Betsy Wilden
Consultant, Denver
This company develops, invests, and delivers solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects through Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) services in North America.The company brings a decade of global leadership in solar PV to deliver utility-scale power generation plants customized for local and regional energy markets. This company offers the full spectrum of PV solutions - from the core technology of cells and modules to large-scale project development and investment. With proven capabilities across the solar and battery storage value chain, minimizes uncertainty and risk and helps customers achieve a higher return on their investment in renewable energy.SUMMARY The Director of Engineering is responsible for leading the technical development, implementation, and engineering execution of various renewable projects within the EPC team (especially PV & BESS), and is responsible for both the management and development of overall engineering team. This position reports to the VP of Engineering or another senior management personnel that the VP of Engineering may designate. This position is open to fully remote candidates or candidates located in Irvine, CA. Working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm. This position may be expected to travel at least 25%.RESPONSIBILITIES Lead all stages of project design and engineering, including conceptual and advanced system design, observing regulatory codes, customer requirements, balance of systems, site visits, permitting and technical support during construction phase; In collaboration with other team members, contribute to the completeness to design and deliver PV, BESS, and other renewable projects; Lead the technical tasks in preparation of proposals, projects, and the review of potential project/supplier acquisition opportunities; Report on the planning and technical design, and present it to the Vice President of Engineering; Work in a team to develop and improve the system standards; Work closely with the team to define company processes and metrics, and plan and allocate resources across existing programs to ensure strategic alignment and needed technical trainings; Build a quality culture of continuous improvement that enhances company efficiency and engineering quality; Drive a safety culture that embraces both a "Responsibility to act" and "Show by Example" approach; Supervising compliance with company - project specific standards; Supervising compliance with the requirements of the company's quality management system; Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS A degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or another related engineering science, with the working knowledge within several fields of engineering; Minimum of 10 years of professional engineering experience in the Solar / BESS industry; Minimum of 5 years of management experience leading a team; Extensive technical experiences on photovoltaic and energy storage projects; Experience with photovoltaic performance modeling tools (preferably PVSyst); Knowledge of PV/BESS/etc. plant design and optimization; Knowledge of the National Electric Code and various Standard Industry Codes; Willingness to travel, at least 25% of the time; Ability to motivate and develop others; Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
What You'll do The Senior Project Engineer shall be a critical role is the successful execution of projects, both PV and storage-integrated for the U.S business. Contributing to and supporting all areas of this company's Technical Team, focusing on projects in early development and pre-construction phases and including ad hoc support to projects in construction.Duties and Responsibilities- Establishing and managing technical requirements in contractual documents for Engineering, Project Management and Construction (EPC) engagements- Support the Construction team in EPC selection including contract negotiation- Assist the Project Management in the construction of a project in a timely manner by providing necessary engineering support- Complete design and submittal reviews and approvals as necessary for projects in development and construction- Manage Owner's Engineering as assigned as necessary for Construction team support- Conduct site visits as necessary to support Construction team progress and milestone verification with lending parties and 3rd party independent engineers- Support the engagement of Independent Engineering firms selected for 3rd party financing of projects for execution- Provide technical diligence support for Project Finance- Support the business with critical lessons learned to ensure project budgets and expected returns are aligned with current market expectations- Develop task management tools to prioritize incoming technical requests from internal teams and provide regular deliverable updates- Represent your specialty area at relevant development meetings and delivery meetings - Represent your specialty during relevant third-party stakeholder meetings and events as requiredWho we're looking forKnowledge- Codes and Regulations knowledge for solar project construction- Engineering experience in utility scale PV plants. - Project Financing Structures and Diligence Requirements- Knowledge of Industry main stakeholders (TAs, investors, EPCs, Third Parties lab...)- Knowledge of current PV technology on the market and trends of major components and supporting balance of systems- Ability to identify key information in project site technical documents- Knowledge in EPC cost estimation based on design methodologyQualifications - Bachelor's degree, ideally Electrical Engineering, from an accredited university required. Other relevant qualifications and supporting experience will be considered- CAD software (AutoCAD, SketchUp, among others) experience required- Advanced knowledge of simulation software including PVsyst, PVsol, StorageVAT, among others- Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% to visit project sites and attend other key meetings as necessaryExperience - Experienced in a similar role with a minimum of 5 years- Extensive experience with PV utility-scale design for construction, including high voltage substations and energy storage components- Experience with civil design requirements for the development of PV utility-scale projects, including access, site drainage and other hydrology- Extensive experience in developing energy resource assessments and identifying key areas of improvement and optimization- Experience in solar PV utility-scale construction, including project management support and technical document reviewsWhy you'll make a great member of the team Personal qualities - Ability to work independently and engage additional resources as necessary- Ability to task manage and prioritize work based on required deliverables and due dates- Ability to organize workload and priorities to maximum effect for both yourself and the wider team- Self-starter able to work under limited direction / supervision- Flexible approach in a fast-paced business which is constantly changing, and to keep a clear head under pressure - Keen problem solver who can focus on appropriate detail when solving problems and propose effective solutions - Set high standards of performance for yourself - Ability to pick up systems and processes quickly - Previous demonstrable experience where excellent attention to detail is critically important
The Senior Electrical Engineer (Electrical SME) will be responsible for the electrical engineering scope of solar PV and battery storage projects in late-stage development, construction and operation. Responsibilities include electrical design review, support of project engineers in terms of electrical engineering matters, create technical specifications for owner furnished equipment, standardization of electrical designs and scope of work, electrical test report review, field quality control and field punch list development. The Senior Electrical Engineer (Electrical SME) will join a project execution team and serve as the primary resource to the project engineers for all electrical engineering matters of assigned projects and process improvement tasks. Excellent communication, task management and planning skills are needed, in addition to technical breadth. The successful candidate will have a depth of experience in the design, engineering and analysis of PV and BESS projects ranging from 1 to 500 MW as well as an in-depth understanding of the architectures and components to build such systems. The position can be at one of this company's offices or remote, and may include up to 25% travel to project locations and partner offices. Key Responsibilities Project Execution Provide electrical engineering support to project engineers Electrical engineering design review of PV and/or BESS projects Review of electrical test reports (MV/AC/DC cables, transformers, BOP equipment, etc.) and electrical system studies (Arc-Flash, Short Circuit, Load Flow, Grounding, Ampacity, etc.) Standardize common approach to electrical calculations and reviews Develop a checklist for project engineers to review design sets, specifications, test reports and studies Project Scope of Work and electrical design standards development Create and/or update technical specifications for the procurement of owner supplied equipment such as racking/inverter/BESS/PV module Support utility interconnection scope for DG projects (1MW - 20MW) in execution phase Seek and evaluate proposals for electrical engineering services Support the coordination of engineering consultants to develop project construction drawings and support material Review and comment on electrical design deliverables provided by consultants and contractors for the construction of projects Respond to contractor/consultant RFIs (electrical) Perform QA/QC field inspections and punch list development Perform Job Safety Assessments and Safety Walks to identify job-site hazards Review commissioning reports and analyze system performance Project Development Technical project due diligence and project engineering design review Equipment review and selection Engineering Procurement and Construction contract support Energy production and performance modeling for PV and energy storage systems Assessment of model accuracy including meteorological assessment and P-50/P-90 analysis Engineering Support Design optimization to maximize reliability, safety, and reduce cost Review recent technology and companies for inclusion on the Approved Vendor List Collaborate with Asset Management team to troubleshoot existing systems or develop repair and remediation plans Growth and Leadership Improve and develop processes for the execution of safe, quality and high-performance projects Mentor and educate team on changing trends in technology, best practices and safety Review the work of project engineers and provide constructive feedback for improvement, and mentorship Participate in growth planning process by contributing to process improvement task forces and other strategic planning activities Skills and Qualifications Primary Qualifications Undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent technical field 7+ years professional experience in solar PV system design, development, and construction 3+ years professional experience with energy storage systems design Proficiency in PV system design, including 1-line and 3-line diagram conventions, NEC conductor sizing, overcurrent protection sizing, utility disconnecting means requirements, equipment selection, grounding methodologies and arc flash analysis Experience with medium voltage and high voltage interconnection design Comfort with NEC code, as well as related codes such as NESC, IBC, NFPA 855 and NFPA 70E Ability to work in a team environment Proficient with MS Office Suite "Plus" Qualifications Graduate degree in Engineering PE license PMP Certification NABCEP PV Installation Professional certification Experience with PVSyst, ETAP, SKM, PSS/E, PSLF, PSCAD and other advanced modeling tools Substation/HV design experience Spanish language skills OSHA 10-hr or comparable job-site safety certification