Electrical Design Engineer

The Impact You’ll Make:

1st Avenue Power is growing its project development capacity, and we're looking for an Electrical Design Engineer to support the execution of solar and battery storage projects. This role is a great fit for someone who enjoys turning technical direction into concrete design deliverables, and who wants to build deep, hands-on experience across project and product engineering.

You'll work closely with our Power Electronics Engineering team, taking on drafting, modeling, feasibility, and layout work that helps the team move projects from concept to execution more quickly.

Key Responsibilities:

• Create site layouts and electrical drawings based on direction from the engineering team
• Conduct feasibility studies for new project and product concepts, applying prior experience to new sites and products
• Develop early-stage design packages that help establish build standards and support oversight of EPC execution
• Contribute to cost estimates that help the development team make go/no-go decisions
• Perform electrical balance of plant/site modeling and analysis for projects and products
• Support safety and stress testing, including fault current analysis and battery layout optimization
• Research new concepts and help develop technical solutions in collaboration with senior engineers
• Manage CAD deliverables including site drawings, schematics, and conductor sizing documentation
• Work cross-functionally with mechanical, power electronics, and project teams
• Help build bills of materials (BOMs) with the procurement team for both projects and products
• Coordinate with local utilities and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) on service and permitting documentation
• Some travel is expected
• Other duties as needed

The Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
• Experience in the solar and/or battery storage industry
• Strong proficiency in electrical drafting, CAD, and related design software
• Experience with site layout development and feasibility modeling
• Familiarity with electrical balance of plant/site concepts
• Ability to work from high-level direction and translate it into detailed design deliverables
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of relevant industry standards (e.g., UL 1741, IEEE 1547, NEC for renewable energy)

Nice to Have:

• Experience with battery storage systems and fault current analysis
• Familiarity with EPC processes and project development workflows
• Working toward, or interested in pursuing, a Professional Engineer (PE) license
• Experience with early-stage engineering design deliverables
• Exposure to conductor sizing and bill of materials development for solar projects
• Knowledge of public utility and AHJ processes and approvals
• Experience in electrical systems and product development

Benefits and Perks:

• Competitive Compensation Package

• Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.

• Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.

Additional Information:

Minimum salary of $170,000 to maximum salary of $300,000 + equity + benefits.

The range provided is 1AP’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.

About 1st Avenue Power:

At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.

You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as “8minute Solar Energy“), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles’ power.  

When Tom sold his interest in Avantus’ development business  to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night. 

Tom’s family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue’s advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.

1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process. 

Join our team and make a real difference in the world.

[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]