Visits: 4
Project Design Engineer
CrossBoundary Energy
About the Firm
Founded in 2011, CrossBoundary is a mission-driven investment firm committed to unlocking the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. Learn more at www.crossboundary.com.
CrossBoundary founded its commercial-industrial solar investment business in 2015, CrossBoundary Energy (CBE). CBE is one of Africa’s leading owners & operators of distributed renewable energy solutions for businesses, providing cheaper and cleaner energy to African businesses through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). CBE is currently delivering a portfolio of over $160M of solar renewable energy assets across Africa, and clients include Actis, Diageo, Heineken, Rio Tinto, Syrah Resources, Unilever, and other leading regional businesses. Learn more at www.crossboundaryenergy.com/energy.
Job Description
CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) is recruiting a Project Design Engineer to develop concept designs and provide implementation design support for our solar PV projects for commercial-industrial customers. The Design Engineer will develop early-stage concept designs and drawings to support business development activities as well as supporting projects under implementation by reviewing design documentation created by EPC contractors bringing CBE’s perspective as the long-term asset owner to issues of solar PV design, and quality control. You will be responsible for ensuring all projects adhere to CBE’s design and implementation standards as well as identifying site-specific design risks at an early stage and proposing appropriate mitigation strategies. This role will require occasional international travel and reports to the Technical Director.
CBE is not an EPC or a pure developer, as we seek to build a portfolio of long-term, high-performing assets. CBE will look to you for practical insights on how to make discrete business decisions that will directly affect our financial outcomes.
Who We Are
CrossBoundary Energy operates in challenging frontier markets that also hold immense opportunities. The chosen candidate will play an important role in a unique team with the opportunity to make a large impact on the renewable energy landscape in Africa. Team members come from diverse backgrounds, but share a number of qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action.
Who You Are
- Self-starter who is passionate about clean energy and its potential to transform fragile states and frontier markets in Africa
- A systematic and highly organized solar engineer; takes personal accountability for tracking numerous activities across workstreams and driving them all to a successful conclusion
- Comfortable with ambiguity; builds strong relationships even in stressful environments
- Confident and experienced in real-world industrial applications of solar energy, power systems engineering, electrical transmission/distribution networks, building electrical engineering, or electrical generation
- An analytical, practical thinker known for choosing the simple, robust solution where more complicated approaches would deliver the same results; focuses on the core issues
- Clear and professional communicator in person, in writing, and by phone
- Calm, measured, but firm when in disagreeing; you can assert your own perspective while motivating stakeholders to move toward a common goal
- Perseverant in the face of obstacles and calm under pressure
- Patient and skilled at training up contractors to consistently deliver excellent work
Primary Responsibilities
- Carry out site visits to inform the preliminary designs and the enabling works requirements;
- Produce preliminary design documentation including layouts, Interconnection strategy, roof access strategy, SLD’s, BoQ’s, PVSyst analysis, etc.;
- Carry out initial solar + storage sizing and configuration analysis based on load and physical site constraints;
- Create technical sales materials to be included in proposals including drawings, charts, design philosophy, etc.
- Join customer meetings to support and explain solutions from a technical perspective;
- Review EPC designs to ensure that designs are carried out in accordance with CBE design and quality standards;
- Track the design review process to ensure all comments and proposed edits are adequately addressed;
- Drive innovation in the following areas:
- Equipment selection based on quality and cost;
- Configuration design and the incorporation of storage;
- Value engineering – designing to optimize project returns, attractiveness to customers, positive impact
- Build processes, tools, and templates for effectively and efficiently de-risking and developing projects
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and qualifications:
- 3+ years’ work experience in either power systems engineering, electrical transmission/distribution networks, building electrical engineering, or electrical generation in industrial contexts
- 2+ years’ work experience in solar PV construction with a top-tier firm
- Working knowledge of battery storage technologies and design of storage solutions
- Working knowledge in the integration of solar PV systems with thermal generation assets such as diesel generators and HFO generators
- Background in designing and implementing EHS policies for construction projects
- Undergone some project management training
Required skills and qualifications:
- 2+ years’ work experience in either power systems engineering, electrical transmission/distribution networks, building electrical engineering, or electrical generation in industrial contexts
- Strong understanding of AC/DC Electrical Power Systems, Power Electronics, and/or Solar Energy
- Proficiency in the use of renewable energy modelling software such as PVsyst and Homer
- Proficiency in the design of solar PV systems using CAD software such as AutoCAD or integrated design software such as pvDesign or PVcase
- Demonstrated interest in renewable energy systems
- Work experience or demonstrated familiarity with solar PV installations
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field
- Demonstrated ability to independently supervise multi-stakeholder projects
- Clear effective communicator across diverse audiences
- Writes clearly, professionally, and without grammatical errors
Think you have what it takes but are not sure you check every box? Research shows that while men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women often only apply when they check every box. If you’re passionate about what we’re building, send us your resume and a note to human.resoures@crossboundary.com. We’re always looking to meet great people!
Location
Candidates will join our team in Nairobi, Johannesburg or Lagos.
Equal Opportunity Employer
CrossBoundary is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to human.resources@crossboundary.com