Senior Consultant - Power Generation Technical Advisor (Denver)

Burns & McDonnell; Denver, Northern (CO, KY); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Discretionary year-end bonus

Job summary

1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, seeks a Senior Consultant specializing in technical advisory for thermal power generation assets. You will lead studies, assess asset performance, and develop business cases for capital investments and retirement decisions.

You will translate engineering findings into clear business impacts for executives, prepare reports, and support project planning, budgeting, and client workshops. Travel is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, finance, accounting, or a related degree and 7 years of related experience.
• Experience with fossil generation, project development, due diligence, and asset management.
• Strong knowledge of electric power generation facility types and power system operations.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Ability to travel.

Responsibilities

• Perform and lead technical, operational, and financial consulting studies.
• Translate findings into actionable business and investment recommendations for executives.
• Prepare technical reports and client presentations.
• Mentor junior consultants and engineers.

Skills

Engineering knowledge

Power generation know-how

Financial modeling

Leadership

Communication

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Description

At 1898 & Co., part of Burns & McDonnell, our Power & Fuels Advisory team helps utilities, developers, investors, and asset owners navigate complex decisions associated with thermal power generation assets. We combine deep engineering expertise with financial and economic analysis to support strategic decisions throughout the asset lifecycle.

We are seeking a Senior Consultant focused in technical advisory who possesses a strong understanding of thermal power generation technologies and the ability to translate technical findings into actionable business and investment recommendations. This role supports executive, operational, capital planning, and investment decisions through detailed studies, asset evaluations, economic assessments, and financial modeling.

The successful candidate will help clients evaluate the condition, performance, reliability, risk, and economic value of generation assets while developing strategies related to capital investment, maintenance planning, life extension, repowering, acquisition, divestment, and retirement decisions.

What You’ll Do

Perform and lead a wide range of technical, operational, and financial consulting studies, including:

• Independent engineering and lender's technical reviews.
• Feasibility and due diligence studies.
• Asset valuation assessments.
• Condition assessments and remaining useful life evaluations.
• Benchmarking and unit performance evaluations.
• Equipment reliability and availability studies.
• Asset management planning and maintenance strategy development.
• Life extension, repowering, retirement, and decommissioning studies.
• Generation fleet strategy and portfolio optimization assessments.

Technical & Engineering Analysis

• Evaluate the condition, performance, reliability, and operational risks of thermal generation assets, including coal, natural gas, combined cycle, simple cycle, steam generation, and supporting balance-of-plant systems.
• Analyze equipment health, outage history, maintenance practices, and operating performance to identify operational and investment risks.
• Perform engineering evaluations related to plant performance, asset life, maintainability, and long-term sustainability.
• Assess regulatory, environmental, market, and technical risks impacting generation asset operations and financial viability.

Financial & Economic Advisory

• Develop business cases supporting capital investment, refurbishment, major maintenance, life extension, repowering, replacement, and retirement decisions.
• Perform life-cycle cost analyses incorporating capital expenditures, operating and maintenance costs, fuel costs, outage impacts, and long-term economic forecasts.
• Conduct financial modeling and scenario analysis utilizing metrics such as NPV, IRR, discounted cash flow, payback period, and benefit-cost analysis.
• Quantify financial impacts associated with reliability improvements, equipment degradation, environmental compliance requirements, and operational risk.
• Support utility budgeting, capital planning, and investment prioritization efforts through technical-economic evaluations.
• Evaluate asset value, investment risks, and economic performance for utility owners, investors, and financial stakeholders.

Client Advisory & Project Execution

• Translate complex engineering findings into clear business impacts and investment recommendations for client executives, boards, utility leadership, lenders, and investors.
• Prepare technical reports, executive summaries, and client presentations that communicate risks, findings, and strategic recommendations.
• Support engineering reviews, financial assessments, contract evaluations, and transaction due diligence activities.
• Participate in client meetings and workshops to facilitate asset strategy, budgeting, and investment planning discussions.
• Assist project managers with proposal development, project planning, and business development activities.
• Mentor and develop junior consultants and engineers through technical and professional coaching.
• Provide consulting support across multiple business lines and industry sectors as needed.
• Comply with company quality standards, safety requirements, and professional practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, finance, accounting, or a related degree from an accredited program and 7 years of related experience required.
• Prior experience associated with electric utility operations, planning, or consulting.
• Experience with fossil generation such as project development and site selection, asset due diligence and acquisition support, independent engineer services, condition assessments, and cost and performance benchmarking, asset management, operations, maintenance, and engineering management of fossil generation.
• Ability to execute various power generation studies.
• Strong knowledge of electric power generation facility types and power system operations.
• Strong knowledge in standard engineering, construction, and operation techniques, principles, and procedures associated with power generation facilities, specifically fossil generation.
• Strong attention to detail, facilitation, team building, collaboration, organization and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work methodically and analytically in a quantitative problem-solving environment.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Proven ability to lead, educate, and train a team of consultants and analysts in regard to power generation studies.
• Ability to independently solve difficult problems that require adaptation and modification of standard techniques, procedures, and criteria.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills.
• Ability to perform under pressure and tight deadlines and to be effective in on-site work environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, including identification of critical path items to ensure deliverable deadlines are met.
• Ability to focus on the big picture to effectively and efficiently provide services that meet client needs, while also having the ability to identify and analyze details that are critical to project outcomes.
• Willingness to learn new service offerings as client needs and the market requires changes to the service offerings provided by our group.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PPT).
• Ability to travel.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in thermal power generation, utility operations, plant engineering, asset management, technical consulting, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of thermal generation technologies, including coal, natural gas, combined cycle, combustion turbine, steam turbine, and balance-of-plant systems.
• Experience conducting engineering studies, performance assessments, reliability evaluations, and asset management initiatives for power generation assets.
• Experience supporting capital planning, asset investment decisions, budgeting, asset valuation, and economic evaluations within the utility or energy industry.
• Strong understanding of power plant operations, maintenance practices, reliability, outage planning, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in life-cycle cost analysis, financial modeling, economic forecasting, and development of business cases supporting capital investment decisions.
• Ability to translate engineering, operational, and financial information into strategic recommendations for clients and stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, project management, and consulting skills, with the ability to mentor junior staff and support client relationship development.

Compensation

$155,000.00-380,000.00 Yearly

The expected compensation range for this position is displayed in compliance with all local/state regulations. The expected compensation range for this position is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: individual education, qualifications, prior work experience and work location. The total annual compensation package will consist of a base salary and eligibility to participate in our discretionary year-end incentive bonus program.

Benefits

Our extensive benefits package takes care of you so that you can focus on doing great work. From insurance and disability to time off and wellness programs, we provide the tools to meet your needs. Burns & McDonnell's PTO program includes the paid sick leave entitlements provided under the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA). Additionally, as part of being 100% employee-owned, eligible employees participate in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in addition to our 401(k) retirement program. For more information, please visit the Benefits & Wellness page. This job posting will remain open a minimum of 72 hours and on an ongoing basis until filled.

EEO/Disabled/Veterans

Job Engineering

Primary Location

US-CO-Denver

Other Locations

United States

Schedule

Full-time

Travel

Yes, 25 % of the Time

About 1898 & Co.

1898 & Co. is a business, technology and security solutions consultancy where experience and foresight come together to unlock lasting advancements. We innovate today to fuel our clients’ future growth, catalyzing insights that drive smarter decisions, improve performance and maximize value. As part of Burns & McDonnell, we draw on more than 120 years of deep and broad experience in complex industries as we envision and enable the future for our customers.