Senior Project Design Engineer

Title: Senior Project Design Engineer
Department: Engineering Center
Location: Irvine, CA
Supervisor: Director of Front-End Engineering
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Status: Permanent, Full-Time

Work Status: Hybrid

SENIOR PROJECT DESIGN ENGINEER

Hanwha Qcells USA Corp (Qcells USA), headquartered in Irvine, CA, specializes in providing utility-scale modules, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services for solar and BESS projects nationwide. Qcells USA delivers comprehensive turnkey solutions encompassing the entire utility-scale project lifecycle. By choosing Qcells USA for turnkey solutions, customers can reduce uncertainty and risk, leading to enhanced investment returns and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Qcells USA’s complete turnkey solutions seamlessly integrate the expertise of our Module, Development, and EPC teams, while ensuring close coordination with other vital internal groups such as Project Finance, Systems Integration, and Legal. This collaborative approach ensures that Qcells USA projects deliver exceptional value and performance. With several multi-billion-dollar investments, Qcells is pioneering the establishment of the only complete module supply chain in the U.S., including the expansion of our Georgia module manufacturing facility, which stands as the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

As an integral part of the global Qcells brand, Qcells USA benefits from a legacy of excellence in photovoltaic manufacturing. Qcells is renowned worldwide for its high-performance, superior-quality solar cells and modules. With dual headquarters in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ), Qcells operates under the umbrella of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 company and one of the top 8 business conglomerates in South Korea.

SUMMARY

This position reports to the Director of Front-End Engineering, or another management personnel that the President of the Company may designate. This position reports to the Irvine, CA office and will maintain an In-Office schedule of working out of the Irvine, CA office. Working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. This position is expected to travel up to 30% of the time.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES
 

• Regular attendance, in accordance with company's attendance policy and supervisory assignment, is an essential job duty requirement for this position
• Prepare bid packages for subcontractors including scope of work, schedule, project description, and conceptual design in coordination with internal CAD Designers and Subject Matter Engineering Experts 
• Assist in all stages of project design including conceptual and advanced system design observing regulatory codes as well as customer requirements, balance of systems, permitting and technical support 
• Prepare conceptual design for solar projects including selection of major components, equipment layouts, single-line diagrams, etc. 
• Develop, implement, and improve internal design processes for the EPC Engineering Team and other stakeholders in the company 
• Standardize design process with the CAD Designers and Subject Matter Experts 
• Review, evaluate and implement industry trends and product innovation 
• Support Procurement and Estimation in discussions and evaluating suppliers and contractor 
• Assist project implementation in collaboration with the Project Manager and Senior Project Engineer during planning and construction to assure quality and execution according to schedule 
• Development and review of energy production models, project schedules, cost estimation, bill of materials, budgets, scopes of work, and quotes from suppliers 
• Coordinate external resources such as structural, civil and electrical engineering consultants, geotechnical and topographic surveyors, other specialized professionals as needed and suppliers 
• Create, review and maintain drawing packages and project documentation 
• In collaboration with other team members, contribute to the completion of proposals to design and deliver photovoltaic projects 
• Provide recommendations for continuous improvements in project designs, plans, processes and product development 
• Assist with technical training of other team members and new employees 
• Perform energy generation modeling for solar projects using PV Syst and other tools 
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
 

• A degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or another related engineering science 
• Minimum of 5 years of professional engineering experience in the solar industry 
• Relevant work experience in the design and development of PV power plants 
• Experience with AutoCAD (or equivalent) 
• Experience with photovoltaic performance modeling tools (preferably PVSyst) 
• Strong in Microsoft Office Suite 
• Experience with Gantt charts (MS Project or equivalent) 
• Knowledge of the National Electric Code 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Assertive, able to cope with pressure, a team player 
• Previous experience managing project from initial design to installation and execution, preferred 
• Experience in permitting processes with local authorities having jurisdiction, preferred

EXAMPLES OF PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Stationary Position: frequently remains stationary up to 90% of the time and sitting up to 8 hours in a day
• Move/Traverse: infrequently bend, stand, stoop and/or walk
• Carry Weight: infrequently carry weight and/or lift objects (light to heavy) weighing up to 10 pounds
• Hearing and Speech: frequently communicates with the ability to hear and talk on a regular basis with employees, coworkers, and all personnel matters; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• Sight: frequent use of sight to detect images on computer, office documents, and office objects near and far
• Climb: occasionally ascends/descends on stairway to get to office upper and lower floors
• Travel: up to 30% as needed

EXAMPLES OF WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Regular professional, office business setting
• Noise level ranges from low to moderate (if in office setting)
• Noise level ranges from moderate to high (if on construction worksite)

Hanwha Qcells is proud to be an at-will Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

It is important to note that the job descriptions provided by Qcells USA Corp are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the positions. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, reflecting our dynamic and evolving work environment.

We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.  As part of this commitment, Hanwha Qcells will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.  Please contact us to request accommodations at [email protected].

Nothing in this statement shall imply implicitly or explicitly a guarantee of employment outside our at-will employment opportunity.

I hereby, accept and acknowledge this job description as my own and am committing to these responsibilities and required qualifications.

_____________________________________

Employee SignatureDate