Position Overview

The AI Lead Project Manager for Electric Operations Technology is a senior technical leadership role responsible for the end-to-end delivery of a substation Edge AI product. This role is the functional equivalent of the former Engineering Lead — combining deep technical authority with program ownership to drive a complex, multi-partner integration program from development through field deployment.

The successful candidate owns the full technical integration stack: embedded hardware, software, DSP algorithms, AI/ML engine and models, and OT-grade cybersecurity. They serve as the primary technical interface between internal stakeholders and external partners, and as the accountable delivery lead for integration testing and operational deployment across substation sites.

Key Responsibilities

Product & Program Delivery

Own end-to-end delivery of the substation Edge AI product, from architecture baseline through field commissioning.

Define and maintain the integrated master schedule across hardware, software, DSP, AI/ML, and security workstreams, tracking dependencies and critical path.
Manage partner deliverables: enforce interface control documents (ICDs), integration milestones, and acceptance criteria with each vendor.
Drive risk identification, mitigation planning, and escalation across all technical domains.
Report program status, risks, and decisions to executive and cross-functional stakeholders.

Technical Leadership & Integration

Serve as the authoritative technical lead for the full Edge AI integration stack, including:

Edge compute hardware (selection, qualification, environmental hardening for substation environments)

Embedded and real-time software components from multiple supply partners
DSP signal processing code (protection, power quality, fault detection)
AI/ML inference engine, model integration, and performance validation
- OT cybersecurity (IEC 62443, NERC CIP compliance, secure boot, network segmentation) Lead system-level integration architecture reviews; resolve cross-domain interface conflicts.
Maintain technical authority to accept or reject partner deliverables against agreed specifications.

Integration Testing & Validation

• Define and own the Integration Master Test Plan (IMTP) covering hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), software integration, DSP functional verification, AI model performance, and end-to-end system validation. Oversee lab integration environments; lead multi-partner integration test events.
  Drive failure analysis, regression testing, and defect triage to closure.
• Ensure test evidence package meets utility interconnection, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Field Deployment

Lead pilot deployment planning and execution at substation sites, coordinating with operations, field engineering, and protection engineering teams.

Manage site readiness criteria, commissioning test procedures, and operational acceptance gates.
Establish and oversee rollout playbooks for scaled deployment, including tooling for remote monitoring, firmware updates, and model refresh.
Act as technical escalation point during field deployment and early operational support.

Partner & Stakeholder Management

Manage technical relationships with hardware vendors, software integrators, AI/ML model providers, and security partners.

Chair integration working groups and architecture review boards.
Coordinate internally with protection engineering, IT/OT security, operations technology, and grid modernization teams.
Align product requirements with regulatory, reliability (NERC), and operational standards of the utility.

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related field. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

10+ years of progressive technical experience in electric power systems, OT product development, or related engineering fields.

5+ years in a technical lead, systems engineering lead, or engineering program management role with multi-partner delivery accountability.
Demonstrated experience integrating complex embedded systems with hardware and software components from multiple vendors.
Prior experience in substation environments (protection & control, SCADA, IEDs, communications) is required.
Proven track record delivering technology products through hardware…