Civil Project Engineer

Planted•Oakland, CA

4d•$115,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

As Civil Project Engineer you will own design and engineering of the civil aspects of Planted Solar’s projects, ranging in size from distributed generation (DG) to utility scale. You will support solar site design, specifically focused on the civil discipline, while balancing optimization of energy production, schedule, and labor and material costs. This role is a key interface with customers, independent engineers, and permitting agencies to ensure Planted projects meet all civil engineering requirements. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with talented engineering and business teams with a high degree of empowerment and autonomy. We are looking for a technically excellent hands-on engineer with experience deploying solar at scale. You will be a key part of driving project outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, or other related discipline
Experience with site civil design, land development, or construction—preferably within the utility-scale or commercial solar industry.
Strong ability to read and interpret civil construction drawings, topographic maps, and grading plans.
Ability to use design software to optimize site layouts based on geotechnical inputs.
Experience with geotechnical analysis, digital elevation models, GIS, mapping, and coordinate frames.
Experience estimating civil construction costs, including roads, fencing, grading, clearing and grubbing, and trenching.
A track record of organization, adaptability, attention to detail, and project management skills
Ability to communicate among construction, technical and non-technical personnel, both internally and outside the company
Hands-on attitude, strong ownership mentality, and resourcefulness.
Inquisitive and not afraid to speak up to get necessary information or input
Eagerness to navigate ambiguity, reduce reasonable risks, and make good decisions with imperfect knowledge
Strong record of safe field operations and ability to integrate safety into product design and project operations
Desire to work in a fast-paced startup environment
Located in the SF Bay Area or willing to relocate for 100% in-person role

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineering (PE) license.
Experience with 2D CAD and 3D CAD tools, such as Civil3D or SolidWorks
Geotechnical design experience with design of foundations, equipment pads, and/or utility trenches
Field experience in a construction environment
Experience with new product development

Responsibilities

Review and validate site civil designs provided by customers' Engineers of Record (EOR) to ensure they are fully constructible and compatible with Planted Solar’s array systems and installation methods.
Analyze site topography to identify potential problem areas within the solar design (e.g., steep slopes, ditches, existing drainage features) and determine if any site grading or earthwork is required prior to array installation.
Review, confirm, and provide design input for all temporary and permanent access roads, equipment pathways, and material laydown/staging areas to ensure safe and efficient construction logistics.
Travel to project sites to perform thorough constructability assessments, verifying that proposed civil designs align with actual on-the-ground conditions.
Manage and coordinate with external surveying and mapping subcontractors responsible for delivering topographic surveys and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs).
Act as the primary civil engineering liaison among customers, external engineering firms, and local permitting authorities to ensure alignment on stormwater management requirements, SWPPP, and local civil ordinances.
Advise on site vegetation requirements, including pre-construction clearing and seeding, and site stabilization.
Work collaboratively with engineering teammates to produce holistic site designs.
Champion improvements of the Planted system through critical feedback on hardware and software products
Manage time efficiently across multiple projects
Ensure compliance with company, industry, trade, and jurisdictional safety standards, practices, and codes