Principal Engineer - Thermal Projects

AES Corporation; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 145,000 - 181,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

401(k)

PTO

Parental leave

Job summary

AES Corporation is seeking a Principal Engineer - Thermal Projects to manage third parties in design, engineering and procurement for thermal power generation projects across development, construction, and operation. Lead engineering efforts, reviews, and technical support while mentoring junior staff.

The role covers gas turbines, HRSGs, cogeneration, and hybrid systems, with strong emphasis on safety, quality, and innovation, and requires travel up to 25% to project sites and partner offices

Qualifications

• Undergrad engineering degree required; mechanical preferred.
• 5+ years in project management or as a project engineer.
• Experience in thermal power generation facilities and related systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage third-party engineering consultants and EPC contractors.
• Lead design reviews and coordinate with procurement/spec development.
• Support startup, commissioning, and performance testing activities.
• Mentor engineers and support technology evaluations across projects.
• Develop technical solutions aligned with market requirements.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Cross-functional teamwork

Remote work capability

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

EIT or PE qualifications

Tools

Procore

AutoCAD Civil3D

ETAP

SKM

AspenTech / GT PRO / Thermoflow

Job description

Are you ready to be part of a companythat'snot just talking about the future, but actively shaping it? Join The AES Corporation, the largest US-based global power company witha teamof 8,300employees across 12 countries.

AES has beenranked #1 byBloombergNEFin renewable energy sales to corporations in the US and Americas for five consecutive years, providing electricityformillions of peopleworldwide.

We are proud to foster a strong workplace culture, earning prominent positions in Great Place to Work rankings across the markets where weoperate. AES was also named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year in 2026, highlighting our dedication to integrity, transparency, and responsible business practices.

Our spirit of innovation continues to earn industry recognition. AES is the only seven-time winner of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Awards in the twenty-first century, a distinction honoringglobal leadership in advancing the electric power industry.

Ifyou'reready to be part of a companythat'snot just adapting to change, but driving it, AES is the place for you.We'renot just building a more sustainable future,we'repowering it.

The Principal Engineer - Thermal Projects will be responsible for managing third parties in the design and engineering of thermal power generation projects in development, construction, and operation. Responsibilities include engineer management, design reviews, contract document development and negotiation, procurement specification preparation, and other technical support activities.

The Principal Project Engineer will join a team of project engineers reporting to the Director of Engineering and will serve as the lead project engineer for assigned projects. Additional responsibilities include mentoring and training other Engineers, directly supporting additional projects as a subject matter expert, driving innovation within the team, and driving institutional change within the wider organization.

The successful candidate will have a depth of experience in the development, analysis, and design of thermal generation facilities, including gas turbines, reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) power plants, combined-cycle facilities, simple-cycle generation, cogeneration systems, hybrid thermal generation projects, heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), steam turbines, and associated thermal balance-of-plant systems. Experience with related technologies and infrastructure, including natural gas and LNG systems, electrical interconnections, battery energy storage systems (BESS), microgrids, renewable energy integration, and data center power solutions, is highly desirable. Experience with other generation technologies including renewable energy, nuclear, hydroelectric, or emerging energy technologies is a plus. Excellent communication, task management, and planning skills are needed, in addition to technical depth and breadth.

The position is at one of AES US Renewables & Power offices or remote and will include up to 25% travel to project locations and partner offices.

Key Responsibilities

Project Execution

• Support EPC engagement by preparing contract exhibits and supporting RFI's during contract negotiations.
• Seek and evaluate proposals for engineering services.
• Manage engineering consultants and Engineer Procure Construct (EPC) contractors through development of project construction drawings and support materials.
• Perform technical project due diligence and project engineering design reviews to ensure compliance with company and industry standards.
• Lead external and internal design review meetings.
• Coordinate feedback from internal stakeholders and subject matter experts (SMEs) on design reviews.
• Value engineer system designs to maximize reliability and reduce overall project cost.
• Establish/review technical specifications of owner furnished equipment in coordination with Procurement and Sourcing.
• Manage Procore RFIs and submittals and ensure complete and timely responses in coordination with other internal teams.
• Technical support during construction including:
  • Respond to contractor requests for information (RFIs).
  • Support field quality assurance (QA)/quality control (QC).
  • Review test reports for compliance with contract requirements and technical standards.
  • Support the technical resolution of punch list items.
  • Support startup, commissioning, performance testing, and commercial operation activities.
• Support internal Owner's Engineering team through financing activities.
• Support Operations/Asset Management teams to resolve technical issues at operating sites.
• Assist Development and Project Management teams with development of key financial inputs.
• Develop and implement technical solutions to market specific requirements in coordination with market manager.
• Review and evaluate major equipment performance guarantees, reliability guarantees, availability guarantees, operating constraints, heat rate performance, emissions requirements, and project design assumptions.
• Support fuel supply and infrastructure evaluations, including natural gas and LNG systems, in coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support permitting, environmental, and interconnection activities by providing technical input related to plant design, equipment selection, operating profiles, and emissions characteristics.

Growth and Leadership

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives for the execution of safe, quality, and high-performance projects.
• Provide timely feedback on EPC and external engineer performance, and document lessons learned to influence internal process enhancements.
• Mentor and educate team on changing trends in technology, best practices, code enforcement, and safety.
• Direct mentorship of other Engineers on job requirements and technical acumen.
• Support the team as a technical subject matter expert.
• Support evaluation of emerging technologies and companies for the Approved Vendor List.
• Lead technical evaluations of new thermal generation technologies and provide recommendations to support project development, technology selection, and long-term business strategy.

Safety

• Attend site safety walks and identify jobsite hazards.
• Obtain and maintain safety training certifications (NFPA 70E, OSHA 10-hour, and CPR/first aid).
• Lead by example.

Skills and Qualifications

Primary Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in engineering (mechanical preferred) or equivalent technical field.
• 10+ years professional experience in energy system design, project or land development, and/or construction. Advanced degrees in a related field may be credited towards years of experience.
• 5+ years of experience in project management, consulting, or as a project engineer.
• Engineering design experience with thermal power generation facilities, including gas turbines, RICE power plants, combined-cycle facilities, simple-cycle facilities, cogeneration systems, HRSGs, steam turbines, and associated balance-of-plant systems.
• Ability to evaluate technical decisions with consideration for cost, schedule, constructability, operability, maintainability, and project risk.
• Experience reviewing operations and maintenance requirements, maintenance philosophies, outage planning considerations, and long-term asset performance expectations.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including ability to successfully work cross-functionally across a large organization.
• Self-starter with ability to work effectively in a remote and/or distributed team environment.
• Ability to effectively manage third party consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite.
• Direct project experience with Procore.

Plus Qualifications

• Graduate degree in engineering
• EIT or PE qualifications
• Knowledge of thermal power plant codes, standards, and industry practices
• Experience with air permitting, emissions compliance, and environmental regulations applicable to thermal generation facilities
• Understanding of generator interconnection processes and grid compliance requirements
• Experience with fuel systems, including natural gas and LNG infrastructure
• Experience with ETAP, SKM, AspenTech, GT PRO, Thermoflow, or other advanced power system and thermal performance modeling tools
• Substation/High Voltage design experience
• Structural/SCADA/commissioning engineering design experience
• Experience with AutoCAD Civil3D
• Fluency in Spanish or Portuguese

Benefits

• market competitive medical
• dental
• vision
• life
• market leading 401(K)
• generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
• parental leave

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed to building strength and delivering long-term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. Respecting all backgrounds, differences and perspectives enables us to improve the lives of our people, customers, suppliers, contractors, and the communities in which we live and work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.

The expected salary for this position, at commencement of employment, is between $145,000 and $181,050/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position also includes annual bonus. The benefits offered for this position are: medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) eligibility, and paid time off (including vacation, sick leave time, and parental leave). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if a candidate receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.