Development Engineer I

Responsibilities

• Support Technical Project Development
• Conduct technical site assessments and feasibility reviews for DER projects
• Support engineering design development, technical reviews, and constructability evaluations
• Assist with interconnection applications, utility coordination, and technical documentation
• Help prepare permitting packages and support plan review processes with local jurisdictions
• Engineering & Design Support
• Develop and review technical drawings, project documentation, and engineering deliverables
• Ensure designs align with applicable electrical codes, utility requirements, and project standards
• Support project teams in identifying and resolving technical or constructability issues
• Maintain accuracy and attention to detail across engineering and development documentation
• Partner Cross-Functionally
• Collaborate with Development, Engineering, Permitting, and Project Execution teams to support successful project advancement
• Coordinate with third-party consultants, permitting partners, utilities, and environmental teams as needed
• Support smooth handoffs from project development into construction and execution phases
• Assist with stakeholder and community coordination activities related to project development
• Support Operational Excellence
• Track project development milestones, deliverables, and timelines
• Help identify project risks, delays, or permitting constraints and escalate concerns appropriately
• Support the development and maintenance of technical standards, templates, tracking tools, and process documentation
• Assist in preparing preliminary pr

Benefits

Additional Information

About Sparkfund Sparkfund is the deployment services company utilities rely on to take DERs from grid edge to grid core. With over a decade of experience as a utility services company, Sparkfund has pioneered a smarter approach to deploying distributed assets as part of a fast-growing grid. Through its Distributed Capacity Procurement (DCP) model, Sparkfund enables utilities to plan, deploy, and dispatch DERs at the scale and pace necessary to meet load growth demand and unlock the full value of the grid. We support program design, assessment of DER grid value, host engagement, and value chain management to ensure on-time, on-budget deployment of distributed resources with maximum grid value and lowest cost. With more than 3,500 projects deployed across 43 states and more than 300MW of energized assets constructed, Sparkfund is transforming buildings into a valuable extension of the grid for the benefit of our society. Development Engineer I Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (Remote/Hybrid Flexibility) At Sparkfund, we help organizations deploy and scale distributed energy solutions that support a more resilient and sustainable energy future. Our work sits at the intersection of energy infrastructure, engineering, and emerging technologies - helping bring distributed energy resource (DER) projects from concept to reality. We're looking for a Development Engineer I to support the technical development of battery storage and distributed energy projects across Sparkfund's growing portfolio. This role is ideal for an engineer who wants hands-on exposure to real-world project development, utility coordination, engineering design, permitting, and cross-functional project execution within one of the fastest-growing sectors in energy. You'll work closely with engineering, development, permitting, and project teams to help evaluate project feasibility, support technical design reviews, and move projects efficiently through the development lifecycle. If you enjoy technical problem-solving, collaborative environments, and seeing your work translate into real infrastructure projects, we'd love to talk. Why Join Sparkfund? This is more than a traditional engineering role. It's an opportunity to help build the infrastructure powering the future of energy. As a Development Engineer I, you'll work on real-world distributed energy projects involving battery storage, DER systems, utility coordination, and project development across a rapidly growing industry. You'll have exposure to the full lifecycle of projects - from site feasibility and engineering review through permitting, interconnection, and construction readiness. This role is ideal for someone early in their engineering career who wants hands-on exposure, cross-functional collaboration, and the opportunity to grow quickly within the energy infrastructure space. You won't be siloed into one narrow function - you'll work directly with engineering, development, permitting, and project execution teams to help move projects from concept to deployment. At Sparkfund, we move fast, solve real problems, and give team members the opportunity to take ownership and grow their impact. If you're excited by clean energy, infrastructure, technical problem-solving, and building practical solutions that matter, this is an opportunity to be part of an industry that is rapidly scaling and evolving.

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