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Lead Solar PV Designer & Electrical Engineer
Commercial & Industrial Solar PV | Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) | Electrical Engineering
Location: Leicestershire
Salary: Competitive Salary
Working arrangement: Onsite
Overview:
Are you an experienced electrical engineering or renewable energy professional with a strong background in commercial Solar PV design, battery energy storage and technical leadership?
We are seeking a Lead Solar PV Design & Engineer to lead the technical and design functions across commercial and industrial renewable energy projects, including Solar PV, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), EV charging and associated electrical infrastructure.
This is a senior technical leadership role combining engineering design, electrical compliance, technical governance and team development. You will take ownership of design standards, review and approve complex engineering solutions, maintain compliance requirements and ensure projects are designed to be safe, commercially viable and practical to install.
Working closely with Sales, Operations, Project Management, Procurement and installation teams, you will improve design quality, support project delivery, optimise costs and develop the technical capability of the business.
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Leadership & Electrical Compliance:
- Act as the senior technical authority for Solar PV, BESS and associated electrical infrastructure.
- Oversee electrical design standards, technical governance, quality assurance and design approval processes.
- Ensure compliance with BS 7671, G98, G99, G100, DNO requirements, MCS standards and relevant electrical regulations.
- Fulfil the responsibilities of Electrical Duty Holder and NICEIC Qualified Supervisor.
- Maintain relevant accreditations and support technical audits, compliance assessments and root cause investigations.
- Develop and maintain technical policies, procedures, design standards and quality control processes.
Solar PV Design & Engineering:
- Lead commercial and industrial Solar PV design from feasibility and concept through detailed design, construction issue, commissioning and as-built handover.
- Review and approve PV layouts, string calculations, single-line diagrams, cable sizing, inverter selection, protection systems, equipment schedules and construction drawings.
- Ensure electrical designs are coordinated, compliant, buildable and suitable for safe installation and ongoing maintenance.
- Maintain robust design checking, revision control and technical sign-off processes.
- Identify and resolve design discrepancies before procurement or construction.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS):
- Lead the development of BESS design standards and methodologies.
- Oversee battery sizing, power and energy requirements, inverter/power conversion system selection and integration with Solar PV.
- Consider client load profiles and objectives, including self-consumption, peak shaving, demand management, resilience and tariff optimisation.
- Apply knowledge of battery technologies, system architecture, energy management and battery installation fire safety.
- Support the development of technically appropriate and commercially viable energy storage solutions.
Mounting Systems & Design Optimisation:
- Maintain strong working knowledge of K2 Base+ and relevant Solar PV mounting systems.
- Review roof interfaces, fixing arrangements, loading assumptions, structural information and manufacturer requirements.
- Select safe, compliant and cost-effective mounting solutions without compromising installation quality, structural requirements or warranties.
- Work with Procurement and Operations to improve equipment standardisation and reduce unnecessary material and installation costs.
Commercial & Operational Support:
- Ensure consistency between sales proposals, PV*SOL/PVsyst models, AutoCAD layouts, mounting designs, equipment schedules and final construction drawings.
- Challenge technical assumptions that could create design errors, additional costs or project delivery risks.
- Support Sales, Estimating and Bid teams with technical solutions, design guidance and risk assessments.
- Provide technical guidance to Project Managers, design engineers, installation teams and commissioning personnel.
- Balance capital cost, installation labour, programme, access, maintainability and long-term system performance.
Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, mentor and develop Design Engineers and technical personnel.
- Manage design workloads, priorities and delivery deadlines.
- Conduct technical reviews, competency assessments, performance reviews and development planning.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, technical training and succession planning.
- Monitor design performance and drive improvements in turnaround times, design errors, revisions and handover quality.
Stakeholder Management
- Represent the business in technical discussions with clients, consultants, DNOs, structural engineers, suppliers and manufacturers.
- Explain technical decisions, design risks and recommendations clearly.
- Collaborate with internal teams to resolve technical issues before they affect construction or commissioning.
- Contribute to technical strategy, continuous improvement and future engineering capability.
Essential Skills & Experience:
- Significant experience in electrical engineering and renewable energy, including at least 10 years in the sector.
- At least five years’ experience delivering commercial and industrial Solar PV projects.
- Demonstrable experience in Solar PV system design, including layouts, string calculations, electrical schematics and technical documentation.
- Experience designing commercial Battery Energy Storage Systems and integrating BESS with Solar PV.
- Experience in technical leadership, design management or engineering team management.
- Strong understanding of BS 7671, the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, G98, G99, G100 and DNO connection requirements.
- Knowledge of NICEIC, MCS and electrical compliance requirements.
- Understanding of electrical protection systems, commissioning practices and battery installation fire safety.
- Experience with PV design and electrical engineering software, such as PV*SOL, PVsyst, AutoCAD, K2 Base+ and SolarEdge Designer, or equivalent tools.
- Experience reviewing complex designs, managing competing priorities and maintaining high standards of technical quality.
- Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving and commercial decision-making skills.
- Full UK driving licence.
Essential Qualifications:
- HNC/HND or degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
- 18th Edition Wiring Regulations qualification.
- Inspection and Testing qualification, such as 2391 or equivalent.
- Solar PV qualification.
- Battery Energy Storage qualification.
- NICEIC Qualified Supervisor.
Desirable Qualifications:
- Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
- SMSTS or IOSH Managing Safely.
- HV Authorised Person qualification.
- Project management qualification, such as APM or PRINCE2.
The Opportunity:
This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of technical standards and design quality across commercial renewable energy projects, combining senior engineering responsibility with the development of Solar PV and battery storage capabilities.
If you have the technical expertise, commercial awareness and leadership experience to oversee complex Solar PV and BESS designs and develop a high-performing technical function, we would welcome your application.
Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.
In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included.
7194794 – Lee Elwell