Commissioning Engineer – Renewable Energy (Traveler)

Position Summary The Commissioning Engineer applies technical expertise and project leadership to support all commissioning activities and supervision of commissioning activities for McCarthy’s Renewable Energy projects. The candidate will interface with Project Management, Engineering, Construction, Subcontractors, Operations and Management, and Clients to support the commissioning of projects following McCarthy’s practices.

This is a full-time, site-based position that requires extensive travel to locations that span the continental U.S. Travel subsistence and additional incentives will be provided per company guidelines.

Position Key Responsibility Summary

Solar Field and Substation Commissioning:

• Commissioning Engineer will have interaction, influence and scheduling responsibilities with multiple entities (Preconstruction/ Construction team/ Utility/ OEM Vendors/ Safety/ Quality/ Warranty/ Owner); Will support/maintain commissioning processes (Schedule, Best Practices, Minimum Standards); Will oversee field activities and processes performed by Commissioning Project Teams; Guide construction project teams for scheduling commissioning activities including Inverter, Tracker, Transformer, Meteorological station, Performance Instruments, SCADA, and Point of Interconnect; Oversee preparation and schedule of performance tests; Set standards for final review of documentation and turnover to owner.
• Contribute to the development of testing, commissioning plan template, and QA/QC documentation.
• Review construction team 3-week look ahead schedule including: Scheduling of OEM commissioning activities; Scheduling of 3rd party testing agencies; keeping the construction team focused on Point of Interconnect (POI) obligations.
• Guidance resource for AC/DC troubleshooting, Fiber verification, SCADA HMI troubleshooting/support, Inverter troubleshooting and commissioning, manage Hi-Voltage/Medium-Voltage Switching operations of Substation EPCs.
• Ensure project team plan for customer training on plant operations is complete.
• Must be self-sufficient, able to manage time and people on a construction site with special attention to Safety, Quality and Schedule.
• Review project team test energy schedule.
• Review project team Switching Order Log and Commissioning Log.
• Participate in review of electrical drawings, electrical specifications, calculations, and studies; Review of electrical studies including but not limited to load flow, reactive power capability, short circuit, relay coordination and arch flash with engineer, project team and utility.
• Clear understanding of plant output optimization, LOTO, testing and commissioning procedures.
• Provide on-site technical and operational support in the installation and testing of electrical equipment and systems.
• Develop and deliver high level reports covering project status and activity.
• Execute, maintain, and enforce McCarthy Safety Procedures and Protocols
• Address and prioritize day-to-day operational activities, including support and management of field resources on testing, inspections, trouble shooting, operational review and analysis.
• Translate technical issues and remediation plans to high level reports for senior level clients and managerial staff.

Project Interconnection

• • Support project team interconnection requests with management of external consultants and interconnection studies for solar PV projects through completion of studies and subsequent negotiation, and execution of agreements.
  • Overview interconnection reporting with utility for PV Plant interaction.
• Performance Guarantee Management:
• Support solar plant Warranty Manager
• Support solar Performance Engineer
• Actively participates in the internal estimate review process.
• Aids field operations with change order pricing, if needed.
• Provides input on contractual exhibits for scope of work for subcontracts.

Industry Knowledge / Relationships

• Builds relationships with subcontractors to obtain a competitive advantage for McCarthy.
• Attends industry events and represents McCarthy to the industry in a professional capacity.
• Builds and maintains relationships with internal and external McCarthy clients.
• Keeps current with latest technology and techniques to improve McCarthy competitiveness in the marketplace.
• Questions designs and assumptions and presents value engineering ideas to the Commissioning Manager and Project teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 3 years of equivalent experience required.
• NFPA 70E & OSHA 30 Certification
• General knowledge of construction principles and processes.
• Ability to read and interpret drawings and specifications.
• General knowledge of negotiated bids, hard bids, and GMP processes.
• Strong math and analytical skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Solid interpersonal and communication skills.
• Maintains a “value added” approach to estimating.
• Strong work ethic and desire to work in a team environment.
• Understanding of PV construction and PV Plant Performance analysis
• Proven leadership skills in challenging environment
• Ability to develop and work within a defined budget.
• Ability to work comfortably in potentially remote field conditions and manage multiple tasks and projects

For California locations only, the salary range for this position is: $85,000 – $102,000. This does not include possible bonus and other benefits which can impact total compensation. Compensation offered may vary based on work location, experience, qualifications, specialty, training, and market and business considerations, among other factors.

For Colorado locations only, In accordance with Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (SB19-085), we are including McCarthy’s good-faith and reasonable estimate of a range of entry level base compensation at the time of the posting. This does not include possible bonus and other benefits which can impact total compensation. Given the dynamic nature of the large-scale commercial construction industry, a candidate’s project portfolio and background can change the role and compensation for which that candidate might be qualified. The title and pay range for this role could change based on candidate qualifications and experience. Pay Range: $75,000 – $85,000

McCarthy Building Companies is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer regardless of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religious beliefs, marital status, genetic information, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

Keyword: Energy, renewable, photovoltaic, solar power, sustain, sustainability, utility -scale, green, renewable energy, grid operation, power systems, megawatt, energy storage, solar design, battery storage