Sr Engineer I, BESS Operations

RWE Americas, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Engineering
Remuneration: Exempt

The BESS Operations Engineering Team supports the existing RWE BESS fleet’s engineering needs to provide safe, highly available, and cost-effective Battery Storage electricity to our customers.  We spearhead efforts to improve the performance of the existing plants via augmentation, design solutions to enable rapid return to service when equipment suffers casualties, and provide technical solutions when engineering support is needed by the site operations teams and asset management. The team interacts directly with the BESS power plant’s operators, asset managers, and other support roles within RWE America.

This position will be the key analyst, reviewer, and SME for these efforts.  Day-to-day work involves interaction with other engineers, staff, and plant operators to determine root causes of failures and evaluate the impact of proposed improvements, expansion, and equipment. The engineer will also lead annual capacity tests and provide analysis to make decisions on BESS augmentation.

The role leads efforts from opportunity identification through ‘go/no-go’ decisions and eventual completion of projects.  Work involves collaboration with field staff, third party providers, and manufacturers – assessing how to improve plant energy yield.

Role Responsibilities:

• Review and analyze equipment faults and failures, as-built information, operations history, and data.  Scrutinize based on downtime, cost, safety, and manpower.  Capture technical, safety, and budgetary risks and assess them
• Coordinate BESS collection requirements amongst teams to ensure Availability, Capacity, SOC, cycling/throughput, ramp rates, standby, discharge, and charging metrics are met
• Ensure tracking, monitoring, and alarming of all warranty requirements are met, and understand the differences across OEMs
• Analyze the current portfolio together with the data analysts and determine upgrades and improvements to the power generation fleet to increase output and improve safety.  Provide detailed recommendations for increased analysis and reporting to operations and data analytics teams
• Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) of failure modes  in the RWECE BESS fleet  with subsequent analysis of potential improvements to increase reliability and production
• Understands site-specific requirements and interconnection agreements, evaluates and selects alternatives, documenting the rationale and lessons learned along the way. Provides lessons learned to internal engineering for continuous improvement
• Interacts with Operations teams throughout the asset’s life to provide guidance on means and methods as needed.   Travels to site to see equipment conditions, observe means and methods, and provide feedback.
• Engage external vendors.  Research and apply new industry innovations to technical issues
• Independently support operations where needed in immediate troubleshooting and issues
• As needed, lead external and internal teams to independently produce design drawings, calculations, and procedures for internal and external teams

Job Requirements and Experiences: 

• Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, or similar field of engineering or equivalent experience
• E.I.T. certification preferred; Professional Engineering Certification is a plus
• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in electrical operations, asset management, or design.  A graduate degree in related fields may be considered as some relevant experience
• Strong track record in operations, field support, RFI’s, and working with multidisciplinary teams
• Prior experience in the operation or design of Battery Energy Storage Systems, solar power plants, power distribution, substations, and/or conventional power generation preferred
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to manage customer relationships
• Solves complex and cross-functional engineering problems
• Designs and implements long-term technical solutions fleet-wide.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook), Teams, Python
• Strong quantitative and data analysis skills
• Energetic leadership, communication, and organization skills
• Ability to multitask while working independently and as part of a team
• Motivated self-starter, goal-oriented, and strong problem-solving abilities
• Structured in analyzing equipment, with an eye towards constructability and ease of operation
• Ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds
• Reviews field requirements, changes to meet operations’ needs, and is flexible
• Takes ownership of projects and is proactive in resolving issues

Work Environment:

This position is an office-based role with some travel and visits to other RWECE offices and field locations.  The employee must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Americas is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time. 

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois and New York City is $145,000-$150,000. The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.

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Any questions? Contact rwe_americas_recruiting@rwe.com

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

RWE Americas, a subsidiary of RWE, is a US-based energy company that is helping to meet the growing demand for energy across the United States. Backed by RWE’s 125-year global legacy of managing diverse power assets, RWE Americas operates approximately 13 GW of power projects across 27 states. With a talented workforce of 2,000 employees, RWE Americas develops, constructs and operates wind, solar and battery storage projects, along with natural gas-powered generation, that safely deliver affordable, reliable electricity to our customers. Committed to responsible development, RWE Americas invests in local and rural communities, creating jobs and partnering with stakeholders to support and strengthen the places where we live and work. Learn more about how RWE Americas is generating impact at americas.rwe.com.

At RWE Americas, we foster a culture defined by our Essential Behaviors - Have Courage, Create Impact and Actively Collaborate. We encourage bold thinking and continuous learning, and we value ownership, resilience and inclusion in everything we do. When you join us, you become part of a team that supports your development, respects your contributions and celebrates shared success. This is a place where you can grow your career and make a meaningful difference.