Project Development Engineer

Summary

Ameresco, Inc. is a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs and decarbonize. They are seeking a Project Development Engineer to support the development of renewable energy projects, including solar PV and battery energy storage, through technical sales support and project development responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Sales Executives to provide technical expertise throughout the project pursuit process, from initial customer inquiry through proposal submission
• Participate in customer site visits and meetings in a technical role, assessing project feasibility and presenting proposed solutions
• Translate complex technical designs, system configurations, and financial models into clear, accessible language for customer-facing presentations and proposals
• Prepare and review technical content for proposals, including system descriptions, energy production estimates, equipment specifications, and project schedules
• Respond to customer technical questions and requests for information (RFIs) in coordination with the Sales team
• Support Sales in understanding applicable incentive programs (ITC, IRA adders, SGIP, USDA REAP, net metering) and their impact on project economics
• Lead technical development of solar PV, battery energy storage, microgrid, and EV charging projects from early-stage feasibility through construction handoff, support construction and project management teams through to project completion
• Evaluate system layout and design options based on customer site information, as-built drawings, and load profiles
• Perform energy modeling, battery dispatch modeling, and utility cost/rate analysis to size and optimize systems
• Assess microgrid configurations including islanding capabilities, resiliency design, and grid services potential
• Visit customer sites to investigate project feasibility, electrical infrastructure, and interconnection methods
• Coordinate onsite engineering and investigative activities with utilities, outside engineers, surveyors, and vendors
• Make equipment selections based on project needs, technology performance, material availability, and costs
• Develop and maintain financial models and project pricing during the development phase
• Generate project budgets and schedules in conjunction with the Pre-Construction team
• Provide technical support to Pre-Construction in the preparation of requests for bids
• Manage utility interconnection submittals (NEM, SGIP, Rule 21, or applicable tariffs) and serve as primary point of contact with the utility
• Oversee AHJ permitting submittals and coordinate responses through approvals
• Monitor interconnection queue status and proactively manage schedule impacts
• Identify applicable incentive programs including ITC, IRA adders, SGIP, USDA REAP, and state/local programs, and support their incorporation into project financial models
• Consolidate and review project deliverables and technical documents generated by outside engineering and vendors
• Support the Project Management team on material procurement and technical guidance during construction
• Manage technical components of commissioning and project closeout following construction completion
• Perform and/or review energy production, savings calculations, and financial evaluations of completed projects
• Perform other duties as required

Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in renewable energy project development, engineering design, or related field
• Demonstrated experience with solar PV and/or battery energy storage project development
• Familiarity with utility interconnection processes and permitting for distributed generation
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time for site visits and customer meetings
• NABCEP PV Installation Professional or PV Technical Sales certification strongly preferred
• Professional Engineering (PE) license, Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or LEED AP not required but considered a plus
• Experience with microgrid design, islanding configurations, and/or grid services a significant plus
• Knowledge of federal and state incentive programs including ITC, IRA adders, SGIP, USDA REAP, and net metering tariffs
• Experience with energy storage incentive programs and dispatch optimization modeling
• Proficiency with solar and storage design/modeling software: PVSyst, Helioscope, Aurora, Energy Toolbase, Xendee, and/or HOMER Pro
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills; ability to convey complex technical solutions clearly to non-technical audiences
• Comfortable working alongside Sales Executives in customer meetings, site walks, and proposal presentations in a technical support capacity
• Ability to analyze utility rate structures and model bill savings and financial returns (NPV, IRR, simple payback)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with project scheduling tools a plus

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, or related discipline
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in renewable energy project development, engineering design, or related field
• Demonstrated experience with solar PV and/or battery energy storage project development
• Familiarity with utility interconnection processes and permitting for distributed generation
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time for site visits and customer meetings

Nice to Haves

• NABCEP PV Installation Professional or PV Technical Sales certification strongly preferred
• Professional Engineering (PE) license, Certified Energy Manager (CEM), or LEED AP not required but considered a plus
• Experience with microgrid design, islanding configurations, and/or grid services a significant plus
• Knowledge of federal and state incentive programs including ITC, IRA adders, SGIP, USDA REAP, and net metering tariffs
• Experience with energy storage incentive programs and dispatch optimization modeling
• Proficiency with solar and storage design/modeling software: PVSyst, Helioscope, Aurora, Energy Toolbase, Xendee, and/or HOMER Pro
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills; ability to convey complex technical solutions clearly to non-technical audiences
• Comfortable working alongside Sales Executives in customer meetings, site walks, and proposal presentations in a technical support capacity
• Ability to analyze utility rate structures and model bill savings and financial returns (NPV, IRR, simple payback)
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with project scheduling tools a plus

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Retirement plans
• Paid time off
• Performance incentives
• Bonuses
• Commissions
• Equity