Principal Engineer - Control & Automation Systems
About the job
- A formal education in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or a related discipline is valued, but total experience and professional achievements are emphasized.
- Significant experience in power system automation or substation control engineering, including substantial experience with IEC 61850-based systems.
- In-depth knowledge of IEC 61850 protocols and concepts, including Manufacturing Message Specification, Generic Object-Oriented Substation Events, Substation Configuration Language, and Sampled Values.
- Strong understanding of communication networks, including Ethernet, Virtual Local Area Networks, and Parallel Redundancy Protocol/High-availability Seamless Redundancy architectures.
- Proven experience configuring and integrating Intelligent Electronic Devices, protection relays, substation bay controllers, merging units, and Human-Machine Interface systems.
- Hands-on experience with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Distributed Control System platform integration.
- Working knowledge of Layer 2 and Layer 3 communication protocols, including IPv4, Open Shortest Path First, Link Aggregation Control Protocol, Demilitarised Zone, Virtual Private Network, Distribution Management System/Advanced Distribution Management System, DNP3, and Modbus.
- Experience using IEC 61850 System Configurators and Intelligent Electronic Device Connectivity Packages.
- Own the technical solution for control and automation systems end-to-end, from requirements definition and architecture through implementation, validation, and governance, ensuring designs meet customer requirements and comply with IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5, and related power system communication standards.
- Lead HVDC control and protection design, including network and cybersecurity architecture, Substation Configuration Language data modelling, protection logic, interlocking logic, and integration of Intelligent Electronic Devices, bay controllers, merging units, and Human-Machine Interfaces within digital substations.
- Drive engineering excellence by identifying and implementing improvements to methods, tools, processes, and systems that enhance customer value, and uphold Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost principles across the team.
- Collaborate and influence across project teams, New Product Introduction, utilities, and vendors to support system integration, testing, and commissioning, and provide technical consultation to cross-functional teams on manufacturing, supply chain, and field challenges.
- Represent GE Vernova externally at industry conferences and in professional bodies such as IEC and CIGRE, contribute to the Patent Evaluation Board, mentor junior engineers, and support hiring, promotion, and succession planning within Engineering & Technology.
- Active participation in IEC, CIGRE, or equivalent industry standards working groups.
- Experience leading root cause analysis for complex Voltage Source Converter (VSC) control and protection issues.
- Familiarity with cybersecurity design principles for industrial control systems.
About the company
GE Vernova makes equipment and software that generate and manage electricity for utilities, power producers, and industrial customers. Its Power, Wind, and Electrification businesses span gas turbines, wind generation, and the systems that move electricity across grids. The company supplies generators, grid equipment, and controls, while its software coordinates network operations and integrates changing sources of power. Customers buy equipment and enter service agreements for maintenance, upgrades, and technical support over its operating life, alongside purchases of software and related services. GE Vernova became an independent company in 2024 after separating from GE and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
$17.6M
Headquarters
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Founded
2024
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Demand supports expansion: July 2026 results show GE Vernova booked $24.2 billion of quarterly orders, up 88% organically.
- Service commitments support recurring work: GE Vernova says services account for more than 55% of its backlog.
- Graduates build depth through rotations: GE Vernova runs two-year Next Gen development programs in engineering, technology, and operations.
What critics are saying
- Wind remains a drag: July 2026 results show GE Vernova lost $275 million in quarterly Wind segment EBITDA.
- Project margins absorb overruns: GE Vernova locks prices before completion and discloses meaningful expenses from excess costs and penalties.
- Field assignments demand long weeks: GE Vernova's listed transformer specialist works typical 12-hour site days, up to six weekly.
What makes GE Vernova unique
- Its technology underpins global power: GE Vernova says customers generate approximately one-quarter of world electricity using its equipment.
- Gas turbine scale anchors expertise: GE Vernova reports the largest installed fleet by generating capacity, across approximately 7,000 turbines.
- Nuclear work reaches beyond equipment: GE Vernova Hitachi supplies advanced reactors, fuel, and services for operating plants.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Paid Parental Leave
Mental Health Support
Relocation Assistance
Performance Bonus
Company News
Jim Cramer highlighted GE Vernova and Vertiv on 2 October, noting their exposure to data centre growth. He questioned why the jobs report didn't reflect the data centre buildout, suggesting commercial construction is weak whilst data centre projects remain strong. Vertiv's Q2 net sales grew 24% annually, with operating profit up 44%. However, revenue growth of 17.8% missed analyst estimates of 23.6% due to supply chain issues, raising concerns about backlog conversion. The company's capital expenditure surged 285% to $173 million. GE Vernova's shares have risen over 240% since October 2024. Q2 customer downpayments generated a $6.4 billion working capital benefit, pushing free cash flow up 2,532% to $5.1 billion. The company raised its full-year cash flow guidance to $11.5–$12.5 billion from $6.5–$7.5 billion.
General Electric spun off its energy division as GE Vernova on 2 April 2024. The stock opened at $142.25 per share and reached a record high of $1,174.86 on 30 June 2026, now trading at about $1,000. GE Vernova operates three segments: Power, Electrification, and Wind. Strong demand from cloud and AI markets drove growth in its Power and Electrification businesses, whilst the Wind segment faced operational challenges. The company's backlog grew 37% year-over-year to $176.3 billion at the end of Q2 2026. Analysts expect revenue and adjusted EBITDA to grow at compound annual growth rates of 17% and 60% respectively from 2025 to 2028. GE Vernova trades at 27 times next year's adjusted EBITDA, with an enterprise value of $262 billion.
GE Vernova, General Electric's former energy division spun off in 2024, is positioned to benefit from surging power demands at AI data centres. The company operates three segments: Power (55% of 2025 orders), Electrification (33%), and Wind (13%), providing turbines, transformers, and grid services. Orders grew 24% organically in the first half of 2026, driven by Power and Electrification segments. By Q2 2026, GE Vernova's backlog reached $176.3 billion — 4.6 times its 2025 revenue of $38.1 billion. The company expects 2026 revenue to grow 20-22%, accelerating from 9% growth in 2025 and 5% in 2024. Fortune Business Insights projects the global AI in power utilities market could expand at a 19.3% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2034.
Four major engineering firms have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on building and deploying small modular reactors (SMRs) in Europe. GE Vernova, Hitachi, Samsung C&T, and Poland-based SGE will work together on market development and commercial opportunities for the BWRX-300, an SMR developed by GE Vernova and Hitachi subsidiaries. The agreement was signed during the Atlantic Council Nuclear Energy Policy Summit at the UN General Assembly in New York. SMRs are smaller-scale, plug-and-play nuclear generators that are cheaper and quicker to construct than traditional nuclear plants. They use low-enriched uranium that can be sourced entirely from western enrichment providers. The initiative has government backing from the US, Japan, and South Korea, supported by a trilateral agreement signed at the recent NATO summit.
GE Vernova shares have fallen 20.8% from their 52-week high of $1,195.94, closing at $946.22 on 21 September. Despite the pullback, the stock remains up 47% over the past year. The company reported strong second-quarter results, with orders of $24.2 billion, up 88% organically year-on-year. Revenue reached $11.1 billion, up 22%, whilst net income for the first six months totalled $5.3 billion, compared with $756 million in the prior-year period. GE Vernova is positioned to benefit from surging power demand driven by artificial intelligence data centres. The company also has a nuclear energy division developing small modular reactors through a joint venture with Hitachi, with commercial operation expected by the end of 2030. The company faces challenges including a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 38.1 and declining wind division sales.