Senior BESS Integration & Plant Control Engineer

UTM Consultants are looking for a BESS Integration Engineer to support the integration of a large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) with a major offshore wind farm connected via HVDC.

This is a technically complex and high-profile role focused on ensuring robust integration between the BESS, HVDC system, offshore wind plant, control systems, trading and optimisation platforms, and operational stakeholders. The role will play a key part in ensuring the integrated system is operable, reliable, commercially optimised, and validated through practical testing to achieve grid code compliance.

The successful candidate will work closely with the BESS Technical Lead and wider project stakeholders to support the development of the operating philosophy, control philosophy, and interface design across multiple systems and parties.

Key Responsibilities

BESS, HVDC and Offshore Wind Integration

• Support the design and coordination of control interfaces between the BESS and HVDC system across a range of operating scenarios.
• Define and manage key integration interfaces between the BESS, offshore wind farm, HVDC controls, plant controllers, and other relevant OEM systems.
• Support the BESS Technical Lead in developing the overall integrated operating and control philosophy for the BESS, HVDC system, and offshore wind plant.
• Work closely with OEMs and project stakeholders to ensure the integrated solution is correctly designed, built, tested, and commissioned.

Trading, Revenue and Operational Interfaces

• Lead the definition of BESS interfaces related to trading, dispatch, and revenue optimisation, including interfaces with the optimiser platform.
• Ensure control logic and system design reflect network constraints, including limitations arising from shared grid connections, offshore wind generation conditions, HVDC operating constraints, and wider transmission system limitations.
• Develop the functional approach to automatically limit or adjust traded power when plant or grid constraints apply.
• Coordinate interfaces between the BESS and:
  • trading optimiser platforms
  • BESS OEM systems for warranty, maintenance, and condition monitoring signals
  • the 24/7 control centre supporting NESO and the asset owner/operator

Technical Leadership and Interface Management

• Provide technical leadership across complex multidisciplinary interfaces involving controls, SCADA, commercial and trading systems, OEM platforms, and grid compliance functions.
• Act as the central technical point across multiple workstreams to ensure a coherent and reliable end-to-end solution.
• Manage model and interface coordination between different OEMs, particularly where control interactions between the BESS and HVDC systems are critical.
• Work closely with the Plant Control Engineer for the HVDC and offshore wind plant to ensure aligned design and testing.
• Work closely with the Lead BESS HV Engineer to ensure aligned design and testing.

Grid Code Compliance and Testing

• Lead the BESS aspects of UK Grid Code compliance planning and testing, working closely with the Plant Control Engineer and wider commissioning team.
• Support and coordinate compliance activities with NESO, including practical understanding of E-ON, I-ON A, I-ON B, and FON, working alongside the Design and Compliance Manager and Grid Connection Manager.
• Maintain a good understanding of operational tripping schemes and associated compliance testing requirements.
• Ensure that control design, plant operation, and interface behaviour support successful compliance demonstration.
• Coordinate with specialists responsible for compliance studies, testing, and technical evidence packages.
• Develop Grid Code compliance test procedures using project-approved templates and formatting familiar to NESO.
• Prepare Grid Code compliance test results and reports using project-approved templates and formatting familiar to NESO.

Integrated Control Design Documentation

• Produce and maintain integrated documentation that consolidates inputs from different packages, contractors, and OEMs for the BESS control design implementation.
• Develop clear and structured documentation covering:
  • operational modes
  • operational tripping philosophy
  • control schemes
  • key interface definitions
• Ensure documentation clearly defines interfaces with neighbouring systems, including:
  • HVDC system
  • offshore wind plant
  • plant control systems
  • control room
  • trading and revenue systems
  • optimiser platform
  • Transmission System Operator (TSO)
• Coordinate across packages and stakeholders to ensure documentation is aligned, complete, traceable, and suitable to support design, implementation, testing, commissioning, and operations.

Requirements

Essential

• Strong experience in the integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) into complex power projects.
• Demonstrable experience with control interfaces between BESS and other plant systems, ideally including HVDC, renewable generation, or grid-connected infrastructure.
• Basic understanding of communication network infrastructure and cyber security.
• Good understanding of BESS trading, dispatch, and revenue optimisation interfaces in the UK market.
• Experience defining or managing interfaces with optimisers/trading platforms, OEM control systems, SCADA and plant control systems, and remote operational/control centres.
• Strong understanding of how shared grid connection constraints impact BESS operation and traded power availability.
• Experience with co-located BESS projects sharing a grid connection with other generation assets such as offshore wind, onshore wind, solar, or similar plant.
• Ability to develop and manage an integrated operating and control philosophy across multiple systems and stakeholders.
• Good working knowledge of UK Grid Code compliance processes for large grid-connected plant, including practical awareness of testing and energisation stages.
• Understanding of REMIT considerations in relation to trading and the implications of where data and signals are sent.
• Experience producing integrated technical documentation covering control design inputs, operating philosophies, trip logic, and interface requirements across multiple OEMs and packages.

Desirable

• Experience working on projects involving HVDC-connected offshore wind.
• Broader understanding of power systems and control interactions, with the ability to manage technical interfaces and challenge OEMs effectively.
• Familiarity with Grid Code compliance studies, even where not personally carrying out PSCAD or PowerFactory simulations.
• Awareness of related areas such as SCADA integration, metering interfaces, protection interactions, and control room operations.
• Prior experience coordinating across multiple OEMs and contractors in a complex delivery environment.

Technical Capability Profile

The successful candidate will not be expected to personally undertake PSCAD or PowerFactory studies, but should have sufficient knowledge of power system behaviour, control interactions, and dynamic plant integration to:

• understand the implications of study outputs
• manage technical discussions with OEMs and consultants
• review interface assumptions
• ensure appropriate integration between BESS and HVDC control systems
• support the delivery of a technically robust and compliant solution

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a similar relevant discipline
• Master’s degree preferred
• Strong background in control theory and practical site experience, particularly in Grid Code compliance testing

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