Senior Civil Engineer

Senior Civil Engineer – Houston/Hybrid Job Summary We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Civil Engineer to join our Engineering team. In this role, you will report to Discipline Leader and will oversee the design, development, and implementation of civil and structural design for our utility-scale renewable energy projects, including Solar PV farms, Wind parks, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). This role requires technical proficiency throughout the entire project lifecycle, from feasibility studies and design to construction and commissioning phases. The Senior Civil Engineer will serve as the company’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) for all civil engineering disciplines across the full project lifecycle — from initial due diligence and acquisition through detailed design, construction, and Commercial Operation Date (COD). This is a high-impact, highly visible role that sits at the intersection of technical rigor and commercial pragmatism. This role will also be responsible for evaluating, procuring, and managing a network of third‑party civil engineering consultants and EPC contractors, and critically reviewing all civil deliverables to ensure technical quality, code compliance, constructability, and cost efficiency. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in civil engineering design for U.S. utility‑scale solar and BESS projects with strong project management skills, sound commercial judgement, and the ability to communicate complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders including executives, lenders, and equity partners. Join us to drive the right power forward and make clean energy the natural choice for all! Key Responsibilities Technical Due Diligence & Acquisition Support Lead civil engineering due diligence for late‑stage project acquisitions, including review of existing geotechnical reports, civil site plans, grading studies, drainage analyses, and environmental surveys. Identify and quantify civil‑related risks (e.g., soil instability, flooding, wetlands encroachment, remediation requirements) and translate findings into actionable risk matrices and commercial impact assessments. Review existing third‑party civil reports and studies submitted by sellers; identify gaps, inconsistencies, and assumptions requiring validation. Provide civil cost benchmarking and preliminary CapEx input for acquisition financial models, including sitework, grading, access roads, stormwater infrastructure, and fencing. Assess the quality and completeness of existing permitting packages, including grading permits, stormwater/NPDES permits, and access agreements. Collaborate closely with the Development and M&A teams to provide civil engineering recommendations on target acquisitions. Build and maintain a qualified roster of civil engineering consultants (geotechnical, grading, drainage, surveying, environmental) and support the procurement team for RFP/RFQ processes. Draft detailed scopes of work for civil consultant engagements, ensuring deliverables are fit for purpose, appropriately scoped, and commercially reasonable. Negotiate and manage consultant contracts, invoices, and change orders in coordination with legal and finance teams. Establish performance standards, review cadences, and deliverable checklists for all consultant engagements. Design Management & Technical Review Manage the civil design process from 30% through Issued-for-Construction (IFC) drawings, including review of grading plans, drainage reports, SWPPP/ESCP plans, road and access design, and site layout coordination. Review and redline civil design packages (grading, drainage, earthwork, paving, fencing, retention/detention structures) for technical accuracy, compliance with applicable codes, and constructability. Coordinate civil design interfaces with structural (pile/foundation design), electrical (underground conduit routing, grounding), and environmental disciplines. Review and approve geotechnical investigation reports, pile installation criteria, and foundation design recommendations. Evaluate stormwater management designs for compliance with MS4/NPDES requirements, local municipal standards, and long‑term site drainage performance. Manage surveying and boundary work, including ALTA/NSPS surveys, topographic surveys, and construction staking programs. Review civil elements of EPC proposals and lump‑sum bids for scope gaps, exclusions, and risk allocation. Permitting & Regulatory Coordination Serve as the civil engineering point of contact for interactions with county/municipal engineers, planning departments, and state environmental agencies. Track permit conditions of approval with civil engineering implications and ensure compliance through design and construction. Review civil elements of environmental impact assessments, biological assessments, and cultural resource studies as they relate to site grading and disturbance limits. Construction Phase Oversight Serve as the owner’s civil engineering representative during construction, providing technical oversight of EPC contractors and construction managers. Review contractor submittals, RFIs, and shop drawings for civil scope (aggregate materials, geotextiles, drainage structures, concrete, fencing, access roads) as needed. Attend site visits, construction kick‑off meetings, and periodic site inspections to assess conformance with IFC drawings and permit requirements. Review and assess civil‑related change order requests from EPC contractors; provide technical recommendations on validity and pricing. Monitor earthwork and grading activities, including cut/fill volumes, compaction testing results, and sub‑grade preparation for tracker installation. Lender & Investor Technical Support Review Independent Engineer reports for civil‑related findings and prepare technical response. Respond to civil‑related queries from lenders, Owner’s Engineers (OE), and independent engineers (IE) during project financing processes. Support insurance underwriting processes by addressing civil risk questions (flood, geotechnical, site access). Develop and maintain company civil engineering standards, design criteria, and technical specification templates to drive consistency and quality across the portfolio. Build internal tools, checklists, and tracking systems for civil due diligence, design review, and construction oversight. Provide civil engineering training and knowledge transfer to development, project management, and construction management colleagues. Track emerging trends in civil design for solar and BESS (e.g., agrivoltaics grading considerations, bifacial albedo optimization, BESS pad design innovations) and incorporate best practices into company standards. Core Competencies Geotechnical evaluation Stormwater & hydrology Permitting & regulatory navigation Technical drawing review Commercial & risk‑oriented thinking Cross‑functional collaboration Financial/CapEx judgment Lender/investor technical support What Success Looks Like In the first 90 days, you will: Develop a strong working understanding of our active U.S. renewable energy portfolio. Build relationships with preferred civil engineering consultants and key internal stakeholders. Develop a civil due diligence checklist aligned with CG’s acquisition criteria. Within 6–12 months, you will: Be recognized internally as the go‑to Civil SME for U.S. projects. Provide active oversight of civil engineering scopes across two or more projects in design and/or construction, ensuring technical quality, schedule alignment, and cost discipline. Contribute to at least one successful project financing close by supporting lender and IE diligence processes with civil technical inputs. Qualifications and Skills Required Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited institution. Professional Engineer (PE) license (Civil), active and in good standing in at least one U.S. state; multi‑state licensure strongly preferred. Minimum 6+ years of progressive civil engineering experience, with at least 4 years directly related to utility‑scale solar PV and/or BESS projects. Familiarity with applicable codes and standards including ASCE, IBC, local grading ordinances, and state‑level stormwater regulations. Strong working knowledge of site grading, earthwork, stormwater management, NPDES/SWPPP regulations, geotechnical principles, and site civil permitting processes. Demonstrated experience managing third‑party civil engineering consultants and reviewing civil design packages as an owner’s representative or developer‑side engineer. Experience participating in technical due diligence for project acquisitions, including risk identification and CapEx estimation. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce clear technical memos, reports, and presentations for non‑engineer audiences. Preferred Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering, Project Management, or related field. Experience supporting project finance transactions (tax equity, construction debt, term debt) in a technical capacity. Familiarity with renewable energy EPC contracts (lump‑sum and cost‑plus structures) and civil scope risk allocation. Experience with BESS‑specific civil considerations including equipment pad design, secondary containment, fire suppression infrastructure, and access requirements. Proficiency in reviewing AutoCAD Civil 3D models and drawings; GIS mapping tools (ArcGIS, QGIS) for site assessment. Familiarity with OSHA construction safety standards as they relate to civil site work. View email address on click.appcast.io Competitive base salary commensurate with experience. Annual performance bonus tied to project milestones and individual objectives. 401(k) with dollar‑to‑dollar company match up to 6%. Professional development support including PE license maintenance, conference attendance, and technical training. Flexible hybrid work arrangement with periodic travel to offices and project sites. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement ContourGlobal provides equal employment opportunities and maintains a diverse workforce that reflects the rich environment of our society and the markets in which we operate. #J-18808-Ljbffr ContourGlobal