Performance Engineer

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Full Time Arlington Office, Arlington, VA, US

2 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $95,000.00 To $ Annually

Summary:

The Performance Engineer is a technical role supporting Summit Ridge Energy's solar PV and energy storage portfolio, from preconstruction through commissioning and long-term operations. Working under the guidance of senior engineers, this role supports the analysis and validation of energy models, system designs, and performance data to help protect production assumptions and asset value across the project lifecycle. This is a strong opportunity for an early-career engineer to build hands-on experience across solar performance modeling, field diagnostics, and cross-functional project support.

About Us:

Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar power company. By merging financial innovation and unmatched execution, we deliver reliable, locally generated energy that reduces reliance on foreign energy and contributes to a more resilient and secure electric grid.

Summit Ridge is driving a future where solar power generation strengthens local economies and ensures energy independence for businesses and communities across America.

Role and Responsibilities:

Energy Modeling & Technical Due Diligence

• Support energy modeling activities using PVsyst (or equivalent), assisting with proposal development, preconstruction analysis, and performance guarantee assumptions under senior engineer guidance.
• Assist in reviewing design inputs affecting modeled energy and performance — meteorological data, equipment selection, losses, clipping, soiling, and degradation.
• Support technical due diligence activities throughout the project lifecycle, helping flag potential performance risks for senior review.

Performance Testing & Field Diagnostics

• Assist in the development and execution of capacity and availability test procedures aligned with contract requirements and industry-standard methodologies (e.g., ASTM E2848).
• Support capacity and availability test analyses, helping compile data to validate plant performance and determine pass/fail results.
• Review system troubleshooting, diagnostics, and electrical testing reports provided by the EPC (Isc, Voc, insulation resistance, IV curve tracing, thermal imaging, etc.), escalating discrepancies to senior engineers.
• Monitor SCADA, DAS, inverter, and tracker UIs to help identify underperformance trends and support commissioning troubleshooting.
• Assist in troubleshooting Summit Ridge Energy's Data Acquisition System (DAS) platform and associated databases.

Stakeholder & Project Coordination

• Support coordination with Independent Engineer (IE) consultants, EPC contractors, and internal teams to help ensure timely project closing.
• Assist in interfacing with Operations, Asset Management, Engineering, and Project Management to help identify and track issues affecting performance and asset value.
• Communicate regularly with stakeholders and respond promptly to routine requests.
• Assist Project Finance and FP&A teams in compiling energy model inputs and production data for financial models and investment materials.
• Help prepare supporting documentation for lender, tax equity, and investor technical diligence under senior guidance.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual performance reports and contribute to technical memoranda and test reports.
• Build working knowledge of applicable codes and standards (e.g., NEC, UL, IEEE, IEC, ASTM) and industry testing methodology.
• Contribute ideas for improving modeling accuracy, testing procedures, and execution outcomes.
• Comply with all company policies and standards, including promoting a strong safety culture.
• Education:
  
  Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy, Industrial Management, Physics, or a related field (ABET-accredited preferred).
• Experience:
  
  1+ year of related professional, internship, or co-op experience as a Performance Engineer, Solar Engineer, Assistant Project Manager, or in a closely related role within renewable energy.
• Some exposure to PVsyst or equivalent solar energy modeling software (coursework, internship, or professional experience).
• Basic understanding of capacity and availability test procedures, such as ASTM E2848 (formal execution experience not required).
• Exposure to system troubleshooting, diagnostics, or electrical testing concepts (Isc, Voc, insulation resistance, IV curve tracing, thermal imaging, etc.).
• Familiarity with SCADA, DAS, or MET station data, or a strong willingness to learn.
• General understanding of project contracts (EPC, O&M, Interconnection, Lease, Financing, and supply agreements) preferred but not required.
• Basic knowledge of technical due diligence and risk assessment concepts.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Exposure to databases, CRM, and/or ERP…