How to apply for Electrical Engineer

About Carbon Direct

Carbon Direct is a mission-driven company focused on scaling carbon management to decarbonize the global economy. They combine scientific expertise with practical engineering to help organizations achieve net-zero goals, making them a unique player at the intersection of climate tech and electrical engineering.

About the role

This Electrical Engineer role involves designing and analyzing electrical systems for corporate decarbonization pathways, including electrification and grid integration. You'll conduct technical due diligence on clean energy projects and present actionable recommendations to clients, directly influencing real-world carbon reduction.

A typical day

A typical day might involve running power flow simulations in PSS/E to assess grid reliability for a client's electrification project, then collaborating with the carbon analytics team to translate results into emissions reduction metrics. You'll also participate in client calls to present findings and discuss next steps for decarbonization strategies.

Who Carbon Direct is looking for

• Holds a Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with hands-on experience in the electric power industry.
• Proficient in transmission models (N-1 reliability, SCUC, SCED) and power flow tools like PSS/E, PowerWorld, or PSCAD.
• Experienced with production-cost models such as PyPSA, PROMOD, Plexos, or AURORA.
• Deep understanding of wholesale electricity markets and grid operations in North America and the EU.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with transmission modeling and production-cost tools mentioned in the job posting (e.g., PSS/E, PyPSA).
• In your cover letter, explicitly connect your past projects to corporate decarbonization or renewable integration to show alignment with Carbon Direct's mission.
• Quantify achievements: e.g., 'Reduced modeling time by 20% using automated scripts in PSS/E' or 'Optimized grid integration for a 100 MW solar farm'.
• Research Carbon Direct's client base (e.g., Fortune 500 companies) and mention how your work can support their decarbonization goals.
• Include a portfolio or summary of past studies (e.g., reliability assessments, renewable integration) to demonstrate hands-on experience.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your expertise in transmission and production-cost modeling and how it applies to decarbonization pathways.', 'Experience with North American and EU electricity markets and grid operations.', 'Passion for climate action and translating complex engineering into business-relevant recommendations.', 'Specific examples of technical due diligence on energy storage or industrial electrification projects.']

Research before applying

• Review Carbon Direct's published reports or case studies on corporate decarbonization to understand their methodology and client impact.
• Familiarize yourself with their technology partners and tools (e.g., any proprietary models or platforms they use).
• Look into their team structure and recent hires on LinkedIn to gauge the company's growth and culture.
• Read about their approach to carbon accounting and how electrical engineering fits into their broader services.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through a transmission reliability study you've conducted. What tools did you use and what were the key findings?
• How would you approach modeling the grid impact of a large-scale electrification project (e.g., fleet of EVs)?
• Explain the differences between PJM and EU electricity markets in terms of grid operations and constraints.
• Describe a time you had to present technical results to a non-technical audience. How did you make it actionable?
• What are the biggest challenges in integrating renewable energy into existing transmission systems, and how would you address them?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on academic credentials without demonstrating practical application of models (e.g., PSS/E, PyPSA).
• Ignoring the global scope: failing to show familiarity with both North American and EU electricity markets.
• Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Carbon Direct's mission or specific tools required.