Engineering Manager job in Berkeley

Sun Light & Power delivers exceptional customer experience through 3 Systems: Customer Discovery, Customer Delivery and Customer Performance. The engineering leader will help manage the Customer Delivery system by leading a team of engineers and engineering partners in the development of design deliverables for solar electric (PV) and solar thermal (ST) projects. The Engineering Manager is responsible for training, mentoring, and reviewing of engineers, and for ensuring that the engineering department runs smoothly and interacts productively with other departments at SLP. The Engineering Manager will also act as project engineer on larger or more complex projects.

The core focus of our engineering team is to design systems that deliver customer-expected performance, that exceed our warranty obligations and deliver the expected system life.

The Engineering Manager will cultivate a strong customer-focused culture, demonstrate excellent communication skills, share technical skills with their team, and strive to secure & deliver reliable promises to both internal and external team members and customers. The Engineering Manager will manage a system that creates flow across the engineering process.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities:

1) Manage the Engineering Team

  a. Manage the flow of deliverable requests as prioritized by Project Management
  b. Define and Manage the process of design and engineering of PV and Solar Thermal systems using internal and partner resources
  c. Plan, document and oversee the engineering system, processes and procedures to increase flow efficiency while maintaining high resource efficiency; establish & report metrics for the engineering process
  d. Select, train, develop and supervise engineering staff including project engineers, design engineers, drafters and administrators
  e. Develop department budget for approval, including staff, technology, facility and equipment requirements to support the SLP Annual Operating Plan
  f. Conduct performance reviews for staff and review, approve and submit staff timesheets
  g. Assist the Sales in preparing preliminary designs or estimates for PV and ST design work

2) Build a strong, cohesive team:
  a. Support our team members in doing their best work
  b. Contribute to team culture by motivating individuals and building teams
  c. Manage and develop team members
  d. Contribute to the team in other capacities as needed

3) Improve the Delivery System to improve flow efficiency and reduce failure demand:
  a. Manage, test & improve "System" (series of key processes) from customer's perspective which reflect the customer experience across the Customer Delivery process
  b. Plan, do, check (celebrate) & adjust continuously key processes & procedures
  c. Introduce and implement lean project delivery methods & tools for project teams for improving project flow (e.g. Last Planner System, Target Value Design, Kanban)
  d. Contribute to defining, configuring and implementing a project information platform for SLP projects

4) Manage engineering partner relationships
  a. Manage engagement practices between Sun Light & Power and partners
  b. Manage processes for ensuring best outcomes for partner-performed project designs

5) Share your technical knowledge & aptitude of solar products, regulatory requirements and constraints facing design decisions:
  a. ASCE (structural requirements)
  b. CBC, IBC (code requirements)
  c. NEC (electrical requirements)

6) Perform Project Engineer duties on selected large or complex projects:
  a. Work with structural and electrical engineering consultants on preparing plans for permitting; be versed in the technical issues that these consultants deal with
  b. Be able to perform conductor and equipment sizing calculations and generate 1-line and 3-line PV electrical designs based on the NEC
  c. Work with architects and contractors on early design stages of solar projects to define and communicate structural, electrical and mechanical needs for solar projects
  d. Work closely with project management team, superintendents, and foremen on communicating issues on upcoming projects
  e. Conduct site visits as needed; be able to accurately measure and document site conditions including structural and electrical details
  f. Provide technical details of PV projects to assist in rebate application and submissions

7) Establish & develop relationships with Sun Light & Power’s major clients:
  a. Deliver exceptional customer experiences with the best mission-driven businesses, project developers, architects, engineers and general contractors in California
  b. Support Sales & Business Development efforts to win new projects and portfolio work

8) Contribute to the team in other capacities as needed

Key Experiences:

We prefer leaders that combine solar industry experience with lean design experience including:
1) An understanding of the key challenges in solar project design

2) Good technical understanding of solar basics [PV and ST (solar thermal)]: how to design & build them and the engineering & regulatory constraints and requirements we must manage

3) An understanding of lean project delivery and flow efficiency, in a broad context (and lean design specifically, if possible) are preferred. Managing change and exploring new perspectives. Experience seeing the whole, reducing variation, learning new methods and exploring new operational strategies (e.g. lean project delivery).

4) Knowing how to manage change and experience with experimenting with new methods and strategies to improve flow, reduce cost and improve the customer experience is a big plus.

Key Qualifications:

• Five years minimum experience in solar design of commercial, industrial and small utility-scale solar projects 1-5MW
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, design or similar discipline
• Ability to organize, utilize and motivate resources to successfully execute project design; Experience managing 3rd party design partners (full PV design, structural or electrical review)
• Demonstrated team building and staff management skills
• Ability and willingness to mentor engineers and help them succeed
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Problem solving in collaboration with the project team, coaching team to develop solutions and to make quick good decisions
• Understand requirements for the project permitting process
• Excellent English communications skills: requesting, clarifying, listening, committing, negotiating
• Strong attention to detail and high analytical aptitude
• Experience with AutoCAD and skills in Office 365 (MS Word, MS Excel) required
• Ability to drive to job sites, climb ladders, and lift up to 25 lbs
• Ability to read, understand and scale architectural drawings
• Understand solar system construction procedures and be able to communicate design intent to installation personnel and an understanding of the permitting process

Preferred Qualifications:

• Seven years minimum experience in solar design of commercial, industrial and small utility-scale solar projects 1-5MW
• Three or more years solar engineering management experience
• Five to ten years' experience in electrical design
• Professional Engineering license (structural or electrical) preferred
• Key certifications desired (e.g. NABCEP, Lean Construction)
• Knowledge of SalesForce software Google for Work
• Experience reading and understanding contracts
• Excellent writing skills, both creative and technical
• Knowledge of residential solar power design & construction
• Knowledge of solar thermal design & construction
• Knowledge of lean project delivery, operational efficiency, or flow efficiency

Cultural Alignment

• Demonstrate dedication and passion for your work
• Show examples of thoughtful innovation in your work
• Commitment to making sustainable choices
• History and habit of doing the right thing even when no one is looking
• Comfortable in casual, dog-friendly warehouse environment

Compensation
Salary is based upon experience, professional licensing, and education. SLP provides a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, 401(k), PTO, holidays and tuition reimbursement.

EEO Statement
It is the policy of Sun Light & Power to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, military or veteran status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable federal or state law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to: recruitment, selection, training, promotion, transfer, compensation, demotion, termination, etc.