Sr. Engineer, Development Engineering (Utility-Scale Solar)

ABOUT AVANTUS

Avantus develops, owns, and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. Our development pipeline represents one of the nation's largest portfolios of solar with integrated storage, capable of providing dispatchable power to 17 million Americans, day and night. With over a decade of industry leadership and strategic investment from KKR and EIG, Avantus delivers affordable, reliable clean energy solutions that meet America’s growing energy demand.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Senior Engineer, Development Engineering is responsible for developing the site constraints for early to late-stage development projects. They will act as the technical lead for engineering studies and will coordinate cross-functionally with the development, permitting, and land team to ensure the constraints reflect the latest updates. They will work on 5-10 projects concurrently, in various stages of development. The Sr. Engineer will review preliminary layouts and capacity analyses performed by the junior engineers, providing feedback and mentoring. The role requires significant cross-functional internal and external coordination. This position will report to the Sr. Manager, Development Engineering. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Constraints Development 

• Create and take ownership of project CAD constraints, updating throughout the development cycle with inputs from cross-functional teams such as Land Acquisition, Permitting, Optimization, and Development. 

• Kick off and manage engineering related studies with consultants (hydro, geotech, topo, grading/drainage design) 

• Work with HV engineering team for substation placement and gen tie constraints 

• Help support utility crossing agreements by developing or reviewing MV and road crossing designs. 

• Be the overall technical leader on the project constraints, flagging items of concern to the development, permitting, and land teams as necessary. 

Siting 

• Support in reviewing potential sites and assisting in pros/cons, impactful conditions (slopes, land features, soiling, structural), and other land considerations to help prioritize broader team to our most competitive sites. 

• Consider site/county/regional differences allowing for realistic guidance on land purchasing/leasing from site to site 

• Assess and filter site considerations quicker/more accurately (i.e. can eliminate ‘deal breaker’ conditions earlier) to help allow team to assess things faster and more efficiently 

• Review junior engineers’ early stage layouts to help assess how land feature may reduce buildable land and/or change the project size, production, or land required. 

Coordination with project engineering 

• Ensure engineering project info is documented and organized on sharepoint 

• Verify completeness of site constraints and ensure they are ready to be provided for EPC RFP 

• Provide project support during the EPC design phase 

• Collaborate with project engineers on potential value engineering opportunities (grading, pile design, electrical design, etc..) during EPC design phase. 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• BS in STEM field, Civil Engineering preferred 

• Commercially-minded engineer who can dive into details, but can see how design considerations impact bigger picture (doesn’t lose the forest in the trees) 

• 4+ years prior engineering experience in the utility scale solar industry 

• Proficiency in AutoCAD 

• Knowledge of PVCase or PVFarm or other modeling tools preferred, but not required 

• Ability to truly evaluate new technology – layout and design considerations to modules, trackers, storage, land use, etc. 

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