Principal Transmission & Grid Integration Manager - NorthStar Clean Energy

NorthStar Clean Energy decarbonizes the economy by providing clean energy and carbon management solutions to utility, municipal, commercial, and industrial customers enabling them to meet their sustainability and business goals. Additionally, we own and operate natural gas assets throughout the United States. To learn more about NorthStar Clean Energy, please visit www.northstarcleanenergy.com.

This position is with NorthStar Clean Energy, a CMS Energy company, and is not a position of employment with Consumers Energy.

NorthStar is seeking a Principal Transmission & Grid Integration Manager to serve as a key technical leader driving how our renewable, thermal, and storage assets connect to and perform on the grid. This role offers a high degree of ownership across the full project lifecycle—from early-stage feasibility and siting through interconnection, construction, and grid synchronization.

You will operate with significant independence, shaping transmission strategy while partnering closely with internal teams and external stakeholders including ISOs/RTOs, utilities, and consultants. This is a highly collaborative role with meaningful impact across our growing development portfolio.

What You'll Own

• End-to-end interconnection strategy for a diverse portfolio of renewable, thermal, and storage projects
• Transmission planning decisions that directly influence project viability, cost, and timelines
• Interconnection queue management, ensuring progress from application through execution
• Technical analysis and recommendations that guide leadership decisions and portfolio optimization
• External stakeholder engagement, representing NorthStar in industry forums and technical working groups

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead transmission and interconnection strategies for new and existing projects
• Independently manage the full lifecycle of interconnection processes across ISOs/RTOs (e.g., MISO, ERCOT, PJM)
• Perform and guide advanced power flow, stability, and congestion analyses using tools such as PSS®E and PowerWorld
• Conduct transmission feasibility studies, cost estimates, and system modeling in partnership with consultants
• Provide clear, data-driven recommendations to internal stakeholders and senior leadership
• Ensure compliance with FERC/NERC standards while proactively assessing regulatory and market changes
• Collaborate cross-functionally with development, engineering, construction, regulatory, and operations teams
• Build and maintain strong relationships with utilities, transmission providers, regulators, and industry partners

How You'll Work

• High ownership: You’ll lead strategy and decision-making in a complex, evolving technical environment
• Independent execution: You’ll be trusted to solve ambiguous challenges and move initiatives forward
• Cross-functional collaboration: You’ll work across disciplines and influence outcomes beyond your immediate scope
• External engagement: You’ll represent NorthStar in key industry conversations shaping grid integration

What You Bring

• 7–10+ years of experience in transmission planning, interconnection, or renewable energy engineering
• Deep expertise in grid operations, interconnection processes, and transmission systems
• Strong knowledge of renewable generation and energy storage technologies
• Experience with tools such as PSS®E, PowerWorld, AutoCAD, Mathcad, or HOMER Pro
• Working knowledge of FERC/NERC standards and regulatory frameworks
• Proven ability to lead technical initiatives and collaborate across teams
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems, or related field (required)
• Master’s degree (preferred)
• PE, PMP, or related certification (required)

Work Environment

• Hybrid: 3 days/week in-office (Ann Arbor, MI)
• Mix of corporate office, field visits, and occasional travel
• Opportunity to engage directly with project sites and development activities

Why should you join our team?

At NorthStar Clean Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Up to 13 paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

We, at NorthStar Clean Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women’s Advisory Panel (WAP), Women’s in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY, capable, Interfaith and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.