Lead Commissioning Engineer

LYDIAN ENERGY LLC; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Lydian Energy is seeking a Lead Commissioning Engineer to support utility-scale PV and BESS projects across the United States from a remote capacity. The role emphasizes leading commissioning activities, coordinating with EPC and OEM partners, and ensuring alignment with project schedules and safety requirements.

You will manage testing, reviews, and risk analysis, driving multiple projects toward successful COD while maintaining clear communication with stakeholders and vendors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
• Experience with utility-scale PV and BESS construction or commissioning.
• Willing to travel ~25% of the time.
• Strong coordination with EPC, OEM, investors and O&M partners.
• Ability to analyze commercial implications of engineering decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate commissioning schedules with EPC and OEM partners.
• Oversee on-site and off-site commissioning activities.
• Track progress against schedule and report status.
• Lead integration testing between substation, BESS, PCS, metering and ISO interfaces.
• Support testing procedures and vendor coordination for commissioning.
• Lead meetings with EPC, OEM, SCADA and P&C integrators.
• Review commissioning reports and relay events.
• Identify risks and blockers with corrective actions.
• Coordinate grid codes testing to achieve Commercial Operation.
• Travel to OEM facilities for buyoff or training.

Skills

Project management

Vendor coordination

Field engineering

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

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Lead Commissioning Engineer

Remote, US

6 days ago Requisition ID: 1040

About Lydian Energy

Lydian is an established energy development company specializing in the development and construction of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in North America. Lydian owns 14 assets in development, construction or under operation, consisting of both solar and storage, which reached or are expected to reach FNTP from 2024-2028.

Lydian is backed by Excelsior Energy Capital (“EEC”), a leading private equity fund manager with more than $1.5B in assets under management, that is exclusively focused on north American middle market renewables investing. Lydian’s relationship with EEC provides several critical advantages, including access to (i) a specialized team of value-add investor-operators with decades of renewables development, construction, and transaction experience and (ii) committed discretionary equity capital, strong relationships with debt and tax equity investors, and deep experience structuring tax equity and project financings.

About Lydian Energy

Lydian is an established energy development company specializing in the development and construction of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in North America. Lydian owns 14 assets in development, construction or under operation, consisting of both solar and storage, which reached or are expected to reach FNTP from 2024-2028.

Lydian is backed by Excelsior Energy Capital (“EEC”), a leading private equity fund manager with more than $1.5B in assets under management, that is exclusively focused on north American middle market renewables investing. Lydian’s relationship with EEC provides several critical advantages, including access to (i) a specialized team of value-add investor-operators with decades of renewables development, construction, and transaction experience and (ii) committed discretionary equity capital, strong relationships with debt and tax equity investors, and deep experience structuring tax equity and project financings.

Lydian has built a team of seasoned, passionate energy infrastructure professionals with deep expertise in project development, construction, financing, and M&A. This is an opportunity to join a fully capitalized development platform that is running at full capacity, but still at an early-enough stage for you to have a real impact on company culture and commercial outcomes.

Job Scope

The Lead Commissioning Engineer will provide technical guidance and project support during the construction and commissioning stages for utility scale photovoltaic and BESS power plants across the United States. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual with experience managing multiple concurrent projects and resources from a technical perspective through many phases of the project lifecycle.

This is a multi-faceted role that involves project-level technical diligence, optimization, project development engineering, construction support, risk analysis, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and coordinate commissioning schedules, responsibilities, and procedures with EPC and OEM partners to support overall project schedule. Analyze each party’s commissioning scope to ensure no gap or overlap between parties.
• Oversee the commissioning process and activities both off- and on-site as needed, including travel to project sites for inspections and general support.
• Track commissioning progress for each project against established schedule and provide status visibility for items ahead of or behind schedule.
• Oversee integration testing between the substation, BESS plant controls, PCS interfaces, metering, utility/ISO interfaces, and Lydian operations systems, ensuring vendors close all interface gaps prior to energization.
• Support EPC and OEMs during execution of commissioning test procedures
• Lead engineering and commissioning meetings with EPC, OEM, SCADA integrator, and P&C integrator.
• Review EPC substation commissioning report and BOP and OEMs (BESS and PCS) commissioning reports.
• Review relay trip events.
• Audit the EPC and the OEM in the execution of the capacity testing (PV and/or BESS) required to achieve Substantial Completion, including coordination of the EPC, BESS and PCS OEMs and PPC/EMPS provider.
• Support the coordination between the EPC and Compliance department ensuring all the required inputs and RFIs are available to the Compliance Consultant and in the required clarifications to get NERC-FAC-008, NERC-PRC019/025/028 and 029 studies approval.
• Proactively identify and upscale commissioning blockers, missing prerequisites, design gaps, settings discrepancies, integration risks, schedule risks, and safety concerns, with recommended corrective actions and ownership.
• Lead the preparation and execution of the required grid codes testing to achieve Commercial Operation (reactive power testing, PFR, Automatic Voltage Control testing) including coordination of the EPC, BESS and PCS OEMs and PPC/EMPS provider.
• Lead the execution of the required testing to achieve COD per PPA requirements.
• Travel to OEM facilities for buyoff or training as needed.
• On an as-needed basis, provide general support and management of technical aspects of the project commissioning process, including interconnection, communications, schedule, etc.
• Maintain an organized and clearly documented set of commissioning technical deliverables.
• Interface with the projects’ independent engineer to ensure reports are accurately created and protect both the interests of development and long-term ownership.
• Provide construction RFI support as the owner’s engineer.
• Provide technical leadership in conjunction with the team to support key stakeholders’ interests.
• Source and manage external consultants and partners, including developing Scope of Work documents, managing RFP process, and controlling scope and schedule to obtain similar deliverables.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
• Curious, with a strong working knowledge of utility-scale PV and BESS systems.
• 4+ years of experience in utility-scale PV / BESS system construction or commissioning.
• Familiarity with utility-scale PV / BESS construction practices.
• Able to view engineering and technical matters through a commercial lens.
• Able to travel approximately 25% of the time, or as required during energization and commissioning by project location and type.
• Accustomed to engaging varying project stakeholders including investors, EPC partners, developers, and O&M partners.
• Able to identify cost or schedule drivers and implement specific actions to optimize and protect both total installed budget and completion schedule targets.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to equal-employment principles and are dedicated to diversity and the strength it brings to the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth), gender identity or expression, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, legally protected genetic information, marital status, veteran status, military status, sexual orientation or any other protected category or class that may be applicable.