Senior Hybrid System Engineer

　　CrossBoundary Energy

　　About the Firm

　　CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) is the leading provider of clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable electricity directly to African businesses. According to World Bank data, access to reliable and affordable electricity is the most significant constraint on economic growth on the continent. CBE addresses this challenge by providing African corporates with fully financed renewable power. Through this approach, we are building a disruptive, distributed, renewable utility that can unlock sustainable growth in Africa.

　　We are already making rapid progress towards our vision. CBE is currently delivering a portfolio of over $200M of solar, wind, and storage projects for businesses across Africa. Our clients include Actis, Diageo, Heineken, Rio Tinto, Syrah Resources, Unilever, and other leading regional companies.

　　But most of our potential impact still lies ahead of us. Now CBE needs your help to convert Africa's largest industries to cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable power. Learn more at www.crossboundaryenergy.com (http://www.crossboundaryenergy.com/energy) . CrossBoundary Energy is a member of the CrossBoundary Group, a mission-driven investment firm committed to unlocking the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. Learn more at www.crossboundary.com.

　　Job Description

　　CrossBoundary Energy is recruiting a Senior Hybrid System Engineer for our hybrid development and implementation activities. We are actively pursuing opportunities to integrate large scale solar PV and storage facilities with mines and large industrial customers who rely on thermal (diesel, HFO or gas) generation plants to provide power to their operations. Working with our business development team, finance team and external EPC contractors, the Senior Engineer will be responsible for supporting technical development activities as well as contracting and management of EPC contractors and general technical oversight support for projects through development and implementation.

　　CBE is not an EPC or a pure developer, as we seek to build a portfolio of long-term, high-performing assets. CBE will look to you for practical insights on how to make discrete business decisions that will directly affect our financial outcomes.

　　Who We Are

　　The CrossBoundary Energy team is a unique group of people who are genuinely excited by the opportunity to make a difference in some of the world’s most challenging and exciting renewable energy markets. The chosen candidate will play an important role in a unique team with the opportunity to make a large impact on the clean energy landscape for mines across the world. Team members come from diverse backgrounds but share several qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action. 

　　Who You Are

　　Self-starter who is passionate about clean energy and its potential to transform fragile states and frontier markets in Africa

　　Understand the fundamentals of industrial applications for solar energy, power systems engineering, electrical transmission/distribution networks and / or electrical generation

　　Capable of applying engineering principles to complex, bespoke problems that require creative thinking

　　Comfortable with ambiguity; you are effective in a fast-moving and complex environment that does not have a fixed rule book.

　　A practical thinker known for choosing the simple, robust solution where more complicated approaches would deliver the same results

　　A systematic and highly-organized project manager; takes personal accountability for tracking numerous activities across workstreams and driving them all to successful conclusion

　　A creative problem-solver not afraid to get their hands dirty to untangle a complex issue

　　Primary Responsibilities

　　Support the technical development of CBE’s hybrid project portfolio from early lead stage through to financial close

　　Provide ongoing technical support and design review throughout project implementation, network integration and commissioning

　　Identity and manage technical project interfaces between various parties, including EPCs, equipment suppliers, clients and 3rd party IPPs

　　Identify and develop optimal control philosophies for the projects and assess implementation thereof

　　Conduct hybrid sizing, configuration and design including optimal configuration of solar, thermal and storage seeking to optimize for LCoE

　　Carry out site and situation analysis of projects and effectively drive the technical development to address high risk and critical path workstreams.

　　Manage data gathering from customers and associated 3rd parties as required to effectively carry out studies and associated development activities

　　Manage the early-stage technical analysis of projects including the engagement with third party consultants and specialists as may be required to carry out specialist studies

　　Review and provide support during the EPC engagement, contracting, configuration optimization and EPC detailed designs

　　Support the business development team with technical inputs for pricing, proposal materials and customer engagement

　　Provide technical support during PPA drafting and negotiations

　　Support the CBE technical team on an adhoc basis on projects across the full CBE portfolio

　　Qualifications

　　Ideal candidate will have the following skills and qualifications:

　　Minimum of 3 years' relevant experience in renewable energy, including strong background in power systems

　　Fundamental understanding of power systems, including basic understanding of:

　　Steady state and dynamic system studies

　　System stability

　　Generation plant control modes / applications

　　Protection coordination

　　Power Quality

　　High-level understanding of the key components that form part of a hybrid solution:

　　Solar PV

　　Wind turbines

　　Battery storage

　　Thermal/baseload generation – high speed diesel vs medium speed HFO vs gas

　　Have the ability to read, interpret and review design drawings according to industry standard practice (layouts, single line diagrams, schematics, etc.)

　　Have the ability to interpret and review design reports according to industry standard practice (Power system studies, earthing and lightning protection studies, protection coordination studies, etc.)

　　Have the ability to interpret, review and assess control / communication system interfacing requirements

　　High-level understanding of key aspects that govern the configuration requirements of hybrid plants for different technologies [capex, opex, fuel efficiency curves, spinning reserve, PV oversupply, modularity, solar penetration, grid strength, grid stability etc.]

　　Experience in the following sectors / skills will be advantageous:

　　Experience working on mining or large industrial power projects

　　Experience working on electrical distribution and/or power supply for mines or large industrials

　　Experience designing a medium to large scale solar/storage/thermal hybrid project

　　Experience working on MV and HV distribution networks

　　Experience working in Africa

　　Experience with the development and/or implementation of medium to large scale energy generation projects (thermal or solar PV) – consulting, developer, EPC, IPP, operator

　　Hybrid sizing, configuring and modelling experience – HOMER (or similar) and/or self-built models

　　Experience in performing power system analysis, or grid code compliance studies using tools such as DigSilent, ETAP, PSS/E, or similar.

　　Think you have what it takes but are not sure you check every box? Research shows that while men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women often only apply when they meet every requirement. If you're passionate about what we're building, we want to hear from you!  

　　Location

　　Cape Town, South Africa is preferred, but Nairobi, Kenya and Lagos, Nigeria are also viable options

　　Equal Opportunity Employer

　　CrossBoundary is an equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to [email protected]

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