Lead Solar Electrical Engineer

Company Overview:

GIS is a premier energy services company delivering comprehensive solutions across the evolving energy landscape. While rooted in over 75 years of excellence in offshore and onshore construction and maintenance within the oil and gas industry, GIS has expanded its capabilities to include large-scale utility solar farm construction projects. Our continued commitment to safety, innovation, and operational excellence allows us to support both traditional and renewable energy sectors with the same trusted expertise.

Position Summary:

We’re seeking a highly experienced Lead Electrical Engineer to oversee all electrical engineering activities for large-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants and associated medium- and high-voltage interconnection facilities. This role combines hands-on design responsibilities with leadership and technical oversight of internal engineers and external design consultants. The Lead Engineer ensures that all electrical deliverables—DC array design, MV/HV collection systems, interconnection facilities, and overall electrical architecture—meet GIS’s standards for quality, safety, constructability, and regulatory compliance from concept through commissioning.

What You’ll Do:

Leadership & Oversight

•         Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Electrical Engineers and Designers engaged in PV plant DC/AC system design and interconnection system engineering.

•         Provide project-wide electrical engineering direction and ensure adherence to internal standards, best practices, and quality control procedures.

•         Review and sign off on internal drawings, calculations, and third-party consultant deliverables.

•         Conduct multidisciplinary design coordination with civil, structural, mechanical, and SCADA teams to ensure seamless system integration.

•         Interface with clients, EPC partners, utilities, suppliers, and AHJs to present design packages and resolve technical questions.

Technical Design & Analysis

•         Perform and review electrical system studies including load flow, short-circuit, grounding, protection coordination, harmonic analysis, and arc-flash evaluations (ETAP/SKM).

•         Develop and approve all major electrical design documents—single-line diagrams, protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, cable/conduit schedules, and equipment specifications.

•         Lead detailed DC array design, including:

o   Calculating modules per string, adjusting for temperature, inverter MPPT windows, and module IV characteristics.

o   Evaluating skip-string vs. daisy-chain architectures to optimize efficiency, accessibility, trenching, and BOS costs.

o   Determining maximum DC voltage in compliance with NEC 690.7.

o   Optimizing DC/AC ratio using energy modeling inputs such as PVSyst, PlantPredict, and SAM.

o   Refining Ground Coverage Ratio (GCR) using tracker geometry, shading studies, terrain constraints, and civil grading.

•         Design and validate MV collection systems—conductor sizing, duct bank routing, cable ampacity, and transformer/switchgear specifications.

•         Support interconnection engineering for 13.8kV–345kV systems, including substation design, protection schemes, and utility compliance.

•         Conduct site assessments and evaluate impacts on electrical layout, routing, and constructability.

•         Ensure compliance with NEC, IEEE, IEC, NFPA, NESC, and utility-specific interconnection standards.

Quality & Compliance

•         Ensure all engineering deliverables meet project scope, performance objectives, and client/utility specifications.

•         Stamp and approve engineering drawings and calculations as the engineer of record (where applicable).

•         Support QA/QC during procurement, FAT, installation, and commissioning.

•         Maintain strict document control and revision management practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

•         Partner with procurement on electrical equipment technical requirements and vendor evaluations.

•         Provide engineering support to construction and commissioning teams, responding to RFIs and resolving field issues.

•         Contribute to proposals, pre-FEED, and FEED packages with conceptual layouts and preliminary studies.

What You’ll Bring

•         Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering; Master’s preferred.

•         10+ years of experience in electrical engineering for utility-scale solar, renewable energy, or power generation.

•         Leadership experience managing engineering teams and consultant deliverables.

•         Strong background in DC system design, array optimization, and power system analysis.

•         Experience with utility interconnections from 13.8 kV to 345 kV.

•         Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred.

•         Proficiency in PVsyst, PlantPredict, ETAP/SKM, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and related tools.

•         Strong knowledge of NEC, IEEE, IEC, NFPA, and utility requirements.

Tools & Systems You’ll Use

•         PV modeling tools: PVsyst, PlantPredict, SAM

•         Power system analysis: ETAP, SKM

•         CAD & BIM: AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D

•         Microsoft D365, SharePoint, and engineering collaboration platforms

What You’ll Get from Us

•         Competitive compensation and performance incentives.

•         Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

•         401(k) with company match.

•         Paid Time Off (PTO).

•         Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

•         Career advancement opportunities.

•         Collaborative, people-first culture.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·         Work Environment: This job operates in a professional office setting. The role may require occasional travel.

·         Physical Demands: This role requires the ability to sit for extended periods while working on a computer. Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 20 pounds.

EEOC Statement:

GIS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.