Development Engineer

Arevon•Scottsdale, AZ

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Development Engineer will be part of the Arevon Engineering team, reporting to the Director of Development Engineering. This role is responsible for advancing site engineering and design from early-stage development through the contracting process, ensuring high-quality, optimized solar and battery storage plants. This role will also support structural engineering efforts within the Development Engineering team, contributing to the build-out of in-house pile design processes and tools. The Development Engineer provides comprehensive technical oversight for PV and BESS projects from greenfielding through development, collaborating with internal teams, external consultants, and the Project Management team to ensure all projects are optimized for performance, cost, and reliability. This role requires approximately 4 business days of travel per month (~20%).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, or related engineering discipline.
5+ years of hands-on engineering experience in solar, BESS, or a related industry.
Working knowledge of structural engineering concepts and practices, gained through academic study or relevant work experience.
Strong understanding of PV and BESS project design and optimization tradeoffs, including familiarity with current market conditions, equipment suppliers, contractors, technical specifications, costs, and contracting approaches.
Working knowledge of renewable energy systems, including solar PV (with SCADA and monitoring systems) and BESS.
Working knowledge of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot) and an active interest in incorporating them into engineering workflows to improve speed and quality.
Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, with a process-oriented and results-driven approach.
Proficiency with MS Office and project controls software.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ArcGIS and/or AutoCAD.
Experience with multi-project portfolio risk due diligence.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

Serve as the engineering lead across the project lifecycle, from greenfield origination and M&A diligence through the end of project development.
Partner with Project Managers to oversee external consultants producing site studies and supporting documentation required to secure discretionary permits.
Support structural engineering efforts within the Development Engineering team, including contributing to in-house pile design processes, methodologies, and tools that reduce reliance on external consultants during early-stage development.
Interpret geotechnical reports and site conditions to inform foundation selection, identify ground improvement needs, and quantify cost and schedule impacts of subsurface risks.
Evaluate and conduct technical diligence on potential greenfield and M&A assets, identifying opportunities, constraints, and risks.
Develop preliminary (10%) site designs using GIS and CAD platforms, optimizing layouts to maximize energy production, project performance, and financial outcomes.
Coordinate internal subject matter experts and external consultants to develop and refine preliminary designs, performance estimates, cost estimates, schedules, and risk assessments.
Assess, quantify, and clearly communicate preliminary site constraints, cost adders, and schedule risks to internal stakeholders and decision-makers.
Manage and communicate key acquisition diligence requirements and associated cost adders for M&A opportunities.
Support the Project Team in coordinating with external engineering firms to advance designs through the 30% and 60% milestones.
Conduct site feasibility studies and technical risk assessments to inform project viability and development strategy.
Attend site walks, or coordinate personnel attending on the team’s behalf, to gather preliminary site assessment data informing early-stage design and scoping.
Communicate project status, technical findings, and development milestones to the leadership team on a regular basis.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal teams, external partners, and local community stakeholders throughout the development process.