Director of Engineering

~ Safari Energy was founded in 2008 with a vision of reducing energy expenses for commercial customers while also helping the environment. ~

Safari Energy saw an opportunity to apply its finance and construction management acumen to the dynamic and rapidly unfolding market for distributed solar power in the United States, particularly for large real estate owners.

Our team consists of dedicated professionals with expertise in real estate, finance, energy, and construction, backed by a group of top-tier strategic investors. We are passionate about delivering superior energy solutions for commercial, industrial and institutional real estate clients nationwide.

Position Overview

This position reports to the VP of Engineering. As the head of in-house engineering, the Director of Engineering will lead and manage the engineering team. He or she will be responsible for managing the feasibility design and engineering of distributed generation solar photovoltaic projects throughout the United States, including rooftop, carport, and ground mounted arrays.

This individual will manage the internal team of solar designers and engineers, and have frequent interaction with vendors and utility representatives. The Director of Engineering will be responsible for all system design and energy production from feasibility to completion working closely with both the Business Development and Operations teams.

The Director of Engineering will be the technical expert for electrical and structural design aspects of the project to ensure engineering integrity, as well as successful approval processes with municipalities and utilities. The Director of Engineering is also responsible for driving cost reduction by lowering material costs, improving energy production and decreasing labor time through continuous improvement in system design and process engineering.

Responsibilities

• Perform feasibility analysis including site evaluation - preliminary structural, electrical and geotechnical / utility evaluation, preliminary system layout & design, energy production, shading and component selection
• Attend site evaluation visits to collect information required to complete the design of commercial-scale solar electric systems
• Oversee the development of structural and electrical designs for net-metered roof, ground and parking canopy solar electric systems that meet all national, state and local code requirements as well as customer defined requirements
• Manage a team of engineers and solar designers to meet deadlines and milestones for a portfolio of projects
• Review design drawings showing the structural, electrical and site plan design of large scale solar electric systems developed in AutoCAD.  Proficient in building and reviewing construction documents in AutoCAD and training team members
• Manage the submission of drawings to the appropriate agency in order to obtain the necessary permits to allow for construction of large-scale solar electric systems
• Provide technical input to support the interconnection application and utility approval process and related business development incentive processes
• Integrate new processes and methods to increase productivity and efficiency of the department
• Serve as the technical expert for engineering design decisions
• Create and/or review equipment specs created by consultants, with focus on AC equipment and interconnection equipment
• Assist Project Managers with coordination of utility company to ensure interconnection requirements are met, project deliverables are on schedule, and the utility company is on schedule to interconnect and energize the system
• Perform construction inspections and commissioning to ensure equipment has been installed to plan. Act as Quality Control expert in conjunction with O&M department

Near Term Goals and Objectives - Measures of Success:

• Quickly come up to speed on existing projects and current pipeline
• Develop, build and manage internal and external relationships
• Foster an environment of cohesive teamwork that delivers best-in-class service and superior results to clients

Qualifications

Must be passionate about the renewable energy business, hardworking and thrive in the fast pace of an early stage company with tremendous growth potential. In addition, the Director of Engineering must possess: 

• A minimum of 5 years experience working in an engineering capacity for a commercial photovoltaic company, or designing commercial distributed generation systems
• A minimum 2 years experience in an engineering management role
• Knowledgeable in standard applied codes such as the NEC
• Expert knowledge of photovoltaic system design and optimizing system components for energy production
• Expert knowledge of electrical and structural design components and manufacturers
• Experienced in the use of energy modeling systems for photovoltaic applications and the variables/constraints related to energy production
• Experience in value engineering of photovoltaic or other constructions projects
• Good working knowledge of standard utility process for interconnection approval and design requirements
• Strong organizational and scheduling skills to manage the activities of junior engineers and maintain project schedules
• Expertise in AutoCAD and MS Office
• Expertise in PVSyst

Personal Characteristics:  

• Highly energetic and results-driven, with a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence
• Analytical problem solver who views obstacles as challenges
• Creative thinker who generates new and different ideas 

Education:  

• A Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering. Other engineering disciplines are considered based on experience and skill set
• Must be PE certified