Sr. BESS Development Engineer

About this position

About Elevate

At Elevate, we are deploying reliable energy solutions that power the communities we serve. We’re not just building infrastructure; we’re enabling the future of energy, supporting massive digital and data center expansions and supporting a more resilient, electrified grid.

Elevate is where top talent meets real impact. We're a lean, mission-driven team accelerating the clean energy transition through bold, meaningful projects. Here, you’ll work alongside some of the smartest people in the industry, have a seat at the table from day one, and help shape a company that’s building the future of power—fast. If you thrive in dynamic environments, value authenticity over fluff, and want your work to matter, Elevate is the place to be.

Position Summary

In this Development Engineering role, you will support all design and development engineering activities across our storage-only and storage+portfolio. This role is critical in shaping how our storage solutions are designed, developed, deployed, and scaled. You will own the engineering process from early-stage feasibility through 30% design, including technical support for major equipment procurement and construction contracting.

This is a hands‑on, build‑from‑scratch role ideal for someone excited to take ownership in a startup environment, develop infrastructure and process, and help shape the way future projects get designed and built.

Support the development of technical roadmaps for BESS and PV+S projects. Develop technology standards and design templates for repeatable project deployment. Lead system design and architecture including battery, PV module selection and racking selection.

Develop site constraints and generate creative layouts to help better characterize site conditions and risks. Work cross-functionally with project development, finance, and legal to evaluate project feasibility and optionality using site constraints and knowledge about technology options. Help manage Owner’s Engineers and other technical consultants (scope, schedule, budget) in generating site studies to advance projects through development to handover to EPC.

Provide technical due diligence on potential sites and project acquisitions. Support engineering deliverables for interconnection studies, grid compliance, and permitting packages. Support bid preparation, RFP responses, and technical presentations to offtakers and financing counter parties. Partner with procurement and EPCs to define scopes, review designs, and resolve design/field issues. Actively manage the early stage design process with EPCs and OEs to ensure alignment and clear handoffs to EPCs and other counter parties.

Evaluate and qualify new BESS and PV technology solutions. Support procurement team in vendor selection, technical negotiations, and performance benchmarking. Track industry trends in storage chemistry, degradation modeling, fire safety, and lifecycle cost optimization. Manage technical relationships with OEMs, integrators, and consultants.

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Energy Systems, or related field. This role could be hired at a Development Engineer or Sr. Development Engineer level. Dev Engineer: 1.5+ years of engineering experience in the energy sector, with at least 1 year designing utility‑scale or commercial‑scale BESS and PV projects. Sr. Dev Engineer: 4+ years of engineering experience in the energy sector, with a minimum of 2 years designing utility‑scale or commercial‑scale BESS and PV projects.

Experience working at a project developer/owner‑operator or an understanding of the project‑owner mindset. Demonstrated ability to support cross‑functional efforts and deliver results under tight timelines. General familiarity with interconnection processes and ISO/RTO requirements. Proficiency with design and modeling tools such as AutoCAD, PVsyst, PVFarm or equivalent. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex technical…