Forerunner Technologies Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Wartsila is an innovative technology company known for being a forerunner in the Marine and Energy markets. Every day, we - Wartsilians - put our hearts and minds into turning Wartsila's purpose of enabling sustainable societies through innovation in technology and services into reality. Our ultimate aim is to provide increased value to both our customers and society. New, game-changing ideas and continuous improvement have been part of our DNA since 1834. Together, we can create new business opportunities and more sustainable future that we can all be proud of. 
We want to transition the world towards a decarbonised and sustainable future. By pushing the boundaries of engineering and technology, we can make it work. We are always on the lookout for future-oriented talent - want to join the ride?

Role Summary

We are seeking a Senior Power Systems Engineer to lead dynamic model development and validation for our energy storage and hybrid renewable systems. This role is a key member of the Power Systems team, with a primary focus on creating and maintaining high-fidelity dynamic models of inverter-based resources (IBR) such as battery energy storage systems (BESS), solar PV, and hybrid plants. You will drive modeling excellence in industry-standard tools to support grid integration studies, stability assessments, and the development of automated power system workflows.

Key Responsibilities

Modeling and Technical Development

Lead hands-on development, validation, and maintenance of detailed dynamic simulation models for Wartsila BESS, renewable energy systems, inverter-based resources, and power plant controllers in tools such as PSCAD, PSSE, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, and other industry platforms.

Build and refine models from first principles, ensuring accurate representation of control algorithms, protection schemes, and plant-level behavior (not limited to running simulation studies).

Optimize model parameters for grid stability, voltage/frequency response, and dynamic performance of standalone BESS as well as hybrid BESS + solar PV (or wind) plants.

Translate complex simulation algorithms into practical software modules (Python, Fortran, or similar) to enable automated modeling workflows and faster project delivery.

Perform integration studies and dynamic assessments for hybrid renewable plants, focusing on real-world model-to-field correlation and continuous model improvement.

Customer and Project Support

Serve as a technical modeling expert supporting project developers, utilities, and grid operators.

Collaborate with business development and project teams during pre-sales, proposals, and execution phases to deliver accurate dynamic models and technical solutions.

Provide model-related support during design, commissioning, and operations, including troubleshooting model performance issues and ensuring seamless handover.

Deliver training and knowledge transfer to customers and internal teams on model assumptions, usage, and best practices for dynamic studies.
Continuous Improvement

Enhance internal modeling tools, libraries, and automation scripts to increase accuracy, speed, and standardization across projects.

Capture lessons learned from projects and contribute to updates in modeling guidelines, best practices, and template libraries.

Stay current with evolving grid requirements for inverter-based resources and renewable integration.

Qualifications

Master's or Ph.D. in Power Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

3-5 years of relevant experience with a strong emphasis on hands-on dynamic model development (not just simulation studies).
Demonstrated expertise in developing and validating models for inverter-based resources, renewable energy systems (BESS, solar PV, hybrid plants), and power plant controllers.
Proficiency in PSCAD, PSSE, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, and at least one scripting language (Python, MATLAB, or Fortran).
Solid understanding of power system dynamics, control theory, and grid integration of inverter-based resources.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

At Wartsila we value, respect and embrace all our differences, and are committed to diversity, inclusion and equal employment opportunities; everyone can be their true self and succeed based on their job-relevant merits and abilities. 
Please note that according to Wartsila policy, voluntary consent for a security check may be required from candidates being considered for this position, depending on the applicable country.

This is Wartsila 

Wartsila is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. Our team of 18,300 professionals, in more than 230 locations in 77 countries, shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. Read more on www.wartsila.com.