Solar Project Engineer II

Pepper Construction•Barrington, IL

About The Position

Pepper Energy, part of Pepper Construction, is seeking a Project Engineer II to support commercial and utility-scale solar construction projects. The role works with project managers, superintendents, subcontractors, vendors, and clients to coordinate project planning, procurement, scheduling, cost control, documentation, and field operations from startup through closeout. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, passionate about renewable energy, and experienced in supporting large-scale construction projects in a fast-paced environment. Pepper Energy provides an experienced engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team as a single-source solution for renewable energy construction projects. Pepper Construction is a general contracting and construction management firm with offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. The company emphasizes quality, strong ethics, long-standing relationships, new technologies, high performance, sustainability, and positive community impact.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Renewable Energy, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least 3 years of experience in project engineering, project management, or construction operations.
Experience supporting commercial, industrial, utility-scale solar, or other large-scale construction projects.
Knowledge of construction project management practices, including budgeting, scheduling, procurement, contract administration, and cost control.
Experience with construction management software such as Procore, CMiC, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or similar platforms.
Understanding of project financials, including change orders, forecasting, cost tracking, pay applications, and schedule of values (SOV).
Strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities while working collaboratively with diverse project teams.

Responsibilities

Support all phases of solar construction projects, from preconstruction through project closeout.
Assist with project planning, budgeting, scheduling, procurement, and contract administration.
Coordinate subcontractor bidding, buyout, and material procurement activities.
Manage project documentation, including RFIs, submittals, drawings, meeting minutes, and correspondence.
Monitor project schedules and help identify potential impacts to cost, quality, and timeline.
Coordinate activities among clients, subcontractors, suppliers, consultants, and internal teams.
Support field operations through issue resolution, document control, procurement tracking, and construction administration.
Assist with project financial management, including cost tracking, forecasting, change orders, pay applications, and budget monitoring.
Work with QA/QC and commissioning teams to support quality standards and project turnover requirements.
Identify and communicate project risks, schedule challenges, and contractual concerns.
Support project closeout activities, including commissioning, punch list completion, and final documentation.
Promote and support Pepper's commitment to safety and operational excellence.