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BESS Commercial Engineer
- Lightsource bp (Austin, TX)
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Lightsource bp is a global leader in the development and management of renewable energy and energy storage projects.
With solar set to increase tenfold in the next 20 years, we are well-positioned to capitalize on this growth. By joining the Lightsource bp team, you will ‘be the change’ on the world’s energy transition to a more sustainable future.
We pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial spirit as we continue to push the boundaries of an ever-changing energy landscape. By choosing a career with us, you can expect a challenging and fulfilling role surrounded by people who are passionate and have brilliant ideas about sustainable technology, innovation and making the world a better place.
What You’ll do
We are seeking a technically strong and commercially minded Hybrid PV BESS Commercial Engineer to support utility scale photovoltaic (PV) + Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects. This role requires equal expertise in large scale solar PV and utility BESS technologies, and the ability to translate technical performance into commercial outcomes for procurement, cost estimation, vendor evaluation, stakeholder negotiations and project implementation. Deep familiarity with PV plant design and performance modeling as well as storage system architectures and control/dispatch strategies is required.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide technical and commercial leadership for utility scale PV, BESS, and hybrid PV+BESS projects, ensuring balanced consideration of both systems in design and commercial decisions.
• Develop, maintain and version CAPEX/OPEX cost estimates for PV, BESS and hybrid balance of plant and EPC scopes; document assumptions, margins and sensitivities.
• Build and run commercial/financial models to evaluate technology and configuration choices (LCOS, NPV, IRR, payback, sensitivity and scenario analysis).
• Produce vendor bid packages and scorecards; evaluate proposals for PV equipment (modules, inverters, trackers, BOS) and BESS components (cells, modules, racks, PCS/inverters, BMS, thermal management).
• Size and specify hybrid architectures (AC coupled and DC coupled), including impacts of inverter clipping, curtailment, interconnection limits and control strategies.
• Translate PV generation profiles, site loss factors, degradation and operational constraints into inputs for BESS sizing, dispatch optimization and revenue forecasting.
• Quantify and commercialize revenue stacks and use cases (energy arbitrage, capacity, ancillary services, reserves, curtailment mitigation, T&D deferral) and recommend optimal dispatch/value stacking approaches.
• Lead and prepare for commercial and technical meetings with off takers, landowners and permitting authorities; produce agendas, decision logs, action items and follow up materials.
• Serve as the technical commercial point of contact in stakeholder negotiations; translate technical performance and risk into contract terms, mitigation options and PPA delivery profiles.
• Facilitate site meetings, public hearings and permitting consultations; present clear non technical summaries of impacts, mitigations and community benefits.
• Coordinate cross functional teams (development, legal, engineering, environmental, construction, commercial) to ensure stakeholder commitments are actionable and reflected in procurement documents and contracts.
• Monitor PV and storage market, technology and regulatory trends; recommend emerging technologies and commercial opportunities or risk mitigations.
• Produce clear, actionable reports and presentations that summarize tradeoffs, recommended solutions and financial impacts for internal and external stakeholders.
Who we’re looking for
Knowledge
• In depth technical knowledge of utility scale PV systems: module and inverter selection, tracker systems, BOS, soiling, degradation, PV performance modeling and loss factors. Familiarity with PYsyst and SAM is a plus.
• In depth technical knowledge of utility scale BESS: cell chemistries, pack/module design, thermal management, PCS/inverters, BMS, safety/ESHS considerations and hybrid control architectures (DERMS/EMS).
• Understanding of hybrid PV+BESS architectures and control implications for AC coupled and DC coupled designs.
• Commercial and financial analysis concepts: LCOS, NPV, IRR, sensitivity/scenario analysis, lifecycle costing, warranty & residual value impacts.
• Market and revenue-stack mechanics (energy markets, capacity, frequency/ancillary services, reserves, availability payments) and how ISO/RTO rules affect hybrid dispatch.
• Permitting and community engagement basics: typical permit pathways, environmental assessments, common conditions and mitigation strategies.
• Stakeholder engagement and negotiation techniques: mapping influencers, facilitating consensus, conflict resolution, and converting negotiations into contractual language.
• Familiarity with procurement practices, bid evaluation, vendor onboarding and performance guarantees.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy, or related technical field (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical specifications into commercial outcomes and to communicate those tradeoffs to technical and non technical audiences.
• Strong quantitative skills and advanced spreadsheet capability; experience building and auditing commercial/financial models.
• Proficiency with at least one scripting or analysis tool (Python, R) or dispatch/market simulation tools (PLEXOS, Aurora, HOMER, optimization libraries) is highly desirable.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, meeting facilitation and presentation skills; ability to prepare concise briefs, visual aids (generation profiles, dispatch scenarios, risk heat maps) and decision logs.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for managing vendor records, estimates, meeting minutes and commercial documentation.
• Commercial negotiation aptitude, including translating model outputs (LCOS/NPV/dispatch) into PPA delivery profiles, curtailment compensation and contract risk allocations.
• Working knowledge of permitting processes and community engagement best practices.
Experience
• Practical, hands on experience with both utility scale PV and utility scale BESS projects (design, procurement, commercial analysis, or EPC support). Equal familiarity with PV plant design/operation and storage system architectures is required.
• Experience developing cost estimates and financial models for PV, BESS or hybrid projects, including sensitivity and scenario analyses.
• Experience preparing and running vendor evaluations, bid packages and vendor scorecards for PV and storage suppliers.
• Demonstrated experience leading meetings and technical/commercial negotiations with off takers, landowners and permitting authorities; track record converting stakeholder commitments into procurement or contract requirements.
• Experience supporting EPC teams during procurement, construction and commissioning of PV+BESS projects is preferred.
• Prior exposure to ISO/RTO market rules and interconnection processes (e.g., CAISO, ERCOT, PJM, MISO) is advantageous.
• Preferred tools experience: PVsyst, SAM, PLEXOS, Aurora, Python optimization libraries and common commercial analytics workflows.
Why you’ll make a great member of the team
Personal qualities
• Commercially minded: naturally focuses on cost, risk and value — balances technical rigor with pragmatic commercial decisions.
• Collaborative and influential: builds strong cross functional relationships, influences stakeholders without relying on formal authority, and facilitates consensus across diverse teams.
• Clear communicator: explains complex technical and commercial topics simply and persuasively to technical and non technical audiences, and prepares crisp deliverables.
• Customer & community focused: empathizes with off takers, landowners and permitting authorities; anticipates concerns and frames solutions that address stakeholder needs.
• Decisive under uncertainty: makes well reasoned recommendations in ambiguous situations, documents assumptions and performs rapid sensitivity checks.
• Adaptable and resilient: manages shifting priorities, tight timelines and high pressure stakeholder engagements with composure.
• Detail oriented and disciplined: maintains accurate records, version control and audit trails for estimates, vendor interactions and decisions.
• Ethical and safety conscious: prioritizes safety, compliance and integrity in vendor selection, EHS considerations and contractual commitments.
• Continuous learner: stays current with PV and storage technology trends, market changes and best practices; proactively upskills and shares knowledge.
• Time management and prioritization: effectively balances multiple projects, meeting cadence and stakeholder deliverables to meet deadlines.
We offer
• Competitive compensation: $140,000 to $155,000 annually plus a discretionary 20% annual bonus.
• Health, dental, prescription, and vision care for US team members starts on your first day of employment.
• Retention bonuses
• 11 paid holiday
• Four weeks of vacation and three weeks of sick leave annually.
• 401(k) plan, with a 3% nonelective employer contribution.
• Hybrid working environment (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday in office, Monday and Friday remote)
• Monthly personal phone bill reimbursement of up to $100 and a monthly commuter benefit of up to $150.
Why you’ll want to work with us
Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow – a place where your ideas and opinions matter.
Be you: We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.
Be responsible: Our culture is driven by our core values. From operating safely to ensuring our solar projects are responsible and promote biodiversity.
Be recognized: Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension, and other local benefits.
Be inspired: Join an agile, international team working across 15 countries to power the future and positively impact people, communities, ecosystems and biodiversity across the world.
Our core values: Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low-carbon energy projects. Our core values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, Sustainability and Drive are the guiding principles for everything we do.
_We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity/neurocognitive functioning, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation related to LSbp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us to request accommodations._
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