Power Plant Project Development Specialist

8 Rivers; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

8 Rivers, a Durham, NC-based company focused on sustainable, large-scale energy solutions, seeks a Power Plant Project Development Specialist to drive technical scoping, design integration, and site evaluation for utility-scale power assets.

You will oversee feasibility studies, equipment selection, and regulatory compliance, coordinating with EPCs, OE, and O&M providers to advance projects from concept to construction-ready status.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree in Engineering, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• 8+ years of technical project development, plant design, or systems engineering experience in utility-scale power plants.
• Strong familiarity with EPA NSR/PSD permitting and environmental compliance.
• Experience managing external Owner’s Engineers and environmental consultants on large-scale projects.
• Knowledge of grid interconnection processes and ISO/RTO requirements.

Responsibilities

• Site Selection & Technical Feasibility: Evaluate sites for grid interconnection, fuel supply logistics, water sourcing, and zoning suitability.
• Technology Selection: Analyze heat balances and select turbines, HRSGs, and steam turbines to maximize plant flexibility.
• Studies Oversight: Define scopes, deliverables, and QA/QC for ambient air quality modeling and noise studies.
• Grid Interconnection Engineering: Manage RTO/ISO interconnection studies and compliance with reliability standards.
• Environmental & Permitting Compliance: Define parameters for air emission controls and water treatment to meet regs.
• Consultant Management: Direct external engineers, geotechnical firms, and environmental scientists.
• OE Liaison: Coordinate with Owner’s Engineer on engineering scopes and specs.
• O&M Service Provider Engagement: Oversee selection and onboarding of long-term O&M providers.
• EPC Technical Scoping: Draft scopes and criteria for EPC specifications.

Skills

Power-cycle thermodynamics

Gas turbine combustion

ISO/RTO interconnection

Technical project development

Consultant management

Environmental compliance

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Engineering (Mechanical or Electrical)

Tools

PSS/E

Thermoflow GT PRO/MASTER

Job description

8 Rivers is a Durham, NC firm focused on the invention, development, and commercialization of sustainable, infrastructure-scale solutions to global problems through impactful technologies. The company maintains the agility, creativity, and fast-paced environment of a start-up, while partnering with large, industry-leading companies to develop and deploy those technologies. Our process enables us to innovate in industrial fields that are lacking in creative disruption. 8 Rivers has demonstrated expertise in generating and commercializing large-scale, meaningful solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing the world today and across a variety of industries in the clean energy, carbon capture, and clean fuels sectors.

The company innovates widely in adjacent markets in the clean energy technology space. Some of our marquee technologies include the Allam-Fetvedt Cycle - a zero-emission power production system that enables low-cost power production with inherent carbon capture, 8RH2 - our innovative clean hydrogen technology utilizing CO2 convective reforming to achieve > 99% carbon capture.

The Power Plant Project Development Specialist drives the technical scoping, engineering design integration, and site evaluation for large-scale power generation assets. This role focuses on technical feasibility, grid interconnection coordination, equipment selection, and regulatory environmental compliance to advance projects from concept to construction-ready state.

As the lead technical strategist for new generation projects, you will oversee the engineering and technical development of greenfield or brownfield power project developments. You are responsible for optimizing efficiency, defining technical plant boundaries, managing utility logistics, and ensuring strict alignment with grid codes and environmental standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Site Selection & Technical Feasibility: Evaluate physical sites for grid interconnection capacity, proximity to gas transmission pipelines, raw water sourcing logistics, and structural zoning suitability.
• Technology Selection: Collaborate with engineering teams to analyze heat balances and select heavy-duty gas turbines, Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs), and steam turbines to maximize plant flexibility and lower heat rates.
• Studies Oversight: Define clear scopes of work, technical deliverables, and QA/QC standards for external consultants delivering ambient air quality modeling, noise impact studies, etc.
• Grid Interconnection Engineering: Manage the RTO/ISO interconnection process, directing system impact studies, facilities studies, and technical compliance with transmission system reliability standards.
• Environmental & Permitting Compliance: Define technical parameters for air emission control systems (e.g., SCR, CO catalysts), water treatment systems, and noise mitigation to meet federal, state, and local regulatory criteria.
• Consultant Management: Direct specialized third-party engineering consultants, geotechnical firms, and environmental scientists to execute detailed site investigations, and specialized plant modeling.
• Owner's Engineer (OE) Liaison: Act as the primary technical point of contact for the Owner’s Engineer, managing the translation of developer requirements into detailed engineering scopes, design reviews, and technical specifications.
• Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Service Provider Engagement: Lead the technical selection and onboarding of long-term O&M service providers during the late-stage development phase. Integrate O&M requirements into the plant's functional design criteria, establishing clear boundaries of responsibility between the EPC contractor and the operator. Facilitate the technical transition of performance guarantees, spare parts philosophies, and specialized tooling needs from OEMs to the O&M team.
• EPC Technical Scoping: Draft technical scopes of work, functional design criteria, and performance guarantees for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) specifications.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree in Engineering, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Experience: 8+ years of technical project development, plant design, or systems engineering experience specifically within utility-scale power plants.
• Consultant Oversight: Proven track record managing external Owner’s Engineers, environmental consultants, and technical sub-contractors on large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Technical Skills: Deep knowledge of power-cycle thermodynamics, gas turbine combustion technologies, auxiliary plant systems, and ISO/RTO electrical interconnection processes.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Strong working familiarity with EPA New Source Review (NSR), Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting, and local environmental compliance frameworks.
• Site & Land Diligence:Coordinate technical diligence of land parcels, including title and survey review, easement and access requirements, site control constraints, environmental sensitivities, and development risks that could affect project layout, permitting, or constructability.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) license in mechanical or electrical engineering.
• Direct project history navigating complex RTO/ISO queue reforms or fast-tracked interconnection processes.
• Professional network with major power generation equipment OEMs, EPC contractors, and top-tier national O&M service firms.
• Experience with
• land development software tools. (i.e., Google Earth, Open Infrastructure Map, etc.) and power plant simulation and engineering software such as PSS/E, Thermoflow (GT PRO/GT MASTER)
• Familiarity with emerging technologies such as carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), hydrogen fuel blending, or hybrid energy storage systems.