Project Engineer (Project Development)

G7 Renewable Energies (Pty) Ltd; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 950,000; Full time

Job summary

G7 Renewable Energies in South Africa develops utility-scale wind, solar PV and BESS projects. The Project Engineer helps to develop and commercialise projects, coordinating engineering, design, specifications, procurement and contractor management to enable successful delivery.

The role requires collaboration with environmental, legal, grid, and development teams to align technical assumptions, schedules and risks through the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical or Civil Engineering required.
• Specialist in Renewable Energy, Distributed Generation or Energy Efficiency.
• 3–5 years of relevant experience, preferably as a Project Engineer.
• Proven experience on large-scale engineering, procurement and construction projects.
• Experience in Wind, PV and BESS industry preferred; EPC/EPCm background.
• Experience with Windographer, WindSim, Openwind, PVsyst and PlantPredict.
• Professionally registered (Pr. Eng) with ECSA advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop and commercialise projects from feasibility to development and close.
• Coordinate engineering, design, technical reviews and equipment specs.
• Coordinate procurement tendering and contractor negotiations.
• Deliver technical due diligence, risk assessments and schedule reviews.
• Support with commercial strategies, budgets and programme risk mitigation.
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams to ensure timely, compliant project delivery.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Contract management

Technical reporting

Renewables knowledge

Risk management

Budgeting

Procurement

FIDIC

Education

B.Eng. or B.Sc in Electrical/Mechanical or Civils Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

MS Project

Windographer

WindSim

Openwind

PVsyst

PlantPredict

Job description

Leaders in Renewable Energy Development G7 Renewable Energies is a South African renewable energy developer and Independent Power Producer (IPP) focused on the development, financing, construction and operation of utility-scale wind, solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) projects.

Since 2008, G7 has built a proven track record of originating, developing and delivering renewable energy projects across South Africa. The company has successfully developed and realised more 1 GW of renewable energy capacity that has either reached construction or commercial operation and is currently advancing a development pipeline exceeding 7 GW.

With expertise spanning project origination, permitting, grid connection, financing, construction and operations, G7 has established itself as a trusted partner in South Africa's energy transition, delivering utility-scale projects that support a more sustainable, secure and resilient energy future.

Reporting to the Head of Engineering, the Project Engineer is responsible for helping to develop and commercialise G7 Renewable Energies' projects leading to the successful project execution and delivery. The incumbent must coordinate all project elements including engineering, design, technical reviews, equipment specifications, coordinating procurement and tendering activities, negotiating with contractors, assisting with technical and project due diligence and managing project timelines, as well as managing contractors and service providers along with an internal project team to ensure successful project delivery.

It requires the incumbent to build relationships, collaborate with, and manage a diverse multi-disciplinary team within a fast-changing environment, and the ability to understand and discuss complex technical agreements with other stakeholders

Role-Specific Responsibilities

• Project Development:
• Support the development of utility-scale wind, solar PV and/or BESS projects from opportunity screening and feasibility through to development, procurement support and financial-close readiness.
• Prepare and coordinate feasibility studies covering site screening, resource assessment, grid access, land constraints, permitting, constructability, preliminary CAPEX/OPEX inputs and key development risks.
• Carry out preliminary technical assessments to identify constraints, opportunities and fatal flaws, and provide recommendations that support go/no-go decisions and project prioritisation.
• Develop, coordinate and review conceptual layouts and preliminary designs for wind, solar PV, BESS and associated project infrastructure.
• Perform or coordinate project performance evaluations, including resource assessments, energy yield estimates, BESS sizing and use-case assessments, loss reviews, availability assumptions and grid export constraints.
• Support project strategy by assessing technology options, sizing scenarios, hybridisation opportunities, grid connection approaches, procurement routes, programme risks and commercial optimisation opportunities.
• Work with environmental, legal, land, grid, commercial and development teams to align technical assumptions, layouts, risks and permitting requirements throughout the project development lifecycle.
• Develop and implement commercial strategies for large construction projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Apply a strong understanding of the renewable energy project lifecycle.
• Plan project schedules, requirements and resources.
• Assist with design verification, sign-off and reporting.
• Identify project risks early and implement proactive mitigation measures.
• Monitor contracts and agreements to ensure compliance and identify any required changes.

Bidding and financial close:

• Prepare for technical due diligence and audits by lenders’ technical advisors.
• Coordinate and prepare binding offers for multi-technology projects through RFI, RFQ and RFP processes.
• Participate in negotiations with service providers and equipment suppliers on contract terms, pricing and scope.
• Deliver technical due diligence, design reviews, bid evaluations, engineering reports, risk assessments and construction programme reviews to support project bankability.
• Facilitate commercial and technical clarifications with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support engineering inputs and prepare cost estimates.
• Review commercial and technical proposals and supporting information.
• Track tasks and budgets against project plans to support timely and cost-effective delivery.
• Support timely achievement of key project milestones
• Prepare proposals and reports aligned with project-specific requirements.
• Develop practical, innovative solutions with the project team and contribute to continuous improvement.

People Management and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Manage and interface with advisors and consultants.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with service providers and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Oversee, coordinate and support consultants and external service providers.
• Work with the Engineering team to promote best practice and maintain quality control.
• Collaborate with others to support efficient workflows and effective delivery.
• Coordinate with managers across the business to ensure timely information flow and achievement of project milestones.
• Prepare written reports and deliver clear presentations.

Adhoc:

• Keep current with best practices/designs and future trends
• Keep up with current and developing engineering trends
• Develop and maintain professional expertise
• Undertake special projects as required

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (B.Eng. or B. Sc) in Electrical/Mechanical or Civils Engineering
• Specialist in Renewable Energy, Distributed Generation / Energy Efficiency
• 3 to 5 years relevant working experience (preferable as a Project Engineer)
• Proven experience on large-scale engineering, procurement, and construction projects
• Experience in Wind, PV & BESS industry preferred. Ideally, technical background includes; Project Engineering/ Owners Engineering/ EPC and EPCm project experience on renewable based projects.
• Experience with Windographer, WindSim, Openwind, PVsyst and PlantPredict.
• Preferred Industry: Renewables, Construction or Technical Services
• Professionally registered (Pr. Eng) status with the Engineering Council of Sour Africa (ECSA) will be advantageous

Role-Specific Skills & Knowledge

• Highly knowledgeable on relevant legislation
• Familiar with construction, supplier contract management, and project management
• Understanding of budgets and financial models
• Procurement, bidding preparation, and contract negotiations
• Supply chain management and logistics
• Business analysis and risk management
• Writing and interpreting detailed technical reports
• Contract administration, notably FIDIC and/or any form of construction contract
• South African run energy procurement programs such as REI4P or RMI4P or PPP
• Renewable Energy as well as Construction sectors
• PV (module, inverter, structure, tracker, transformer, BOS), Wind power (components), BESS (cell, pack, rack, BMS, PCS, EMS), civil works, electrical works, control systems and Balance of Plant
• Diagnostic/Tactical thinker
• Logical reasoning and problem solving
• Technical ability
• Detailed and analytical
• Tactical thinking
• Planning and coordinating
• Multi-tasking
• Numerical reasoning
• Verbal reasoning
• Relationship building with multi-disciplinary stakeholders
• Proficiency in PC skills, including AutoCAD and all MS office and Project software

"We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law".