Manager or Sr. Manager, Optimization Engineering

Location: (Hybrid) San Diego, CA, USA

Department: Engineering & Construction

ABOUT AVANTUS

Avantus develops, owns and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest. Our development pipeline of solar with integrated storage will generate enough dispatchable power to serve more than 10 million Americans, day and night. Backed by strategic investment from KKR and EIG, and building on more than a decade of industry leadership, Avantus is growing its position as an independent power producer, delivering affordable, reliable clean energy solutions to meet America’s growing energy demand.

 

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Manager or Sr. Manager, Optimization Engineering demonstrates sound industry knowledge, superior communications, and leadership ability. This is seen as a critical role to deliver on our current mid- to late-stage projects, and to support a full project pipeline. The person in this role supports technical diligence, EPC contracting, Origination contracting, and design optimization throughout the full development process.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Technical Diligence Through Project Financing

• Technical lead though IE diligence and project financing
• Manage expectations with IEs and financing counterparties to meet project schedule while maximizing valuations
• Assess cost benefit trade-offs to support negotiations with financing counterparties
• Responsible for timely delivery of IE report, including leading internal review and communication with the IE

EPC RFP and Value Engineering

• Manage EPC contract technical exhibits in collaboration with Procurement Leads
• Translate project specific constraints and risks into actionable EPC requirements
• Support EPC Procurement Leads in identifying value engineering opportunities and optimal equipment
• Review EPC designs and translate design details to energy production models
  • Lead internal performance testing of projects during commissioning and review and approve contractor performance submittals

Project Optimization Efforts

• Be fully responsible for managing design aspects of individual projects, including trade-offs between production, construction costs, land and permitting constraints
• Guide and train other team members in decisions related to project design optimization

PPA bid/Competitiveness

• Review technical terms of offtake agreements and propose preferred terms for negotiations with counterparties
• Lead cross functional design optimization efforts targeted at lowest LCOE/LCOS
• Work cross-functionally between development, land, engineering, estimating and procurement teams
  • Lead technical bid preparation and ensure team deliverables meet bid requirements
  • Collaborate with Energy Markets team to model merchant revenue streams for financial settlement offtake opportunities

 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years’ experience in project or optimization engineering
• 5+ years’ experience with renewable energy and solar development
• Experience leading IE process and technical diligence for non-recourse financings of utility-scale solar projects
• Familiarity with IE and EPC community
• Strong communicator with ability to explain technical concepts
• Commercially minded engineer focused on LCOE
• Strong PV production modeling experience (PVsyst, SAM, and/or pvlib)
• Strong experience with battery storage performance modeling tools and parameters
• Understanding of PV and BESS EPC cost stack and key cost drivers
• Understanding of the full solar development process
• Understanding of energy market mechanics and revenue structures
• Technical background in modules, inverters and/or battery technology a plus
• Strong experience using Excel for data analysis and tool building
• Proficient working in python and using version control software

 

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