Solar and Storage O&M Expert - Remote

Do you enjoy working in wind, solar, energy storage, hydrogen, biofuel, and or conventional power generation technologies?  How about enabling project developers, financial institutions, and owners/investors to bring new projects online that support the future of energy around the globe?

ICF’s TECHNICAL ADVISORY TEAM IS DOING JUST THAT!

Our work is focused on enabling the development of, and investment in energy infrastructure.  Working within the Technical Advisory group, your role as a construction and commissioning engineer will include engaging with clients and solving challenges related to the development, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and analysis of renewable energy projects.

You will be joining a motivated and dedicated team of industry experts, with a rewarding team culture.  As a member of the Technical Advisory team, you will be delivering high-value technical diligence support and offer solutions for mitigating technical and commercial challenges encountered by our clients.  You will have an opportunity to work across energy technologies and engage with clients and industry stakeholders regarding the opportunities present in the evolving energy industry.

Technical Advisory provides comprehensive energy industry advisory services supporting strategic investments, portfolio management, operational planning, market developments, policy analysis, regulatory support, and customer engagement.  We work collaboratively across several divisions within ICF, including our Power and Gas Market team, Environment and Planning team, and Transportation and Sustainability team.  Consultants at ICF integrate their industry experience with advanced consulting and analytical skills.  As an Operations & Maintenance Consultant, you will utilize your experience to provide Independent Engineering and Owner’s Engineering advisory services.

Remote, Reston, Virginia or Golden, Colorado

What you will do:

ICF is seeking a motivated Operations & Maintenance Consultant with experience in construction, commissioning, and operations of renewable energy projects, with a focus on solar and battery storage systems.  Solar systems include utility scale, distributed generation, commercial & industrial, and residential portfolios.

As the Solar & Storage O&M Expert, you will be responsible for:

• Travel to project sites to perform pre-construction reviews, construction monitoring, and operational reviews.

• Weekday travel at 75% time.  Site visits are typically in North America, with the S+S O&M expert being at site for 1 day with travel the day before and after. 

• Working with client’s on-site Construction and or O&M personnel to understand the status of current operations, challenges, and remedial actions as necessary.

• Reviewing engineering, construction, and procurement agreements.

• Reviewing interconnection agreements at distribution and transmission scale.

• support technical analysis of:

  • Supply and construction contracts.

  • Construction and O&M plans.

  • Commissioning plans, commissioning and performance results. 

  • Use your design, construction, or operations and maintenance experience to perform due diligence reviews of engineering documents, construction quality documentation, commercial agreements, and operational reports concerning energy assets.

  • Provide technical input to multi-disciplinary project teams.

  • Work within a close-knit team environment comprised of multiple technical abilities and knowledge levels.

  • Complete project work and deliverables within agreed upon time and budget.

  • Stay abreast of market activities and industry trends.

Consultants at ICF integrate industry experience and advanced consulting and analytical skills. As a Solar + Storage O&M Expert, you will utilize your experience in construction, cost estimating, and/or construction and commissioning to support our team with a proven track record of technical consulting and engaging with client decision-makers at manager to senior executive levels.

Basic Qualifications:

• Electrician background, solar construction background, or bachelor’s degree in construction management or engineering.

• 3+ years of professional experience in the construction, commissioning, and or operation of solar systems.

• Ability to travel up to 75% time.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

• Experience with project financing due diligence.

• 5+ years of professional experience in the construction industry, preferably with renewable energy projects.  Preference will be given to candidates with hands on experience with design, procurement, construction, commissioning, troubleshooting, operator training, and safety elements relevant for solar and storage assets.

• Experience working with Authorities Having Jurisdiction and or Interconnection authorities for the interconnection of solar assets at the distribution and or transmission level. 

• Familiarity with construction plans/schedules, quality plans and documentation, commissioning and performance testing plans and results.

• Experience drafting and completing construction status documentation, commissioning activities, and performance testing of solar assets.

• Familiarity with EPC construction contracts, Interconnection Agreements, O&M Agreements.

• Familiarity with remote monitoring systems at the system and string level.

• Desire to develop professionally and manage project and client relationships.

• Strong project management skills.

• Work flexibility as part of a project team or independently as needed.

• Willingness to work with client’s development personnel, construction personnel, and operations personnel.

• Attention to detail and prior experience with documentation and verification of construction, commissioning, and operations activities.

• Excellent organizational skills.

Personal Traits/Experience

• Ability to work autonomously with minimal guidance and ability to thrive in group solutions.

• A willingness to work with client personnel at all levels from executives to front line operators.

• An interest in travel and willingness to travel at 75% time.

• An interest to manage multiple construction monitoring and operations engagements at one time.  The Solar + Storage O&M Expert will most likely have 8-10 simultaneous engagements at any given time.

• Attention to detail including witnessing, documenting, and certifying construction and operations results.

• A willingness to dive into a new topic and learn as needed to answer various technical questions.

• Passion for the energy industry and for solving complex problems.

• Strong intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm to learn beyond what is required for daily tasks.

• Capability to extract tends and extrapolate understand from a set of data.

• An interest and willingness for learning new technologies.

Professional Skills:

• MS Office Suite experience.

• Ability to troubleshoot system issues based on operating data and the ability to define testing to be performed by others for data required but not in the exiting dataset.

• An understanding of the safety requirements used at construction jobsites, including personal protective equipment, and what not to do when in a facility under construction or in operation.

• An understanding of testing commonly employed for the commissioning, testing, and operation of electrical systems.  The Solar O&M Expert will not be performing testing but rather will use the results of tests performed by the EPC Contractor or Operator.

Why you will love working here: 

• Quality of life: Flexible workplace arrangements, work-life balance. 

• Investment of the community: Donation matching, volunteer opportunities.

• Investment in you: Tuition reimbursement, access to professional development resources, 401k matching, Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

• And many, many more (Ask your recruiter for more details!) 

Working at ICF

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: