Lead Electrical Engineer

Job Description

About the Opportunity 

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Lead Electrical Engineer to join our team. This role will provide senior electrical engineering and project execution leadership for hybrid power generation systems, including traditional power plants, large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), and associated balance of plant (BOP) infrastructure. The ideal candidate will lead technical aspects of projects from design through commissioning, direct and mentor project engineers, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage vendors and contractors, and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of efficient, reliable, and safe electrical systems in power generation and energy storage facilities. 

Essential Functions 

• Lead electrical engineering activities for gas turbine power plants and battery energy storage systems (BESS), including design oversight, integration of battery packs, power conversion systems (PCS)/inverters, battery management systems (BMS), excitation systems, generators, and balance of plant components (transformers, switchgear, cabling, auxiliary power, cooling, grounding, and fire safety systems).  

• Serve as the senior technical authority for electrical engineering across the project portfolio, reviewing and approving engineering deliverables prepared by project engineers and designers, and providing technical mentorship and guidance.  

• Develop and manage project technical deliverables, including one-line diagrams, schematics, layouts, specifications, protective relaying schemes, and construction documents to meet industry standards (IEEE, NEC, NERC, NFPA 855 for BESS, UL 9540, IEEE 1547, etc.).  

• Perform and oversee power system studies (load flow, short-circuit, protection coordination, harmonics, arc flash, grounding, stability), equipment sizing, and performance modeling using tools like ETAP, SKM Power Tools, PSCAD, or DIgSILENT, with focus on gas turbine generator integration and hybrid BESS/grid interactions.  

• Establish and maintain electrical engineering standards, design guidelines, and best practices for gas turbine and hybrid BESS projects across the organization.  

• Support the Installation & Commissioning team with technical RFIs of electrical and BOP systems in gas turbine power plants and energy storage facilities.  

• Manage cross-functional project teams, engineering contractors, gas turbine vendors, battery/inverter suppliers, utilities, and regulatory agencies to execute projects, resolve technical issues, support grid interconnection/compliance, and ensure seamless hybrid operation.  

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customers and their electrical engineering leads, communicating design decisions, addressing technical concerns, and ensuring alignment between customer requirements and project execution.  

• Support procurement by developing RFQ engineering templates, evaluating bids, specifying electrical equipment (e.g., generators, exciters, switchgear, transformers), battery systems, reviewing vendor drawings/submittals, and ensuring quality, schedule, and performance alignment.  

• Conduct risk assessments, root cause analysis for failures (e.g., generator/exciter issues, protection misoperations, battery degradation, inverter faults, or grid synchronization problems), and implement corrective actions to maintain project reliability and safety.  

• Provide discipline engineering leadership for project schedules, budgets, and milestones; identify and mitigate risks/obstacles to deliver gas turbine and hybrid projects on time and within scope.  

• Ensure adherence to safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements throughout the project lifecycle, including arc flash studies, grounding, and BESS-specific fire/thermal standards.  

• Contribute to hybrid system optimization (e.g., DC-coupled or AC-coupled BESS integration with gas turbine generation for peaking, frequency regulation, or grid support) and lead continuous improvement in design, execution, and operational processes for gas turbine facilities. 

Qualifications

Experience/Education 

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field; Master's degree is a plus.  

• Professional Engineer (PE) license strongly preferred.  

• Minimum 8+ years of experience in electrical/project engineering, with demonstrated expertise in gas turbine power plants (simple-cycle or combined-cycle), battery energy storage systems (BESS), hybrid/renewable integration, or industrial/power facilities.  

• Proven track record leading and mentoring project or design engineers on technically complex projects.  

• Proficiency in ETAP, SKM Power Tools, AutoCAD (or equivalent), PSCAD, DIgSILENT, or similar tools for power system analysis, design, and project deliverables.  

• Strong knowledge of power distribution, protection/coordination, high-voltage/low-voltage systems, generators/excitation, inverters, battery integration (BMS, PCS, thermal/auxiliary systems), and balance of plant electrical infrastructure in gas turbine applications.  

• Hands-on experience with gas turbine generators, exciters, substations, switchgear, transformers, large-scale lithium-ion battery systems, inverters, and project execution in gas-fired power plants or hybrid energy storage.  

• Proven project coordination skills, including vendor management, scheduling, budgeting support, commissioning, startup, and multidisciplinary team leadership.  

• Excellent problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.  

• Ability to manage multiple projects and thrive in a fast-paced environment.  

• Familiarity with power system studies, grounding/arc flash assessments, and standards relevant to gas turbine plants and BESS (e.g., NFPA 855, UL 9540, IEEE 1547, NERC).  

• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship for employment visa status. 

Key Skills and Qualifications 

• Exceptional communicator – direct and transparent, skilled problem-solver with proven success in building coalitions and avoiding conflicts 

• Total ownership mentality – proactively identifies and removes obstacles across numerous ongoing tasks 

• Independent thinker – provides original thoughts and constantly asking "how can we do this better" 

• Innovative thinker – willingness to consider novel solutions and ability to adapt to change 

• Desirable teammate – impeccable character, humility, and collaborative 

• Relentless – aspires to contribute and achieve his/her full potential 

Additional Information

Our CREATORS Culture 
At Solaris, we believe that staying true to our core beliefs improves our decision-making, productivity and is key to our individual and collective achievements. Combining your innovative thinking with our core values that encourage Communication, Recognition, Entrepreneurship, Accountability, Teamwork & Transparency, Ownership, Results and Safety, we become CREATORS. 
 
We value your hard work, integrity, and commitment to the Solaris “First in Service & Innovation” culture through competitive pay and benefits packages and ongoing career development. 

• Competitive compensation packages 

• Medical, Dental & Vision benefits 

• Disability Insurance 

• Company paid Life and AD&D insurance with supplemental offerings 

• Company matching 401(k) retirement plan 

• Paid time off, including 10 paid holidays 

• Career Progression 

• Tuition Reimbursement 

This job overview is not all inclusive. In addition, Solaris reserves the right to amend this job overview at any time. Solaris is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Why Solaris Join a company at the forefront of the energy infrastructure buildout powering data centers and industrial growth. We offer competitive compensation, benefits, and opportunities to grow alongside a high-performing team.

Pay Range: 8