Director, Power Development Engineering and Grid Interconnection at Talen Energy in Houston, TX

Job description

Director, Engineering and Interconnection We are seeking a Director, Engineering and Interconnection to lead the owner's-side technical capability supporting Talen Energy's power generation, battery storage, and digital infrastructure development portfolio. The role is accountable for development-stage project engineering, technology and configuration decisions, technical diligence, and grid and transmission interconnection strategy. The Director will translate complex engineering and grid issues into clear decisions that improve safety, reliability, project economics, schedule certainty, and investment readiness. Reporting to the Chief Asset Development Officer, the Director supports opportunities from early site screening through Final Investment Decision and transition to execution. The portfolio includes simple-cycle peakers and combined-cycle facilities using aeroderivative and large-frame F- and H-class gas turbines; standalone and co-located battery energy storage systems; and powered-land and data center projects requiring large-load interconnection and resilient power delivery. The role works across Talen's development functions and with PJM, transmission owners, utilities, OEMs, EPC contractors, the owner's engineer, and technical consultants. Detailed design and specialized studies may be external, but this role retains accountability for technical strategy, standards, decisions, risk, deliverable quality, and consultant performance. Key Responsibilities Build and lead the Engineering & Interconnection function, including development-stage standards, design criteria, stage-gate deliverables, review protocols, consultant governance, technical reporting, and scalable capability. Support Site Origination by screening interconnection points, transmission and utility constraints, site layouts, fuel and water interfaces, constructability, and technical fatal flaws. Lead concept design and configuration for simple-cycle, combined-cycle, BESS, and powered-land or data center projects. Evaluate technology tradeoffs involving output, efficiency, dispatch profile, emissions, water use, footprint, reliability, operating flexibility, lifecycle cost, and schedule. Direct preparation and review of design bases, heat and mass balances, one-lines, layouts, equipment lists, performance assumptions, utility requirements, and preliminary specifications. Provide engineering inputs needed for permitting, estimating, contracting, and investment decisions, including plant configuration, emissions-control and stack assumptions, water and wastewater concepts, noise sources, site layouts, and construction requirements. Lead technical evaluation and procurement support for gas turbines, battery systems, transformers, substations, switchyards, controls, and balance-of-plant systems, including technical scopes, proposal reviews, guarantees, lifecycle implications, vendor selection, and long-lead risks. Select, direct, and hold accountable the owner's engineer, power-system and interconnection consultants, and other engineering specialists. Set acceptance criteria, challenge assumptions, manage quality, budget, and schedule, and resolve multidisciplinary interfaces before they create project risk. Own engineering and interconnection work plans, budgets, schedules, assumptions, and risks. Develop or validate capital-cost estimates, operating assumptions, equipment lead times, contingencies, engineering maturity, and critical-path inputs for development and investment decisions. Develop interconnection strategies for generation, storage, and large-load projects, including point-of-interconnection and queue strategy, generation and load-service pathways, co-location or behind-the-meter configurations, phased energization, redundancy, and alignment with target service dates. Oversee interconnection applications, models, and studies; interpret results and quantify network upgrades, cost and schedule exposure, grid-performance requirements, security, m