Senior Design Engineer

Suna Solutions; United States; Remote; USD 107,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Suna Solutions is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to support the design, development, and execution of commercial and utility-scale solar PV projects. The role emphasizes hands-on management of 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC design deliverables within a Solar EPC or EOR environment, focusing on DC, LVAC, and MV systems.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in utility-scale solar PV design, strong communication, and project coordination skills, with a track record of delivering engineered

Qualifications

• Experience delivering 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC design stages for solar PV projects.
• Strong knowledge of DC, LVAC, MV electrical systems and NEC standards.
• Experience reviewing external engineering packages and coordinating with EPC/EOR teams.
• Ability to lead multiple projects and manage tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication across technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and manage engineering deliverables including drawings, schematics, calculations, and schedules.
• Lead detailed engineering design for commercial and utility-scale solar PV projects.
• Develop and review packages through 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC stages.
• Review packages by external engineering firms and provide technical oversight.
• Design and evaluate DC/LVAC/MV collection systems.
• Conduct conductor sizing, voltage-drop calculations, grounding studies, and equipment selection.
• Ensure NEC compliance and adherence to project requirements and safety standards.
• Review drawings and technical docs for accuracy and constructability.
• Coordinate with Construction, PM, Procurement, utilities, and vendors.
• Support site assessments, energy modeling, and conceptual design.
• Maintain project documentation and design basis throughout lifecycle.
• Identify risks and propose technical solutions; mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Utility-scale solar PV design

Detailed design

Project coordination

Strong communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

FE certification preferred

PE license preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

PV design tools

Energy modeling tools

Job description

Location: Remote (Must be able to work remotely or from Columbia, MD)

Salary Range: $107,200 – $142,900 - $178,600 annually, depending on experience

Performance Bonus: 15%

Travel: Approximately 10% (around four trips per year)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Design Engineer to support the design, development, and execution of commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in utility-scale, ground-mounted solar PV design, preferably within a Solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) or Engineering, Owner's Engineer (EOR) environment. This role requires hands-on experience managing detailed engineering deliverables throughout the 30%, 60%, 90%, and Issued for Construction (IFC) design phases.

The Senior Design Engineer will be responsible for developing, reviewing, and managing engineering packages, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring designs meet applicable codes, project requirements, and construction standards.

The successful candidate must have strong technical expertise in DC, LVAC, and MV electrical systems, along with excellent communication, project coordination, and problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and manage engineering deliverables, including plan and elevation drawings, schematics, calculations, single-line diagrams, purchase orders, and project schedules.
• Lead and support detailed engineering design for commercial and utility-scale solar PV projects.
• Develop and review engineering packages through the 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC design stages.
• Review, manage, and provide technical oversight of engineering design packages prepared by external Engineering, Owner's Engineer (EOR) firms and consultants.
• Design and evaluate DC, low-voltage AC (LVAC), and medium-voltage (MV) collection systems.
• Perform conductor sizing, voltage-drop calculations, grounding studies, equipment selection, and electrical system design reviews.
• Ensure engineering designs comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC), applicable industry standards, and company safety requirements.
• Review engineering drawings and technical documentation for accuracy, quality, constructability, and code compliance.
• Work closely with Construction and Field teams to address design challenges and ensure practical implementation.
• Review, respond to, and resolve technical Requests for Information (RFIs).
• Coordinate with Project Management, Construction, Procurement, utilities, vendors, clients, and external engineering consultants.
• Support site assessments, energy modeling, conceptual design, and technical evaluations for new projects.
• Maintain project documentation, including design criteria, basis-of-design documents, calculations, and engineering records throughout the project lifecycle.
• Identify project design risks and recommend technical solutions to support project execution.
• Support the integration of new engineering tools, products, vendors, technologies, and industry best practices.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements, cost optimization, and value engineering.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and support the development of engineering standards and procedures.
• Manage multiple projects and competing priorities while meeting established deadlines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• Approximately 10 years of relevant engineering design experience.
• Strong experience in utility-scale, ground-mounted solar PV design.
• Previous experience working within a Solar EPC or EOR engineering environment.
• Extensive detailed design experience, including 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC deliverables.
• Experience reviewing and managing engineering packages prepared by external engineering firms.
• Strong technical knowledge of DC, LVAC, and MV electrical systems.
• Experience with conductor sizing, voltage-drop calculations, grounding, equipment selection, and single-line diagrams.
• Strong working knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and applicable electrical standards.
• Experience working with construction and field teams to address constructability challenges.
• Ability to review engineering drawings, calculations, technical specifications, and project documentation.
• Experience reviewing and responding to technical RFIs.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Excellent project coordination, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Experience with AutoCAD and industry-standard PV design and energy modeling tools.
• Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) certification preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) design and integration.
• Experience managing external engineering consultants, drafting teams, or design resources.
• Experience reviewing and providing technical oversight of engineering drawings prepared by other engineers.
• Experience with process improvement, technical leadership, and mentoring junior engineers.
• Understanding of cost optimization and value engineering.
• Experience with Procore or similar construction/project management platforms.
• NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) certification is a strong plus.

Additional Advantageous Experience

Candidates with the following experience will have a competitive advantage:

• Substation and power systems engineering experience.
• Medium-voltage (MV) and high-voltage (HV) electrical systems.
• Experience with ETAP or SKM power system analysis software.
• Protection and coordination studies.
• Grounding, relaying, transformers, breakers, and switchgear.
• Renewable energy collector substations.
• Utility interconnection and electrical infrastructure design.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:

Suna Solutions provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants, with criminal histories, are considered in a manner that is consistent with local, state, and federal laws.

REQUESTING AN ACCOMODATION

Suna Solutions is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities or religious observances, including reasonable accommodation when needed. If you are hired by Suna Solutions and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of your role, you will be asked to participate in our reasonable accommodation process. Accommodations made to facilitate the recruiting process are not a guarantee of future or continued accommodations once hired.

If you would like to be considered for employment opportunities with Suna Solutions and have accommodation needs for a disability or religious observance, please call us at 1 [phone], send us an email or speak with your recruiter.

PAY TRANSPARENCY POLICY STATEMENT

Compensation for roles at Suna Solutions varies depending on a wide array of factors including but not limited to the specific client, office or remote location, role, skill set and level of experience. As required by local law, Suna Solutions provides a reasonable pay scale to include the hourly or salary range that Suna Solutions reasonably expects to pay for roles that may be hired in California, Colorado, New York City or Washington as set forth below.