Job ScopeThe Lead Commissioning Engineer will provide technical guidance and project support during the construction and commissioning stages for utility scale photovoltaic and BESS power plants across the United States. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual with experience managing multiple concurrent projects and resources from a technical perspective through many phases of the project lifecycle.
This is a multi-faceted role that involves project-level technical diligence, optimization, project development engineering, construction support, risk analysis, and project management skills.
Responsibilities- Develop and coordinate commissioning schedules, responsibilities, and procedures with EPC and OEM partners to support overall project schedule. Analyze each party's commissioning scope to ensure no gap or overlap between parties.
- Oversee the commissioning process and activities both off- and on-site as needed, including travel to project sites for inspections and general support.
- Track commissioning progress for each project against established schedule and provide status visibility for items ahead of or behind schedule.
- Oversee integration testing between the substation, BESS plant controls, PCS interfaces, metering, utility/ISO interfaces, and Lydian operations systems, ensuring vendors close all interface gaps prior to energization.
- Support EPC and OEMs during execution of commissioning test procedures
- Lead engineering and commissioning meetings with EPC, OEM, SCADA integrator, and P&C integrator.
- Review EPC substation commissioning report and BOP and OEMs (BESS and PCS) commissioning reports.
- Review relay trip events.
- Audit the EPC and the OEM in the execution of the capacity testing (PV and/or BESS) required to achieve Substantial Completion, including coordination of the EPC, BESS and PCS OEMs and PPC/EMPS provider.
- Support the coordination between the EPC and Compliance department ensuring all the required inputs and RFIs are available to the Compliance Consultant and in the required clarifications to get NERC-FAC-008, NERC-PRC019/025/028 and 029 studies approval.
- Proactively identify and escalate commissioning blockers, missing prerequisites, design gaps, settings discrepancies, integration risks, schedule risks, and safety concerns, with recommended corrective actions and ownership.
- Lead the preparation and execution of the required grid codes testing to achieve Commercial Operation (reactive power testing, PFR, Automatic Voltage Control testing) including coordination of the EPC, BESS and PCS OEMs and PPC/EMPS provider.
- Lead the execution of the required testing to achieve COD per PPA requirements.
- Travel to OEM facilities for buyoff or training as needed.
- On an as-needed basis, provide general support and management of technical aspects of the project commissioning process, including interconnection, communications, schedule, etc.
- Maintain an organized and clearly documented set of commissioning technical deliverables.
- Interface with the projects' independent engineer to ensure reports are accurately created and protect both the interests of development and long-term ownership.
- Provide construction RFI support as the owner's engineer.
- Provide technical leadership in conjunction with the team to support key stakeholders' interests.
- Source and manage external consultants and partners, including developing Scope of Work documents, managing RFP process, and controlling scope and schedule to obtain similar deliverables.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Engineering
- Curious, with a strong working knowledge of utility-scale PV and BESS systems.
- 4+ years of experience in utility-scale PV / BESS system construction or commissioning.
- Familiarity with utility-scale PV / BESS construction practices.
- Able to view engineering and technical matters through a commercial lens.
- Able to travel approximately 25% of the time, or as required during energization and commissioning by project location and type.
- Accustomed to engaging varying project stakeholders including investors, EPC partners, developers, and O&M partners.
- Able to identify cost or schedule drivers and implement specific actions to optimize and protect both total installed budget and completion schedule targets.
