Grid Interconnection & Permitting Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Our Mission Is Simple: Democratize Access To Clean Energy

Welcome to BlueCore Energy! We are on a relentless mission to democratize access to clean energy . By designing and building advanced floating Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) on barges right here in Long Beach, CA, we are bringing scalable, clean, and reliable power to the world. Joining our team means getting in on the ground floor of a revolution in marine small modular reactors (SMRs). If you are passionate, driven, and ready to tackle some of the most exciting challenges of our time, we want you on our team!

Our Values

• Humility — We hold strong opinions loosely, say "I don't know," ask for help early, and let the best idea win regardless of who it came from.

• Inclusivity — The best engineering comes from many perspectives. We build a team where everyone is heard, and we mean it.

• Pragmatism — We solve the real problem in front of us, reuse what already works, and value a tested answer over an elegant one.

About the Role

The Grid Interconnection & Permitting Lead will own the path that connects Bluecore Energy's floating nuclear power plants to the grid. Starting here in Long Beach and expanding across states and ports, you will build relationships with utilities, such as Southern California Edison (SCE), and the agencies that govern each connection, learn the regulations inside and out, and drive every permit needed to put our power on the grid. This is a highly independent role for a self-motivated, action-oriented person who can take a broad objective and turn it into a plan, a schedule, and approvals. You will work closely with engineering and the greater Licensing and Certification team to shape the electrical design, subsea cable connections, and emergency plans so they are built for interconnection and future licensing from day one. While Long Beach comes online, you will also work with business development to evaluate and prepare for other ports as opportunities arise, so Bluecore Energy is ready to scale.

• Own the grid interconnection process from initial application through interconnection agreement and energization, for example collaborating with SCE to connect in Long Beach and with other utilities as we expand, including interconnection requests, system impact and facilities studies, and all required utility and agency filings.

• Develop and maintain working relationships with utilities, grid operators, port authorities, and state and local agencies, serving as Bluecore Energy's primary point of contact on everything related to getting onto the grid.

• Become Bluecore Energy's in-house expert on the regulations, tariffs, and technical requirements for grid connection in each region we operate in, beginning with Southern California, and translate them into clear, actionable requirements for the engineering team.

• Participate in design reviews and provide input on the plant's electrical design, including switchyard, protection, metering, and grid code compliance, so it is optimized for interconnection and future licensing.

• Lead permitting and design input for the subsea and shoreside cable connections between the barge and the onshore grid, working with engineering and the Licensing and Certification team on routing, landing points, and the approvals those connections require.

• Develop emergency plans for events that could disconnect the plant from the grid, such as grid disturbances, cable damage, mooring events, and severe weather, covering preparation, response, and recovery.

• Support Bluecore Energy's broader emergency planning before, during, and after emergencies, coordinating with the Licensing and Certification team, operations, the utility, and local and state emergency response organizations.

• In parallel with Long Beach, work with business development to assess future ports, identify what carries over and what changes from port to port, and build the playbook for interconnection and permitting as we scale.

• 5+ years of experience in a professional environment, which can include nuclear or maritime licensing, utility work, power generation, energy project development, or regulatory permitting.

• Working knowledge of utility and grid operator interconnection procedures (for example, CAISO and SCE processes) and the federal and state regulatory requirements behind them.

• Proven track record of building relationships with utilities, regulators, and agencies and driving permits and approvals to completion with minimal direction.

• Solid understanding of power systems, including one-line diagrams, protection and relaying, interconnection studies, and grid code requirements, sufficient to contribute meaningfully in engineering design reviews.

• Experience developing or contributing to emergency response, contingency, or continuity plans for energy or critical infrastructure.

• Strong written communication skills, with experience producing clear, complete applications and filings for utilities and regulators.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Energy Systems, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Experience with environmental permitting (CEQA, NEPA) and siting for energy, port, or coastal infrastructure projects.

• Experience permitting subsea cables or coastal projects with agencies such as the California State Lands Commission, California Coastal Commission, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

• Familiarity with nuclear licensing or emergency preparedness requirements (NRC, FEMA), or with permitting in another highly regulated power generation environment.

• Experience managing interconnection or permitting across multiple utilities, ISOs, or port authorities.

On-Site Requirement: Our team works together at our Long Beach facility, right next to our barge. 

Highly Cross-Functional: Startups move fast! You must possess the ability to seamlessly collaborate across multiple teams to rapidly solve problems and keep production moving.

Physical & Machinery Requirements: Because we are a hands-on startup, this role may require the ability to perform physical labor, navigate active construction/manufacturing zones, and/or operate heavy machinery and specialized manufacturing equipment as needed.