Engineer, 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 Optimization Engineer will demonstrate industry knowledge, superior communication skills, and detail-oriented organizational skills. This is seen as critical role to support projects from early-stage development through mid- and late-stage offtaker and financing diligence. The person in this role would support production, design, and cost optimization throughout the full development process.  

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Prospecting/Siting:  

• Assess early-stage design trade-offs for site specific and regional guidance (considering factors such as DC/AC loading, GCR, equipment, land cost, expected COD year, etc.)  

 

PPA bid/Competitiveness:  

• Identify and model site specific conditions such as meteorological data, soiling, shading and other onsite conditions that may impact design and production  

• P50, P90, P99 and hedge type production assessments  

• Lead cross functional design optimization efforts targeted at the lowest LCOE  

• Review technical requirements of PPA to guide negotiation and project risks  

• Identify production and design levers to quantify risk and opportunities on project development and profitability  

• Lead technical bid preparation and ensure team deliverables meet bid requirements  

• Help assess PV+S design and dispatch optimization that meets off-taker needs  

  

Project Optimization Efforts:  

• Diligence new technology with suppliers, EPC and IEs to understand bankability, performance and design impacts  

• Work on LCOE initiatives around design configuration, land utilization, and equipment  

• Present results of project design and cost optimization efforts to project stakeholders  

  

EPC RFP and Value Engineering:  

• Present key project specifications to EPC partners for detailed design process  

• Guide and collaborate with the contractor to find site and EPC specific optimized design  

• Review and negotiate technical exhibits such as capacity testing and technical commissioning (with the support of OEs)  

• Support commissioning and performance testing activities by reviewing data from EPCs and coordinating with IEs  

 

Technical Diligence Through Project Financing:  

• Technical and performance support through IE diligence and project financing  

• Lead production reviews and coordinate on design, equipment and production topics to maximize project valuation  

 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• Strong PV production modeling experience (PVsyst, SAM, and/or pvlib, etc.)  

• Basic energy storage modeling experience  

• Comprehensive knowledge of Solar and Storage technology and components  

• Commercially minded engineer focused on optimization for LCOE  

• Ability to quantify risk and opportunities around unknowns in design and technology  

• Basic understanding of the full solar development process  

• Basic understanding of renewable project finance process  

• Understanding of typical Solar and Storage PPA and market structures  

• Thrive in a cross-functional environment, able to guide discussion and identify dependencies between design, production, cost, land use, LCOE  

• Data analysis experience in Excel (familiarity with python a plus)  

• Bachelor of Science in STEM 

• 3+ years’ experience in project or optimization engineering  

• 3+ years’ experience with renewable energy and solar development  

 

 

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