Applications & Proposal Engineer
Power System Studies & Design · Sacramento, CA (Hybrid)
Why This Role Exists
Every project starts before the project starts — with a scope definition, a vendor interface assessment, and a proposal that accurately describes what we will deliver, what we will not, and where the integration boundaries are. This role exists because P&C scope definition across 8 manufacturer platforms requires an engineer who can read specifications and translate them into actionable scope. You define the technical scope, clarifications, and exclusions that become the contract. When you identify a gap between a prime contractor's specification and the actual integration requirements, that gap gets documented before it becomes a change order.
What You Own
- Technical scope definition for P&C subcontract bids — protection, controls, commissioning boundaries
- Clarifications and exclusions documentation — what is in scope, what is not, and where interfaces live
- Multi-vendor integration scope assessment: which engineering activities apply to each of 8 manufacturer platforms
- Vendor interface matrices: protocol compatibility, boundary definitions, integration risk identification
- Quotation development with engineering hour estimates and equipment lists
- Legacy-to-modern equipment mapping and migration scope definition
Systems You'll Touch
Vendor Platforms
Software Tools
Standards
Protocols
What Success Looks Like
First 90 Days
- Reviewed 2+ prime contractor RFP/specification packages and produced scope clarification documents
- Developed a vendor interface matrix for a multi-vendor P&C scope
- Contributed to a proposal package — engineering narrative, equipment list, or scope boundary definition
First 180 Days
- Independently defining P&C scope from prime contractor specifications — clarifications, exclusions, integration boundaries
- Produced at least one complete proposal package accepted by the principal engineer
- Identified scope gaps or integration risks that were incorporated into contract terms
Required Background
- 5+ years protection & controls engineering or applications engineering for medium-voltage power systems
- Familiarity with data center or critical facility power architecture — generators, ATS, switchgear, UPS, PDU
- Experience reading and interpreting prime contractor specifications, one-line diagrams, and bid documents
- Scope definition and proposal writing — translating technical requirements into deliverable boundaries
- Multi-vendor awareness: SEL, Woodward, ABB, Eaton, or equivalent OEM protection/controls platforms
Preferred Background
- Subcontractor proposal experience — scope narratives, clarifications/exclusions, engineering hour estimates
- Modernization/migration scope assessment — legacy system evaluation and upgrade planning
- ETAP or SKM modeling for preliminary study scope sizing
- Commissioning scope estimation and resource planning
What to Expect in the Field
- Travel
- 10–15% for site visits, constructability walks, and pre-bid assessments
- Site Hours
- Standard office hours for scope development; occasional half-day site visits for as-built assessment
- Customer-Facing
- Direct interface with prime contractor procurement and project managers during bid/proposal phase; vendor technical support for scope clarification
- Documentation
- Moderate — scope definitions, clarifications/exclusions, quotation packages, vendor interface matrices, equipment lists
- Field Safety
- Minimal field exposure; NFPA 70E awareness for site assessment visits
Why Ziggurat
- Your scope definitions become the contract — you shape what the project looks like before engineering starts
- Work across all 8 vendor platforms — scope assessment requires understanding every integration boundary
- Direct feedback from project execution: see how your scope boundaries hold up during delivery and commissioning
- Small firm means proposals move from your desk to the principal engineer's review, not through a bureaucracy
Hiring Process
Screen
Background review against role requirements — vendor platform experience, relevant certifications, project types, and standards familiarity. Quick assessment of baseline alignment before investing either party's time.
Resume review + 15-min intro call
Technical Review
Deeper evaluation of technical depth. We review sample work — relay settings files, protection study reports, commissioning test procedures, or SCADA configuration packages — depending on the role. If samples aren't shareable, we discuss specific project scenarios in detail.
Async work-sample review or 45-min technical call
Interview
Scenario-based conversation with the principal engineer. Real project situations: how you'd approach a coordination study for a complex switchgear lineup, sequence a commissioning plan across multiple vendor platforms, or troubleshoot a protection scheme failure during site acceptance testing.
60-min video call with founder
Exercise / Artifact Review
A practical evaluation matched to the role. Engineering roles receive a take-home exercise — review and mark up a set of relay settings, identify gaps in a protection study, or develop a test procedure for a specific scheme. Field-focused roles walk through a commissioning package or test report they've delivered, explaining their methodology and decisions.
Take-home exercise (2–4 hrs) or artifact walkthrough (60 min)
Final Conversation
Role scope, current project pipeline, working arrangements, and compensation. This is a two-way conversation — we want to confirm the role fits your goals, not just the other way around.
30-min call
This role supports our end to end , protection studies and power studies service scopes.
Questions about this role? Email us at careers@zigguratautomation.com
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Let's Talk Engineering
Send your background.
First step: a 15-minute call with the principal engineer.