PV Module Engineer

Role Overview

• Lead and maintain ownership of the thin-film, CdTe PV module technology, including: Qualification testing (performance, degradation, hail, etc); Develop test programs to predict behavior of PV modules based on power plant operation, including accelerated life test protocols; Manage test programs with partner labs and periodically report out results that could guide the business
• Lead and maintain ownership over the technical design and documentation (system sizing, equipment selection, electrical modeling, and balance of system) to ensure performance over the life of the system meets the required contractual offtake agreements and financial model expectations
• Ownership of technology and product selection: Tracker systems/DC collection and wire management system
• Lead and manage the IE, IE's scope, and the diligence process during project financing
• Lead cross functional design and PV optimization efforts accountable for targeting the lowest LCOE
• Responsible for development and ownership of technical specifications and exhibits (EPC technical exhibits, energy capacity/ performance testing protocols, vendor specifications, etc.)
• Lead the technical aspects of energy estimation on PPA negotiations, accountable for meeting the offtake requirements with a cost-optimized and constructible solution
• Aid in EPC RFP and commercial supply agreements to ensure technical requirements are accurately defined and reflected while ensuring lower LCOE
• Work cross functionally between development, land, and engineering teams
• Interface, communicate, and establish relationships with vendors and suppliers in direct support of the Procurement team
• Ensure timely and cost-effective resolutions for regulatory, permitting, and technical issues associated with the execution and delivery of PV facilities, collaborating with other internal teams.
• Ensure the highest level of environmental health and safety standards in all engineering with aspects of the facility
• Power plant historian data mining to analyze PV module performance and determine root cause of production shortfalls.
• Maintain as built models to study long term effects of PV module degradation, BOS failure rate, mismatch rates etc.
• Support energy modeling for the BD team for data center or other load projects
• Create simplified energy models for clean electron to green molecule production

Requirements

• BS in Engineering required; MS or PhD in Engineering preferred.
• Minimum of 6 years of technical experience with ownership of PV performance and production estimates on utility scale PV systems, through these 4 phases: Development, Design, Contracting EPC/Modules/’Balance of plant’ components, and Construction
• Material science based research/development on PV module technology
• Experience managing scope and deliverables of an Independent Engineer (IE) through one successful financing or more
• Experience in leading technical diligence and advising the procurement team in the purchase of PV modules from a Tier 1 supplier for one procurement deal, 100MW or greater, OR in aggregate, supported more than 200 MW across multiple deals.
• Experience in leading technical diligence and advising the procurement team in the purchase of single-axis trackers from a Tier 1 supplier for one procurement deal each 100MW or greater, OR in aggregate, supported more than 200 MW across multiple deals.
• Experience in advanced techniques of performance and facility design optimization
• Solid material science background in thin-film, CdTe PV technology.
• Project engineering, effective time management and ability to prioritize tasks via solid project management skills
• Technical background in utility scale power conversion, transformers, inverters and battery technology.
• Working knowledge and practical understanding of the relevant codes and standards for PV modules, DC collection and PV inverters (NEC, IBC, IFC, NFPA, UL, IEC, ISO/TSP requirements for grid following/ forming PV plants e.g. ERCOT/CAISO) and how they are applied to the various life cycles of permitting, design, construction, and operation
• Deep understanding of the photovoltaic technology, trackers, and inverters; advantages and trade-offs of the different technologies, system design, optimization levers, cost drivers, contracting pitfalls, construction challenges, life-cycle use and challenges
• Experience in working with PVSyst and Plant Predict or a similar tool
• Must have knowledge and understanding of scripting languages to automate engineering calculations e.g. VBA, Matlab, Python

Tech Stack

• Electron
• Python
• VBA

Benefits

• Health & Wellness: 100% premium coverage for you and your dependents on medical, dental, and vision
• Time to Recharge: Unlimited PTO, plus two company-wide breaks (Fourth of July & end of year)
• Family Support: Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, plus 6 additional weeks for birth parents; access to family planning support via Carrot and Maven
• Mental Health: Free access to Spring Health which includes 5 free Therapy & psychiatry sessions, plus a Headspace account for mindfulness and meditation through our physical health vendor, Wellhub+
• Retirement: 3% non-elective employer contribution to your 401k or RRSP
• Perks & Extras: $150 monthly food stipend, $150 monthly reimbursement for cell phone/internet, pet insurance allowance, full home office setup and free access to UrbanSitter with $625 in quarterly paid company credits, ActiveHero, and One Medical