Senior Commissioning Manager

We are currently searching for an ambitious Commissioning Manager to lead commissioning (Cx) efforts for Utility Scale Solar and BESS projects. The Cx Manager will be filling a management and support role with a broad scope of responsibilities across the Covolt organization from coordinating onsite and remote testing and startup activities to reviewing contract language, preparing documentation and supporting the Interconnection process.

This position may be remote or traveling to the sites. Travel may be up to 50% of time.

Reports to: Director, Commissioning

Supervises: Internal Field Commissioning Staff, Subcontractors and Vendors

Works closely with: Construction Managers, Project Managers, Field Commissioning Staff, Project Engineers, Performance Engineering, Safety Manager, Owner/Subcontractor/Vendor/Utility/ISO representatives.

Responsibilities/Duties

• Live CoVolt core principles to achieve preferred selection by our customers by continually improving processes, products and services to ensure CoVolt Power consistently meets or exceeds customer requirements.
• Communicate effectively with a wide range of people including Covolt colleagues from all departments, clients, sub-contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Review commissioning requirements in upstream contract language from Covolt clients for problematic requirements and consistency with Covolt internal commissioning standards.
• Work with estimating and project management groups to ensure commissioning requirements are adequately planned (schedule) and budgeted for at the proposal stage.
• Serve as the commissioning subject matter expert for Covolt supporting Project Engineers, Project Managers, and other team members.
• Communicate commissioning practices clearly and effectively to outside parties including clients, AHJs, and sub-contractors.
• Continue to develop and maintain commissioning documentation including a commissioning plan template and commissioning forms.
• Integrate Cx procedures and documentation with Procore to improve efficiency of processes and ensure proper archival of Cx documentation.
• Review, correct and answer Owner’s comments related to commissioning
• Manage daily Cx meetings with owners, vendors, sub-contractors, etc.
• Prepare and approve checklists for commissioning tests
• Coordinate with Safety in preparation of SOPs for energized tasks
• Review forecasted Commissioning schedules in coordination with PMs.
• Assist developing project specific Cx plans.
• Assist project teams with scoping of Cx activities to appropriate sub-contractors.
• Interface and coordinate with suppliers, including review of test plans, bill of material, factory testing, and schedule collaboration during commissioning.
• Work with Project Engineers and Cx Superintendents to review all Cx documentation submitted by sub-contractors and resolve any issues.
• Work with project engineers and Cx Superintendents to ensure each projects Cx requirements are met and all Cx activities and test results are properly documented.
• Work with quality control to ensure smooth transition from quality to Cx
• Manage field Cx Superintendents.
• Assist CMs and PMs in managing subs with Cx scope to ensure Cx is completed on schedule. • Work with Performance engineering to transition project from Cx to performance testing.
• Travel to sites as necessary to personally manage Cx when necessary.
• Provide guidance to CMs, field Cx staff, or subs in troubleshoot inverters, trackers, SCADA, combiner boxes, transformers, communications, POA, Met stations, soiling stations, control building alarms, substation, and ground faults.
• Become Subject Matter Expert on the interconnection process for different Utilities and ISOs.
• Support project teams in achieving ISO and Utility milestones where required (CAISO buckets, ERCOT interconnection, etc.)
• Support and coordinate utility and ISO tests (Power Factor, Relay Testing, Telemetry) and PPC tests (AVR, PFR, Curtailment, etc)
• Monitor progress of construction as it relates to the critical path for Commissioning

Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities

• Strong people skills: The ability to work in a team environment and motivate people in order to achieve objectives.
• Drive to improve upon status quo and ability to communicate value of changing and improving processes.
• Familiarity with and understanding of NETA ATS.
• Knowledge and expertise about PV solar equipment including PV modules, combiner boxes, solar trackers, inverters, DAS/SCADA equipment, communications hardware, meteorological sensors, etc.
• Knowledge of ISO and Utility interconnection process is a plus
• Knowledge and expertise of PV specific testing and equipment o IV curve tracing o VOC testing o DC operating current checks o Familiarity with handheld and drone thermal imaging • Knowledge of NFPA 70E and safe electrical work practices
• Required software: Microsoft Office, Cloud storage (Box, Dropbox, OneDrive), Bluebeam Revu, Excel, Testing tools software
• Preferred software: Procore

Education/ Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in technical field (engineering, physics, math, statistics, renewables or similar) preferred, but not required.
• Minimum of 7+ years of professional experience
• Minimum 3+ years of experience in solar commissioning
• Experience in operations and construction within the solar industry strongly preferred.
• Thorough understanding of the principles of solar power generation.

Logistics

• CoVolt Power is a partially remote office environment. Work will primarily be conducted from home or office.
• Office equipment will be provided as needed.
• Travel to sites will be roughly 50% of the time, fluctuating with workload

Important Interview Policy: To ensure a focused conversation and protect the privacy of both our candidates and team members, the use of AI note-takers, recording devices, or real-time transcription software is strictly prohibited during this interview. If an unauthorized bot joins the meeting, our team will ask for it to be removed before beginning the interview. Thank you for your cooperation!

CoVolt Power is an Equal Opportunity Employer and uses E-Verify.

We are not accepting resumes from Third Party Recruiting Firms for positions posted on our careers page. If you are an Agency or Search firm representative, contact the CoVolt Power Talent Acquisition Manager directly at talent.acquisition@covolt.com for consideration.

CoVolt Power or its affiliates will not be responsible for any fees arising from the use of resumes and online response forms through this source. In addition, CoVolt Power or its affiliates will not be responsible for any fees on unsolicited resumes that are submitted to any member of the Staffing or Operations team. CoVolt Power has established an approved vendor program for this service, and will only consider accepting submissions from those approved firms.