Vice President of Engineering (Renewable Energy) (San Jose)
Vice President of Engineering (Renewable Energy)
Samuel Knight Energy & Infrastructure provided pay range
This range is provided by Samuel Knight Energy & Infrastructure. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
$230,000.00/yr - $270,000.00/yr
Job Title: Engineering Director / VP of Engineering
Location: Greater San Jose Area (Site-Based Office Role)
Salary: $230,000 $270,000 + benefits (DOE)
Samuel Knight Energy is working with one of the nations most respected and fastestgrowing electrical contractors as they continue expanding their renewable energy construction division. As the leading recruitment partner to utilityscale EPCs and contractors across the country, we are supporting their search for a technically outstanding Engineering Director / VP of Engineering to lead and elevate their engineering function.
This is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing engineering for largescale Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects across the Western United States. The role is sitebased from their San Josearea office and will suit a playercoach leadersomeone who can manage, mentor, and develop a growing team of engineers while remaining handson with technical design, problemsolving, and project delivery.
You will lead a multidisciplinary engineering group (predominantly electrical, with some civil and mechanical scopes) supporting construction, installation, and commissioning activities across a national portfolio of renewable projects. Electrical engineering excellence is central to the role, and you will serve as the technical authority for power systems, interconnection, and constructionphase engineering challenges.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a team of electrical, civil, and mechanical engineers supporting utilityscale Solar and BESS construction projects.
- Act as the senior technical authority on all engineering matters, with strong handson involvement when needed.
- Oversee design reviews, constructability assessments, engineering change control, and technical risk management.
- Support project teams during construction, commissioning, QA/QC, and troubleshooting.
- Work closely with project managers, field leadership, procurement, and executive stakeholders to ensure engineering alignment with schedule, cost, and quality targets.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of NEC, IEEE, UL, utility interconnection requirements, and industry best practices for renewable power systems.
- Drive standardization, optimization, and continuous improvement of engineering processes, templates, and design approaches.
- Represent engineering during client meetings, utility discussions, and major project milestones.
Preferred Experience
- 10+ years of engineering leadership experience within Solar, BESS, electrical contracting, or utilityscale power projects.
- Strong electrical engineering backgroundpower systems, protection, grounding, mediumvoltage installation, substation or utility interconnection experience highly valued.
- Demonstrated success operating as a playercoach leading teams while remaining technically handson.
- Experience supporting constructionphase engineering in an EPC or large electrical contractor environment.
- Ability to collaborate crossfunctionally and communicate complex engineering issues simply and effectively.
- PE license (or ability to obtain) preferred.
This is a rare opportunity to take a senior leadership role within a wellestablished contractor that is significantly scaling its renewable energy division. The successful candidate will have real influence on engineering direction, processes, and cultureand will shape the technical foundation of projects that help power the energy transition.
If you would like to discuss this position or explore similar leadership roles across Solar and BESS construction, please contact Samuel Knight Energy.
Seniority level: Director
Employment type: Fulltime
Job function: Services for Renewable Energy