Director Project Engineering

Director, Project Engineering – BESS for Data Centers

Location: Houston, TX or Northern Virginia (Reston area) / Hybrid schedule with required travel up to 30%

Position Summary

The Director of Project Engineering will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the engineering execution of BESS projects supporting mission‑critical data center clients. This role leads a team of project engineers, establishes engineering standards, drives cross‑functional coordination, and ensures the successful delivery of complex multi‑MW BESS deployments. The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise in energy storage and power systems, strong leadership ability, and experience delivering large‑scale infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow the Project Engineering team supporting all data center BESS deployments.
• Own the end‑to‑end technical execution strategy for BESS projects from early development through commissioning.
• Define engineering processes, workflows, quality standards, and best practices for project execution.
• Serve as the senior technical authority and escalation point for engineering challenges across projects.
• Collaborate closely with project management, product engineering, procurement, and construction teams to ensure alignment on technical scope and milestones.
• Oversee customer, EPC, OEM, and consultant coordination related to system design, integration, and technical compliance.
• Review and approve system designs, calculations, studies, and engineering packages.
• Provide oversight and guidance for system studies including short circuit, load flow, arc flash, and protection coordination.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet NEC, IEEE, NFPA, UL, and internal On Energy Storage standards.
• Support major vendor selection decisions, equipment specification development, and technical bid evaluations.
• Oversee technical risk identification, mitigation strategies, and design optimization initiatives.
• Support critical field activities including factory acceptance testing, commissioning, and technical issue resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance safety, quality, and execution efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in project engineering, electrical systems, or energy storage; 3+ years in a leadership or management role.
• Deep technical knowledge of energy storage systems (e.g., CATL, Sungrow, Tesla) and high‑voltage power systems.
• Strong understanding of electrical system design, system studies, protection & control, and integration with mission‑critical infrastructure.
• Experience managing engineering teams, developing processes, and implementing best practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, and power system analysis tools (ETAP, SKM).
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and drive alignment across technical and non‑technical teams.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills with the ability to interact with senior leadership and customers.
• Strong work ethic and attention to detail.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on EPC or design-build projects in the energy or critical infrastructure sector in North America.
• Familiarity with commissioning protocols and QA/QC procedures for electrical systems.
• PE license strongly preferred.