuring that every asset in the portfolio delivers against its contractual and financial obligations, driving continuous improvement through data-driven insights, advanced analytics, and close collaboration with Operations, Asset Management, and Commercial teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the performance engineering strategy across the operating fleet, establishing KPIs, benchmarks, and performance frameworks aligned with contractual obligations and financial targets.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of performance engineers and analysts, setting clear roles, responsibilities, and development pathways.
• Develop and maintain performance models for BESS assets, including capacity degradation curves, round-trip efficiency benchmarks, auxiliary consumption baselines, and revenue optimization targets.
• Design and implement real-time and historical performance monitoring systems, leveraging SCADA, EMS, and data historian platforms to provide actionable fleet-wide visibility.
• Lead root cause analysis for underperformance events, coordinating with Operations, OEMs, and third-party vendors to drive timely resolution and prevent recurrence.
• Partner with Asset Management to deliver regular performance reporting to investors, lenders, and internal stakeholders, including variance analysis against modeled expectations.
• Collaborate with the Technical Services team to incorporate performance learnings into new project design standards, procurement specifications, and commissioning criteria.
• Oversee warranty and performance guarantee tracking, supporting commercial claims against OEMs and EPC contractors as required.
• Lead performance testing campaigns, including periodic capacity tests and acceptance tests, ensuring results are accurately documented and reconciled against model projections.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, software tools, and methodologies to advance fleet performance analytics and predictive maintenance capabilities.
• Support due diligence activities for acquisitions and partnerships, assessing the historical and projected performance of target assets.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making across the organization, sharing insights and best practices cross-functionally.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory, contractual, and safety requirements governing asset performance and reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in performance engineering, asset optimization, or technical operations within the energy, power, or renewable energy sectors.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams.
• PE or PMP certification preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Proven experience with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), including degradation modeling, capacity testing, and performance guarantee management.
• Strong proficiency with SCADA, EMS, data historians (OSIsoft PI or equivalent), and analytics platforms.
• Experience with energy market operations, dispatch optimization, and revenue stack analysis across ISO/RTO markets including ERCOT and CAISO.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex performance data into clear insights for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong programming or data analysis skills (Python, SQL, or equivalent) for fleet-scale data processing and modeling.
• Familiarity with OEM warranty structures, performance guarantees, and commercial claims processes.
• Exceptional problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel domestically as required to support performance testing and site visits.

Work Conditions

The Director, Performance Engineering will be based in Chicago, IL and may work in a hybrid arrangement with a combination of in-office, remote work, and required travel. Travel to project sites and partner facilities is required and will make up approximately 10–30% of working time.

Fullmark Energy is an equal opportunity employer. Fullmark Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.