Senior Project Engineer

We are Lightsource bp – and we’re on a mission to become a global leader in onshore renewables, anchored by our proven track record in solar development.

For over a decade we’ve been actively working to diversify the way our world is powered with sustainable and responsible renewable power. We work to safely deliver affordable, reliable, large-scale onshore renewable and energy storage solutions to help the world decarbonize.

Our growing business is constantly innovating and investing to help drive the energy transition. Our people and projects are focused on supporting long-term sustainable growth and energy security.

Lightsource bp was fully acquired by bp in 2024.

What You’ll do

We are seeking a technically strong and commercially minded Senior Project Engineer to support utility scale photovoltaic (PV) + Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects. This hybrid role requires deep, hands on experience with both large scale PV and battery storage systems — including battery chemistries, BMS/EMS, power conversion systems (PCS), thermal systems, safety and certification standards, lifetime/degradation modelling, and commercial revenue stacking/dispatch strategies. The successful candidate will translate BESS and PV technical performance into procurement strategy, cost estimation, vendor evaluation, contractual requirements, and project finance diligence. Travel up to 25% required. This is Not a fully remote role, position is hybrid and located in Austin, Denver, or San Francisco.

Duties and Responsibilities

- Establishing and managing technical requirements in contractual documents for Engineering, Project Management and Construction (EPC) engagements

- Support the Construction team in EPC selection including contract negotiation

- Assist the Project Management in the construction of a project in a timely manner by providing necessary engineering support

- Complete design and submittal reviews and approvals as necessary for projects in development and construction

- Manage Owner’s Engineering as assigned as necessary for Construction team support

- Conduct site visits as necessary to support Construction team progress and milestone verification with lending parties and 3rd party independent engineers

- Support the engagement of Independent Engineering firms selected for 3rd party financing of projects for execution

- Provide technical diligence support for Project Finance

- Support the business with critical lessons learned to ensure project budgets and expected returns are aligned with current market expectations

- Develop task management tools to prioritize incoming technical requests from internal teams and provide regular deliverable updates

- Represent your specialty area at relevant development meetings and delivery meetings as required by Lightsource bp

- Represent your specialty during relevant third-party stakeholder meetings and events as required

Who we’re looking for

Knowledge

- Deep knowledge of BESS technologies and architectures, including battery chemistries (Li ion variants and alternatives), cell/module/pack/system design, BMS, PCS/inverter technologies, thermal management and fire mitigation strategies.

- Strong understanding of BESS control/dispatch strategies, EMS, state of charge management, degradation/lifetime modelling and revenue stacking (capacity markets, frequency response, arbitrage, ancillary services).

- Codes, standards and safety: experience with NFPA 855, UL 9540/9540A, IEEE 1547, IEC standards and local regulatory requirements for energy storage.

- Practical experience integrating BESS with PV plants, substations, protection & control schemes and utility interconnection requirements.

- Familiarity with project financing structures and independent engineering diligence focused on BESS risk areas (performance degradation, warranties, insurance, testing).

- Knowledge of industry stakeholders (investors, TAs, EPCs, BESS OEMs, independent test labs) and supplier market trends for both PV and storage.

- Ability to identify key technical risks from site documents and translate them into commercial mitigations in contracts and budgets.

- EPC cost estimation skills that explicitly include BESS scopes and balance of systems impacts.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (preferred) or equivalent technical degree.

- CAD experience (AutoCAD, SketchUp, etc.) required.

- Advanced knowledge of performance and storage modelling tools such as PVsyst, PVsol, StorageVAT, SAM, Matlab/Simulink or equivalent.

- Demonstrated experience with BESS-specific modelling or vendor tools for lifetime, thermal and degradation analysis.

- Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% for site visits and stakeholder meetings.

Experience

- Minimum 3–5 years in a similar role; strong BESS experience required. (Prefer candidates with 5+ years where BESS responsibilities are a significant portion of prior roles.) - Extensive experience designing and delivering utility scale PV + BESS projects, including substations, PCS/inverter selection, and energy storage integration.

- Experience with civil and site considerations impacted by BESS installations (e.g., transformer/PCS pads, HVAC/thermal, fire suppression layouts, segregation).

- Proven track record in energy resource assessments and identifying optimization opportunities for PV + BESS dispatch.

- Hands on experience in construction support, commissioning and technical document review for both PV and BESS scopes.

Why you’ll make a great member of the team

Personal qualities

- Self starter able to work independently and coordinate specialist resources.

- Strong task management and prioritization skills.

- Comfortable in a fast changing environment and able to maintain clarity under pressure.

- Excellent attention to detail, problem solving and the ability to propose pragmatic technical/commercial solutions.

- Strong communication skills to represent technical positions to commercial stakeholders, lenders, and independent engineers.

We Offer

- Competitive compensation: $135,000 to $150,000 annually plus a discretionary 20% annual bonus.

- Health, dental, prescription, and vision care for US team members starts on your first day of employment.

- Retention bonus

- 11 paid holidays

- Four weeks of vacation and three weeks of sick leave annually.

- 401(k) plan, with a 3% nonelective employer contribution.

- Hybrid working environment (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday in office, Monday and Friday remote)

- Monthly personal phone bill reimbursement of up to $100 and a monthly commuter benefit of up to $150.

Why you’ll want to work with us

Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow – a place where your ideas and opinions matter.

Be you: We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.

Be responsible: Our culture is driven by our core values. From operating safely to ensuring our solar projects are responsible and promote biodiversity.

Be recognized: Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension, and other local benefits.

Be inspired: Join an agile, international team working across 15 countries to power the future and positively impact people, communities, ecosystems and biodiversity across the world.

Our core values: Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low-carbon energy projects. Our core values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, Sustainability and Drive are the guiding principles for everything we do.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation related to LSbp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us to request accommodations.