Senior Project Design Engineer

Responsibilities

• Lead front-end engineering activities for utility-scale solar PV and BESS projects from project intake through conceptual and preliminary design and engineering handoff
• Review project data rooms, customer requirements, site information, surveys, technical studies, interconnection requirements, and available project documentation to identify design constraints, assumptions, risks, and missing information
• Design conceptual and preliminary site layouts, block designs, equipment arrangements, access concepts, setbacks, and overall plant configurations
• Evaluate and select major equipment including PV modules, inverters, trackers, transformers, and applicable balance-of-system components
• Perform system sizing and engineering analyses including DC/AC sizing, string sizing, inverter loading, equipment quantities, and other project-specific calculations
• Evaluate design alternatives to optimize site utilization, energy production, constructability, equipment selection, project cost, and overall EPC value
• Review energy-generation modeling and comparative design studies using PVSyst and other applicable engineering tools
• Prepare conceptual and preliminary engineering deliverables, including 10% design packages, Basis of Design inputs, design criteria, technical assumptions, exclusions, equipment quantities, and supporting documentation
• Provide engineering inputs and technical support to Estimating, Procurement, Sales, Project Engineering, Preconstruction, and other stakeholders during EPC proposal activities
• Coordinate front-end design activities with Civil, Electrical, Structural, Performance, BESS, SCADA, Substation, Transmission, CAD Designers, and applicable Subject Matter Experts
• Participate in project kickoff meetings, design reviews, constructability reviews, and technical discussions with internal teams, customers, and vendors as required
• Clearly communicate design decisions, technical risks, assumptions, constraints, and engineering recommendations to project stakeholders and engineering leadership
• Support an effective transition from FEED to detailed engineering by maintaining complete and clearly documented design records and handoff information
• Manage multiple projects and competing priorities while meeting accelerated EPC estimating, proposal, and engineering schedules
• Standardize and continuously improve FEED engineering processes, design standards, templates, tools, and quality-control practices
• Provide technical guidance and training to engineers, designers, and new team members
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned
• Regular attendance, in accordance with the Company's attendance policy and supervisory assignment, is an essential job duty requirement for this position

Preferred

• Experience supporting EPC estimating, proposals, procurement, preconstruction, or front-end engineering activities is preferred
• Experience with BESS projects is preferred
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification is preferred

Benefits

• Remote schedule; under the Office Mobilization Plan, the role may transition to an onsite or hybrid arrangement as determined by business needs and the Head of Department.
• An additional discretionary bonus structure or incentives may be offered as part of the overall compensation package.
• Medical, dental, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.
• Glassdoor
• 2.5
• Utility-scale solar and storage EPC and development solutions.
• Irvine, California, US
• https://us.qcells.com/utility/
• Late Stage
• Leadership Team
• Lorena Melendez
• Talent Acquisition Business Partner Manager
• Tre Thompson
• Talent Acquisition Business Partner
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Qualifications

• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering , Energy Engineering, or another related engineering discipline
• Minimum of five years of professional engineering experience in the solar industry, with demonstrated experience in utility-scale PV project design
• Experience performing conceptual, preliminary, or front-end engineering design for utility-scale PV projects
• Strong understanding of utility-scale PV plant architecture, major equipment, balance-of-system components, and site design considerations
• Experience evaluating site constraints and designing PV site layouts, block configurations, and major equipment arrangements
• Strong understanding of PV system sizing, DC/AC ratios, string sizing, inverter loading, and module, inverter, and tracker selection
• Experience evaluating design alternatives based on energy production, constructability, equipment requirements, project cost, and technical risk
• Experience with AutoCAD or equivalent engineering design software
• Experience with utility-scale PV layout and optimization tools such as PVcase or equivalent
• Experience with photovoltaic performance modeling tools, preferably PVSyst
• Ability to interpret site surveys, technical studies, equipment specifications, customer requirements, interconnection information, and engineering drawings
• Working knowledge of applicable solar industry codes, standards, and engineering practices, including the National Electrical Code as applicable to project design
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound engineering decisions using incomplete or evolving project information
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering and cross-functional teams
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects, priorities, and accelerated engineering schedules
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel
• Experience supporting EPC estimating, proposals, procurement, preconstruction, or front-end engineering activities is preferred
• Experience with BESS projects is preferred
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification is preferred
• Minimum of five years of professional engineering experience in the solar industry, with demonstrated experience in utility-scale PV project design.

Required skills

• Utility-Scale PV Project Design, PV Plant Architecture, PV Site Layout and Optimization, PV System Sizing, Solar Equipment Selection, AutoCAD, PVcase, PVSyst, National Electrical Code, Microsoft Excel, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Professional Engineer (PE) Licensure or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certification

Preferred skills

• Experience with BESS projects is preferred

Experience

• 5+ years