Engineer

Solarcentury Africa is a market leader in the development of solar PV and energy storage projects with more than a fifteen years of experience across multiple African countries. Headquartered in the UK, Solarcentury Africa has developed and delivered projects in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, DRC and Eritrea among others.

Solarcentury Africa is a vertically integrated developer using cutting edge design, smart technologies, and robust controls to generate clean and economical power for businesses, communities, and investors.

In March 2021, BB Energy acquired Solarcentury’s business in Africa in line with its energy transition. The association between Solarcentury Africa and BB Energy creates valuable synergies with broader capabilities to offer, as well as strong financial backing, ensuring the right solutions for Clients’ specific needs.

Solarcentury Africa’s portfolio includes the first 3 merchant PV plants in Southern Africa, which were built in record time for the region and are now trading electricity on the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). Our pipeline is nearing 700MW of solar PV and BESS projects under development and construction with a combination of grid-connected and island hybrid solar PV + BESS systems.

https://solarcenturyafrica.com/en/projects

Our commitment to inclusion

We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where different experiences and viewpoints strengthen our decision-making and innovation.

Solarcentury Africa is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We believe that a broad range of perspectives strengthens our work and leads to better outcomes for the communities we serve.

If you are excited by this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We value potential, learning ability and commitment just as much as specific technical experience.

Job details:

The Senior Electrical Engineer will play a leading technical role within Solarcentury Africa’s Engineering team, based in London (UK) and supporting projects across Southern Africa. The role will provide electrical-engineering leadership across utility-scale solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) projects, from feasibility and concept design through procurement, detailed design, construction, commissioning and operational support.

Working within the Engineering team, you will collaborate with development, procurement, project management and commercial colleagues, as well as contractors, consultants, utilities and suppliers. You will take ownership of electrical design decisions and reviews, provide clear technical direction, identify and manage technical risks, and help ensure that projects are safe, compliant, constructible and commercially robust.

This role offers the opportunity to shape meaningful renewable-energy projects that directly support energy access and sustainability across the continent. You will also contribute to the development of engineering standards, tools and processes, share knowledge across the team, and support the professional growth of less-experienced engineers.

The role combines hands-on electrical engineering with multidisciplinary coordination. It includes electrical system studies and calculations, preparation and review of specifications and drawings, technical due diligence, contractor and supplier management, site support, commissioning and performance improvement across grid-connected and islanded solar PV + BESS systems.

Key Activities & Responsibilities

Working within the Engineering team, and in close collaboration with colleagues across the organisation, you will:

- Lead electrical engineering inputs to feasibility assessments, concept designs, plant layouts, grid-connection solutions and energy projects across the development pipeline.

- Prepare, review and approve electrical design documentation, including single-line diagrams, system architecture, equipment schedules, cable sizing, earthing, protection, auxiliary systems, communications interfaces and design calculations.

- Define and maintain technical requirements, Employer’s Requirements, scopes of work, specifications and contract technical appendices for solar PV, BESS, substations and associated balance-of-plant systems.

- Lead the technical review of EPC, contractor and consultant designs, drawings, calculations and studies, ensuring compliance with project requirements, applicable standards, grid codes and good engineering practice.

- Review grid-integration, load-flow, short-circuit, protection-coordination, harmonic, power-quality and grounding studies, coordinating specialist support where required.

- Provide technical leadership during tendering and procurement, including bid evaluation, technical clarifications, supplier assessments, equipment selection and review of offers for inverters, transformers, switchgear, protection, cables, BESS and related systems.

- Manage technical interfaces between PV, BESS, substations, transmission or distribution connections, SCADA, metering and communications systems.

- Undertake and lead site visits, design reviews, factory and site acceptance testing, quality inspections, defect reviews, commissioning and energisation activities for LV, MV and HV systems, using specialist support where appropriate.

- Identify, communicate and manage electrical-engineering risks, design changes, non-conformances and technical decisions, maintaining clear records and escalating material issues promptly.

- Provide senior technical support to Development Managers, Project Management, Procurement and Commercial teams throughout the project lifecycle, including technical input to proposals, contracts, budgets and programmes.

- Review the performance and reliability of operating assets, investigate technical issues and support implementation of corrective actions and continuous improvement.

- Develop and improve engineering standards, templates, calculation tools, specifications and quality processes, capturing and applying lessons learned across projects.

- Provide technical guidance, review and constructive support to engineers and other colleagues, helping build capability and a collaborative, inclusive team culture.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a closely related engineering discipline; an equivalent combination of relevant training and substantial practical electrical-engineering experience may be considered.

- Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience in electrical engineering for utility-scale solar PV, BESS, power systems, substations or related energy infrastructure.

- Demonstrable experience taking technical ownership of electrical designs and reviewing contractor, consultant and supplier deliverables.

- Practical experience of LV and MV systems and a sound working understanding of HV systems, including substations, protection, cables, transformers, switchgear, earthing and commissioning.

- Experience supporting projects through more than one lifecycle stage, such as development, design, procurement, construction, commissioning or operations.

- Working knowledge of applicable British, IEC and other international standards, grid codes and electrical safety requirements.

We encourage applicants who meet most of these requirements to apply, even if you do not meet every single point.

Skills (Essential)

These are the skills that will help you thrive in the role. We encourage applicants who meet most of these to apply—even if you don’t meet every single point.

- Strong electrical-engineering judgement and the ability to translate project requirements into safe, practical and clearly documented technical solutions.

- Competence in electrical calculations and design review, including cable sizing, voltage drop, short-circuit levels, protection philosophy, equipment ratings and earthing principles.

- Experience using technical engineering software such as AutoCAD and confidence working with engineering and commercial data in MS Excel.

- Ability to review and challenge electrical studies and models produced using recognised power-system analysis tools, with direct software experience considered an advantage.

- Strong proficiency with MS Office productivity tools and confidence preparing clear technical reports, specifications, presentations and decision records.

- Awareness of solar PV and BESS design tools such as PVsyst and PVcase, and understanding of how electrical design choices affect plant yield, availability and performance.

- Strong knowledge of relevant British and international standards and a disciplined approach to standards compliance, document control and engineering assurance.

- Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain complex technical issues to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

- Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, with confidence coordinating contractors, consultants, suppliers and multidisciplinary internal teams.

- Self-motivated, organised and able to prioritise and deliver several workstreams with appropriate independence and escalation.

- Commitment to knowledge-sharing, continuous professional development and improvement of engineering processes and organisational protocols.

- Valid driving licence and ability to travel to project sites in Southern Africa.

Desirable skills:

These reflect areas that would add value in the role; we do not expect candidates to have all of them.

- Chartered Engineer status, or progressing toward professional registration with the IET, Engineering Council or an equivalent recognised institution.

- Hands-on experience with power-system analysis software such as DIgSILENT PowerFactory, ETAP, PSS®E or equivalent.

- Experience with SCADA, plant controllers, industrial control systems, metering, telecommunications, TCP/IP networks, cybersecurity and relevant communications protocols.

- Experience of BESS electrical design, integration, controls, safety requirements or performance modelling.

- Experience reviewing PV plant operational data, fault investigations, root-cause analysis or asset performance improvement.

- Experience with Python, Power BI, Power Automate or other tools used for engineering analysis and workflow automation.

- Experience working with African utilities, grid codes, contractors or energy markets, whether through education, projects or lived experience.

- Ability to speak additional languages (French, Afrikaans, Mandarin, main or other local languages).