Senior/Staff Data Scientist (Power Flows)

About Gridsight

Electricity grids are undergoing the most significant transformation in a century. The shift to renewables, the proliferation of rooftop solar, batteries and EVs, and the increasing complexity of distribution networks are forcing utilities to operate their grids in fundamentally new ways. Gridsight's vertical SaaS platform uses data, ML and AI to help grid operators modernise their operations and unlock transformational new capabilities. We deliver visibility into the grid edge, faster renewable connections, and real-time orchestration of distributed energy. The opportunity is enormous ($1B+ ARR).

We're embedded with over 50% of Australia's distribution networks, more than 30% in New Zealand, and have 1 of the top 5 utilities in the US as our lighthouse. Airtree led our Series A, we grew ARR 3.4x in the past 6 months, and we're on the path to build the first truly generational utility software company. 

We are a team of builders. What unites us is that we’re curious, hungry and obsessed with maximising the impact we can deliver to Gridsight and the energy transition. If that sounds like you, come join us!

The Role

You will design, implement and run the AC and DC power flow simulations that allow utilities to understand and manage modern dynamic electricity grids. Your solutions will make it possible to efficiently manage grid constraints and resources, to forecast grid state into the future, and to assess connection applications for new renewables projects in record time.

Key Accountabilities

• Implement, adapt or develop AC and DC power flow engines for grid modelling and forecasting
• Build scalable power flow modelling software able to perform in real-time or near-real-time operational contexts
• Solve AC optimal power flow problems related to grid operations, resource dispatch, and network management
• Run, tune and debug both balanced and unbalanced load flows
• Develop and run software for state (DC + AC) and network parameter estimation (impedances, phasing, customer to transformer mapping)
• Collaborate with others in the grid modeling team to formulate network models and constraints as optimisation problems
• Establish best practices for power flow development, validation, and monitoring
• Contribute to technical strategy for data science, optimisation and modelling capabilities, and future applications

Core Requirements

• Power flow expertise: Deep experience with AC optimal powerflow (AC-OPF) calculations, including the use of key open-source packages such as OpenDSS, pandapower and/or lf-energy. 
• Experience with state/parameter estimation for energy networks, or fitting of other parametric statistical models in high dimension
• Data science foundations: Statistical modeling, numerical programming, algorithm design, data analysis
• Senior/Staff level experience: 5+ years in data science/electrical engineering/optimisation roles with demonstrated impact
• Software engineering prowess: Capable of writing quality code in Python for power flow algorithms and data analysis; familiar with architectural principles, system design, version control, testing practices, code review, CI/CD

Differentiators

• Grid domain knowledge (electrical networks, power systems, operational constraints)
• Experience tuning, debugging and reconciling power flow outputs with real world observations (SCADA and/or smart meters)
• Real-time or near-real-time optimisation system experience
• Understanding of DER integration challenges and battery/VPP operations
• Experience in load forecasting
• Ability to work with customers to incorporate their existing forecasts into your own calculations
• Software engineering depth (system design, testing, deployment, MLOps)
• Familiarity with Databricks
• Familiarity with cleaning and exploration of SCADA and/or smart meter data

What We Offer

• Competitive salary. We hold high expectations, but pay accordingly.
• Meaningful ESOP so you share in the growth of Gridsight.
• $2,500 WFH allowance, $2,500 health and wellness allowance, bi-annual in person working weeks, and lunch is on us when you’re in office.
• Work how you like. Fully remote, hybrid or in office with a fresh, new head office in Sydney and satellite spaces in Melbourne, Brisbane and Hobart.

Learn More

• Brendan Banfield (CEO at Gridsight) in conversation with James Cameron (Partner at Airtree)
• Gridsight's work with Endeavour Energy to deliver flexible exports
• The problem space we're tackling