Construction Quality Assurance & Control Senior Manager

Senior Manager, Construction Quality Assurance & Control

Minnesota | Full-Time | Onsite and Field-Based

Help Build the Future of the Electric Grid

The electric grid is undergoing a major transformation as utilities work to meet increasing demand while integrating renewable generation, battery energy storage systems, and other distributed energy resources.

At Sparkfund, we help utilities and energy providers develop and deploy the infrastructure needed to support this transition. We are looking for a Senior Manager, Construction Quality Assurance & Control to lead our field construction quality program across renewable energy generation, BESS, and distributed energy projects.

This is a hands-on, field-facing leadership role for someone who understands how high-quality construction happens—not only through documentation, but through strong site presence, detailed inspections, clear standards, and contractor accountability.

What You’ll Do

Lead Our Construction Quality Program

• Own and continuously improve Sparkfund’s construction QA/QC program across renewable energy, BESS, and distributed energy projects.

• Develop project quality plans, inspection and test plans, field checklists, hold points, acceptance criteria, nonconformance processes, punch lists, and turnover requirements.

• Translate construction drawings, technical specifications, approved submittals, OEM requirements, applicable codes, and contract requirements into clear field inspection standards.

• Establish quality metrics and provide leadership with visibility into project and portfolio-level quality risks.

Build and Lead a Field-Based QA/QC Team

• Build, manage, and develop a team capable of evaluating civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical construction.

• Assign QA/QC resources based on project phase, site activity, schedule, risk, and portfolio priorities.

• Coach team members on reading construction documents, conducting inspections, documenting findings, reviewing submittals and RFIs, and managing contractor relationships.

• Set clear expectations for field presence, inspection rigor, photographic documentation, reinspection, escalation, and contractor accountability.

Ensure Field Construction Quality

• Conduct and oversee field inspections, construction walkdowns, and independent quality audits at active renewable energy and BESS sites.

• Verify installed work against issued-for-construction drawings, specifications, scopes of work, approved submittals, applicable codes, OEM requirements, and commissioning standards.

• Review inspection reports, test records, photographs, material documentation, and contractor quality records for completeness and accuracy.

• Maintain authority over quality acceptance and escalate nonconforming work when requirements have not been met.

• Ensure schedule pressure does not compromise construction quality or commissioning readiness.

Drive Contractor Accountability and Corrective Action

• Own the nonconformance, defect, and punch-list process across active projects.

• Hold EPC contractors, general contractors, trade subcontractors, OEMs, and vendors accountable to project requirements.

• Verify corrective actions through reinspection, testing, documentation, and objective field evidence.

• Identify recurring contractor and vendor quality issues and partner with Construction and Procurement on remediation plans, scorecards, and future award decisions.

• Lead root-cause analysis for recurring defects, installation failures, and rework.

Support Commissioning and Project Turnover

• Participate in preconstruction planning, constructability reviews, project kickoffs, site-readiness discussions, and look-ahead planning.

• Establish quality expectations before construction begins and identify potential field risks early.

• Validate quality gates from mechanical completion through energization, commissioning, and final handoff.

• Confirm completion of punch lists, test records, as-built documentation, equipment packages, and other turnover requirements.

• Partner closely with Construction, Project Management, Engineering, Commissioning, Safety, Procurement, and Program Operations.

What You’ll Bring

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in construction QA/QC, construction management, field engineering, field supervision, commissioning, or EPC project delivery.

• Significant experience working at active construction sites.

• Hands-on experience supporting renewable energy generation and/or battery energy storage construction.

• Experience evaluating civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical installation quality.

• Experience leading a construction QA/QC team, field inspection function, or contractor quality program.

• Strong knowledge of project quality plans, inspection and test plans, hold points, nonconformance reporting, punch lists, and turnover processes.

• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, technical specifications, scopes of work, shop drawings, approved submittals, RFIs, one-line diagrams, and applicable codes.

• Strong field observation, documentation, communication, and contractor-management skills.

• Willingness to travel regularly and spend significant time at active construction and commissioning sites.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with both solar photovoltaic generation and BESS projects.

• Knowledge of balance-of-plant systems, interconnection, energization, commissioning, and asset turnover.

• Previous experience with an EPC contractor, general contractor, renewable energy developer, asset owner, or commissioning organization.

• Working knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70E, local building codes, electrical codes, and renewable energy construction requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field—or equivalent field experience.

• CQM-C, ASQ CQA/CQE, NABCEP, ICC, or another relevant construction or quality certification.

• OSHA 30 training.

• Experience using Procore, Autodesk Build, Bluebeam, or similar construction documentation platforms.

Work Environment

This is an onsite and field-based role requiring routine presence at renewable energy and BESS construction and commissioning sites. Candidates must live within commuting distance of our Minnesota operations.

The role requires walking large or uneven job sites, climbing ladders and stairs, conducting detailed visual inspections, working around active civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical construction, and wearing required personal protective equipment. Work may take place indoors or outdoors and in varying weather conditions.

Regular travel throughout Sparkfund’s project portfolio is required.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected salary range for this position is $152,500–$185,000, based on experience, qualifications, and location. This position is also eligible for Sparkfund’s performance-based incentive plan.

Sparkfund benefits include:

• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance

• 401(k) with an employer match

• Flexible vacation policy

• Paid Federal holidays observed

• Flexible Fridays - we work half days!

• 12 weeks of gender-neutral paid caregiver leave

• $100 monthly phone and Wi-Fi allowance

Join Sparkfund

This is an opportunity to build the quality program behind projects that are helping modernize the electric grid. You will have the authority to establish construction standards, develop a strong field team, improve contractor performance, and ensure renewable energy and BESS assets are built safely, correctly, and ready for successful commissioning.

Sparkfund is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees and applicants. We encourage individuals with different backgrounds and experiences to apply, even if they do not meet every listed qualification.