Global Project Development Lead - Power Generation

HDR, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR, Inc. is seeking a Global Project Development Lead to join our Power Generation practice in the Phoenix area.

You will lead a multi-discipline team, develop strategies, and drive projects from concept through delivery, working closely with clients to meet objectives and optimize capital costs. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in power generation development across thermal and renewable technologies, strong leadership, and proven ability to win and execute complex projects while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or ability to obtain.
• 10 years related experience in power generation projects.
• Minimum 5 years project management experience.
• Experience with EPC project delivery including procurement, contracting, and startup.
• Demonstrated leadership and strategic planning abilities.
• Active participant in employee-owned culture.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain capability to provide project development services with Power Generation and Renewables teams.
• Assist clients in selecting project delivery methods to meet objectives.
• Assist with procurement and contracting of long-lead equipment while minimizing risk.
• Maintain positive client relationships at all levels.
• Achieve project schedule, quality, and profitability goals.
• Serve as proposal champion and assist with contract review and risk evaluation.
• Provide regular project team and client communications to align expectations.
• Provide training and mentoring to project staff.
• Lead strategic projects requiring staff mentoring for client success.
• Support transitions from development through engineering and EPC phases.
• Provide senior leadership across project development, delivery, and strategic initiatives.

Skills

Team leadership

Client relationships

Verbal communication

Written communication

Mentoring

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer license

Tools

MS Office

MS Project

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story' Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. We believe electricity powers modern life. As part of our Power sector, you'll help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our industry-recognized engineers and scientists have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century. You'll work side-by-side with these experts and contribute to reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems, helping communities thrive and industries expand. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive infrastructure forward, power innovation and leave your mark on our energy future.

HDR is seeking an experienced Global Project Development Lead to join our Power Generation practice and grow the project development service line for both thermal and renewables power generation. As the Project Development lead, you will be joining a highly capable, multi-discipline team that supports power and energy projects within the industrial, institutional, municipal, independent power producer (IPP) and utility power and energy industry. The Project Development Lead will be an experienced team lead who can also function as a seller-doer helping develop the services across both thermal and renewable generation, maintain client relationships, bring in projects, develop strategy, and lead multi-discipline project teams to successful completion of the work as project manager or principal in charge. This role requires significant client interaction (from pre-positioning for the work through project completion) and strong verbal and written communication skills as needed for regular interaction with internal staff such as project team members, marketing staff, and operations leadership.

The ideal candidate will have experience with power generation project development which includes, but is not limited to the preparation of; conceptual designs & capital cost estimates, technical procurement bid specification packages, corresponding commercial terms & conditions, consulting support, preliminary generation mix assessments, heat balances, water balances, technology selection & comparison tables, preliminary equipment sizing, site due diligence assessments, project pro formas, feasibility studies, critical inputs to air permit applications, large generator interconnection agreement (LGIA) , project schedules & cash flows, feasibility studies, bid evaluations, performance testing procedure and review of test results, documentation supporting EPC's completion of critical milestones (i.e. substantial / final completion reports), and consulting from the perspective of both an Engineer-of-Record/EPC contractor and project Owner. Significant experience with the development, specification, and negotiation of power generation systems for simple cycle, combined cycle, cogeneration, distributed generation, reciprocating engine, combined heat and power, solar generation, on and offshore wind generation, battery storage for multiple technologies in long and short storage durations, as well as proven ability to plan, schedule, and lead complex design and consulting assignments.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain capability to provide project development services to clients in conjunction with Power Generation and Renewables Practice and Power Generation Business Class.
• Assist clients with identification and selection of project delivery methods (ie EPC, EPCm, design/bid/build, fixed price / open book, etc) to meet project's overall objectives.
• Assist clients with technical procurement, and commercial contracting of critical path long lead equipment and/or services while minimizing client's risk exposure.
• Develop and maintain positive and proactive client relationships at all levels (project team contributors through executive leadership).
• Achieve project schedule, quality, and profitability goals.
• Serve as proposal champion/manager and assist with proposal preparation, review of contract terms and conditions, and evaluate risks associated with the services being offered.
• Provide regular communication and coordination within the project team and with the client such that the project work plan and the client's expectations on deliverables are understood and aligned. Monitor project deliverables for quality, completeness and conformance to the client's expectations.
• Provide training and mentoring project team staff on project development services.
• Lead key strategic projects regarding development activities of complex nature where staff mentoring is needed for client success.
• Support project transitions from development through owner's engineering, detailed engineering / design and/or EPC phases of work as applicable with the broader power generation and renewables practices.
• Provide senior leadership across project development, project delivery, client advisory, technical strategy, and other strategic initiatives as organizational and client needs evolve.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering or other degree relevant to the Power Industry,
• Registered Professional Engineer, Project Management Professional, or ability and commitment to obtain one or the other.
• Minimum 25 years of relevant experience working on power generation projects from conceptualization / development thru commercial operation on a variety of thermal and renewable generation technologies.
• Ability to lead or support multiple concurrent projects, clients, and strategic initiatives as technical leader or project advisor, or project executive.
• Experience with EPC project delivery including procurement of goods and services, contract negotiations, engineering, procurement, construction, and startup/commissioning.
• Relevant power generation experience with both consulting/engineering/EPC as well as the Owner/end user environments.
• Demonstrated business development and strategic planning skills.
• Good communication, leadership, planning and mentoring skills.
• Excellent organizational and communication (both written and verbal) skills.

#LI-MB1, *LI-MB1

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering
• 10 years related experience
• A minimum 5 years project management experience
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience would be plus)
• Demonstrated leadership, business development and strategic planning skills
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve. Our Commitment As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day. Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location: United States-Arizona-Phoenix

Industry: Power

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

BusinessClass: Power Generation

Job Posting: Sep 18, 2026