Transmission Access Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

Hexagon Energy is a clean energy development company specializing in geothermal, solar, and battery storage projects. We are seeking a Manager, Transmission Access to lead the company's engagement in transmission planning, integrated resource planning, and wholesale market development across the Western Interconnection. This role is responsible for ensuring that Hexagon's geothermal projects are accurately represented and affirmatively accounted for in the planning and procurement processes that determine where new generation is anticipated and where new transmission is built. A central priority is the development of viable pathways to market for the geothermal portfolio, including delivery into CAISO and offtake opportunities across the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West.

This is a strategy, advocacy, and stakeholder role, supported by experienced technical staff who handle Hexagon's power-flow modeling and interconnection submittals. The role requires persistence to build recognition for resource areas that current planning does not yet contemplate, and it carries responsibility for influencing which resources are developed and which secure deliverability.

The Manager, Transmission Access will advance Hexagon's interests with a wide range of external stakeholders, including ISOs and RTOs, transmission owners and utilities, FERC, state commissions and energy offices, load-serving entities, and industry coalitions. Internally, the role coordinates closely with Hexagon's development, interconnection, commercial, and policy teams to support the company's geothermal project portfolio across six western states.

We are seeking a candidate who brings strategic instincts, technical fluency, and a demonstrated ability to influence outcomes in complex regulatory and planning environments. The ideal candidate has:

  • A deep working knowledge of integrated resource planning, transmission planning, and generator interconnection processes in the Western Interconnection, including an understanding of how those processes interact and where within each process a developer can most effectively influence the outcome

  • The ability to read and interpret interconnection and transmission studies, assess their implications for a project, and convey those implications to technical, commercial, and executive audiences

  • A talent for building trust across a wide range of stakeholders, including ISO and utility planners, commission staff, elected officials, offtakers, and industry peers

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Transmission Planning & Regional Coordination

  • Track and participate in ISO and regional transmission planning processes across the Western Interconnection, including the CAISO Transmission Planning Process and 20-Year Transmission Outlook, NorthernGrid, WestConnect, and BPA planning cycles

  • Establish recognition of Hexagon's resource areas in transmission and resource planning studies where no future generation is presently mapped, including nomination of projects into portfolio, sensitivity, and scenario cases, and into long-term regional planning scenarios developed under FERC Order 1920

  • Advocate for the inclusion of Hexagon's projects and resource zones in busbar mapping, resource portfolio assumptions, and transmission need assessments relied upon by planners and regulators

  • Assess and pursue the mechanisms that govern delivery into the California market, including maximum import capability allocation and resource adequacy import commitments under the CAISO tariff, and existing transmission contracts and ownership rights on the interties

  • Evaluate transfer arrangements available to projects outside the CAISO balancing authority area, including dynamic transfers and pseudo-ties, wheeling and wheel-through priorities, and the effect of neighboring balancing authority EDAM or Markets+ participation on available transfer capability

  • Develop and maintain relationships with ISO and RTO staff, transmission provider planning and interconnection teams, and regional planning organizations across the Western Interconnection

Integrated Resource Planning & Procurement

  • Track and influence integrated resource planning proceedings and procurement mandates before public utility commissions, energy commissions, and state energy offices across Hexagon's western-state footprint

  • Engage load-serving entities, community choice aggregators, and public power entities to establish recognition of geothermal technologies, and specifically Hexagon's projects, within their planning assumptions and procurement pipelines

  • Follow select proceedings at the CPUC, CEC, and counterpart agencies in the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Intermountain West, and advise leadership on portfolio implications

Market Development & Analysis

  • Maintain a comprehensive understanding of evolving power markets in the West, including EDAM, SPP Markets+, WRAP, and Western market governance initiatives, and advise leadership on their implications for the geothermal portfolio

  • Analyze how market design, congestion treatment, deliverability rules, and capacity constructs affect the value of firm geothermal generation

  • Develop regional transmission strategy for emerging opportunities, including transmission service arrangements and large-load interconnection dynamics affecting the western resource landscape

Industry Coalitions & External Affairs

  • Represent Hexagon in industry coalitions and trade associations focused on geothermal, transmission, and clean energy, and contribute to shared advocacy priorities

  • Coordinate with geothermal peers, clean energy advocates, and prospective offtakers to develop and advance common positions on transmission constraints and planning reform

  • Draft and file public comments, position papers, testimony support, and stakeholder submissions in ISO, state commission, and regional planning proceedings

Cross-Functional Support

  • Partner with the development team to understand project plans, milestones, and risks, and how interconnection and transmission development timing affects project schedules

  • Work closely with the interconnection team to understand power flow constraints, queue positions, study results, and process timelines, and incorporate those findings into external advocacy

  • Support the commercial team with market and planning context relevant to offtake negotiations, utility procurement programs, and delivery structures

  • Coordinate with legal, geoscience, and engineering teams on filings, agency comment responses, and study review

  • Pursue constructive resolution of delivery constraints with transmission owners, utilities, and ISO staff, coordinating the appropriate internal resources as needed

  • Travel as needed to ISO and commission proceedings, state capitals, project markets, and industry events to advance objectives and maintain key relationships

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, another STEM field, economics, business, public policy, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred

  • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience, with at least 3 years specialized in transmission planning, generator interconnection, power market analysis, energy regulatory affairs, or utility resource planning

  • Direct experience with CAISO transmission planning and generator interconnection processes required, or comparable depth in another major western balancing authority, paired with demonstrated working knowledge of CAISO

  • Working knowledge of market structures and interconnection processes at other utilities across the Western Interconnection, including familiarity with transmission service request and deliverability allocation processes

  • Demonstrated experience participating in ISO, RTO, or state commission stakeholder processes, including drafting comments or filings for public submission

  • Demonstrated experience engaging a range of counterparties, including developers, independent power producers, utilities, and regulatory agencies, in complex and occasionally adversarial settings

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

  • Established relationships with CAISO, CPUC, and CEC staff and with California participating transmission owner interconnection teams at PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E; comparable networks at PacifiCorp, Portland General Electric, NV Energy, Idaho Power, or BPA are valued equally

  • Direct working experience with CAISO import capability allocation, resource adequacy import commitments, dynamic transfers, or pseudo-tie arrangements, or with the negotiation of transmission service across intervening systems to reach California load

  • Experience supporting transmission and interconnection activities with a developer, consultant, ISO/RTO, or utility

  • Understanding of EDAM, SPP Markets+, WRAP, and Western market governance developments

  • Experience advancing projects located outside established transmission corridors and planned generation zones, where interconnection capacity and market access must be created rather than inherited

  • Prior service at or engagement with an ISO or RTO, utility, state public utility commission or energy office, independent power producer, or clean energy trade association

COMPENSATION

The base salary range for this position is $135,000-$185,000. Actual compensation within this range will be determined based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and relevant skills. This position is also eligible for Hexagon's annual performance bonus program.

WORKING AT HEXAGON

At Hexagon, we are committed to the growth and well-being of each of our employees as we pursue our development goals. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, offering flexible work schedules and hybrid and remote work options on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, we support our employees' professional development by sponsoring memberships in professional organizations related to the clean energy industry.

Hexagon Energy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, or belief.

BENEFITS

  • 401(k) with company match

  • Medical, Dental, Vision/Eye Care, Hospital Indemnity, and Maven Clinic family benefits

  • Fitness reimbursement program

  • Competitive PTO and 12 paid holidays

  • Sponsor membership to professional development organizations

TO APPLY

This role is based in Charlottesville, VA, or remote within the United States, with regular travel to customer and project markets.

For all inquiries, please send a cover letter and resume to careers@hexagon-energy.com. Please include your name and the position title in the subject line.

To learn more about Hexagon Energy, visit: hexagon-energy.com

Meghan Byrnes