Development Engineer

Job Description

We are looking for a Development Engineer to provide comprehensive engineering support for our distributed energy and microgrid projects. Our projects typically include managing a variety of DER and microgrid assets - such as solar, energy storage, controls, and reciprocating engines.

This role will report to our Manager of Development Engineering and will be a hybrid role based out of our Oakland, CA, or Santa Monica, CA offices.

Key Responsibilities

• Create electrical and physical designs for microgrid and DER systems, accounting for existing electrical infrastructure, AHJ requirements, and other site constraints
• Utilize your strong technical and communication skills to identify and communicate technical constraints and possibilities to other internal and customer stakeholders.
• Work extensively with our Business Development (BD) teams to evaluate and develop the right technical solutions.
• Work with the BD, execution, and commercial teams on specific projects to ensure the Microgrid integration is technically sound, practical, and cost-effective. This includes working with existing service entrance one-line drawings or creating new ones to provide the best design interface for functionality and cost.
• Investigate the interconnection, which includes submitting interconnection applications and completing modifications to existing design concepts that are applicable to each site.
• Work with switchgear manufacturers (and other OEMs) like Schneider Electric to ensure switchgear designs meet project requirements, including site constraints and utility requirements, within cost and schedule constraints. This includes working at voltage levels of 34.5kV, 23kV, 13.8kV, 4160V, 480V, and 208V, depending on site and system size.
• Provide significant input to the solar, battery, and generator designs to optimize performance, reliability, and sustainability for each customer site.
• Collaborate with the rest of the development engineering team, as well as other internal stakeholders, to continually improve templates and processes and enable continuous improvement

The Ideal Candidate

• 5+ years of experience in the design and construction of power/generation/renewable energy projects
• Thorough technical understanding of distributed energy technologies, including some combination of solar, battery, and reciprocating engines/turbines
• Deep understanding of rotating power with reciprocating engines in the 200 to 2000kw size range per engine is preferred.
• Understanding of onsite power generation, including parallel operation with the utility bus as well as with other DERs, both in grid parallel mode and island mode operations.
• Solid understanding of the utility side of the interconnection.
• Knowledge of the various DER power sources within the Microgrid and how they best interface with the utility to provide a more efficient system.
• Knowledge of emissions from the utility side as well as each of the DERs.
• Knowledge of systems controls for the DERs and how they can be utilized to accomplish specific operating goals while part of the Microgrid. These goals provide economic return to us and the customer.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to communicate with technical and non-technical people to make projects work.
• A BS in Engineering is required; a BS in Electrical Engineering with a focus on the power side is preferred
• PE in power or progressing towards that license is preferred
• Advanced courses in power or a higher-level degree in the field are preferred