Salary: £32,000–£40,000 per annum, depending on experience
Bonus: Company bonus scheme
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Annual Leave: 33 days per year
Benefits: Private healthcare
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
The Role
Kembla is looking for an experienced and capable Solar PV Design Engineer to join our growing technical and design team.
The primary purpose of this role is to produce accurate, buildable and commercially optimised physical Solar PV system designs, layouts and energy-performance models across a range of domestic and commercial projects.
The successful candidate will report directly to the Technical Manager – Solar PV & Battery Storage and will work closely with Kembla's project managers, sales team, procurement function, installation teams and subcontractors.
This role is focused primarily on the physical and performance design of Solar PV systems, rather than carrying final responsibility for detailed electrical compliance and certification.
The successful candidate will be expected to take site information, survey data and customer requirements and turn these into practical designs that can be priced, technically reviewed, procured and ultimately installed.
Key Responsibilities
The Solar PV Design Engineer will be responsible for:
- Producing desktop feasibility studies and preliminary Solar PV system designs.
- Creating detailed module layouts for:
- Pitched roofs.
- Flat roofs.
- Ground-mounted systems.
- Solar carports.
- Producing accurate CAD drawings, roof plans, elevations and installation layouts.
- Developing buildable Solar PV designs from survey information, architectural drawings, roof plans, photographs, drone surveys and other available site information.
- Using design software such as AutoCAD, PVsyst, PV*SOL, SolarEdge Designer or equivalent.
- Undertaking shading analysis and identifying the impact of obstructions on system performance.
- Producing generation forecasts, energy-yield calculations and system-performance models.
- Optimising module quantities, orientation and array positioning to maximise system performance while maintaining practical installation requirements.
- Designing appropriate access routes, maintenance zones and panel setbacks.
- Incorporating rooflights, vents, plant, drainage, parapets, access points and other roof obstructions into system layouts.
- Considering fire access, maintenance access and relevant design constraints when producing layouts.
- Producing preliminary inverter selections and stringing proposals for review and approval by the Technical Manager.
- Identifying suitable inverter, battery and associated equipment locations.
- Coordinating module layouts with proposed cable routes, inverter locations and electrical infrastructure.
- Working with mounting-system manufacturers to ensure layouts are compatible with the proposed mounting solution.
- Coordinating designs with structural engineers and structural assessment information.
- Reviewing roof-loading and ballast information and incorporating approved structural requirements into the final layout.
- Supporting the optimisation of flat-roof ballast and mounting-system arrangements.
- Producing detailed design packs to support project delivery.
- Preparing preliminary equipment schedules and Bills of Materials to support procurement and commercial pricing.
- Providing accurate module, inverter and mounting-system quantities to the estimating and procurement teams.
- Revising designs following site surveys, customer requests, structural reviews or site discoveries.
- Producing final construction layouts and as-built drawings.
- Maintaining accurate revision control and design documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
- Supporting project managers and installation teams with design-related queries during construction.
- Liaising with the Technical Manager where designs require electrical or technical approval.
- Supporting continuous improvement of Kembla's standard drawings, design templates, product libraries and design processes.
Physical & Performance Design Responsibility
The core responsibility of this position is to produce Solar PV systems that are both technically considered and physically buildable.
The successful candidate will need to understand how a Solar PV design translates from a drawing into an installation on site.
This includes consideration of:
- Available roof area.
- Module dimensions and orientation.
- Roof shape and pitch.
- Roof edges and exclusion zones.
- Rooflights and other obstructions.
- Walkways and maintenance access.
- Fire-access requirements.
- Shading.
- Mounting-system requirements.
- Flat-roof ballast arrangements.
- Structural constraints.
- Wind-loading considerations.
- Inverter and equipment locations.
- Cable-routing requirements.
- Existing rooftop plant and services.
- Customer requirements.
- Visual impact.
- Installation practicality.
- System yield and performance.
- Commercial viability.
The successful candidate should be able to produce a design that installation teams can confidently take to site and build.
Essential Experience
Applicants should be able to demonstrate practical experience in Solar PV system design, preferably within the commercial Solar PV sector.
We are particularly looking for experience in:
- Producing Solar PV module layouts.
- Designing commercial rooftop Solar PV systems.
- Working with pitched and flat-roof installations.
- Producing CAD-based technical drawings.
- Interpreting site surveys and architectural drawings.
- Working with module and mounting-system dimensions.
- Solar PV shading analysis.
- Energy-yield and system-performance modelling.
- Optimising system layouts to balance generation, installation practicality and commercial considerations.
- Working with inverter and module manufacturer design software.
- Producing design packs and installation drawings.
- Reviewing and updating designs following surveys and structural information.
- Coordinating designs with project managers, engineers and installation teams.
Applicants should also have a practical understanding of how Solar PV systems are physically installed and should be capable of identifying layouts that may appear acceptable on a desktop design but would be difficult or impractical to construct.
Essential Software Skills
Applicants should have strong experience using AutoCAD or equivalent professional CAD software.
Experience with one or more of the following is also required:
- PVsyst.
- PV*SOL.
- SolarEdge Designer.
- Manufacturer-specific Solar PV design platforms.
- Satellite, mapping or aerial-imagery design tools.
Candidates do not necessarily need experience with every software package listed, but should have sufficient technical and CAD ability to learn additional platforms quickly.
Qualifications
For this role, practical Solar PV design experience and technical ability are more important than holding a specific electrical qualification.
Applicants should ideally hold a relevant qualification in one of the following areas:
- Renewable Energy Engineering.
- Electrical Engineering.
- Mechanical Engineering.
- Building Services Engineering.
- Architectural Technology.
- Construction Design.
- Engineering Design.
- Renewable Energy Technology.
- Another relevant engineering or technical discipline.
A Degree, HNC, HND or equivalent technical qualification would be advantageous.
Relevant Solar PV design or installation qualifications would also be beneficial.
A formal electrical qualification is not essential, as final detailed electrical-design approval and technical compliance will sit with Kembla's Technical Manager – Solar PV & Battery Storage.
Desirable Experience
It would be particularly advantageous if applicants also have experience with:
- Large commercial rooftop Solar PV systems.
- Education, manufacturing, industrial or other commercial-sector projects.
- Flat-roof mounting and ballast systems.
- Pitched-roof mounting systems.
- Ground-mounted Solar PV.
- Solar carports.
- Structural-engineering information.
- Wind-loading and ballast calculations.
- Roof-loading constraints.
- Mechanical mounting-system design.
- Revit or 3D CAD software.
- Drone surveys or photogrammetry.
- Battery-storage layouts.
- Commercial three-phase Solar PV systems.
- Export-limited systems.
- SolarEdge commercial systems.
- Preparing Bills of Materials.
- Supporting project estimating or procurement.
- Producing final construction and as-built documentation.
Working With the Technical Manager
The Solar PV Design Engineer will report directly to Kembla's Technical Manager – Solar PV & Battery Storage.
The Design Engineer will normally be responsible for producing the physical and performance design, while the Technical Manager will retain responsibility for detailed electrical design, compliance, technical approval and certification where applicable.
For example, the Solar PV Design Engineer may produce:
- Module layouts.
- Roof plans.
- Array configurations.
- Preliminary inverter selections.
- Preliminary stringing proposals.
- Equipment locations.
- Generation models.
- Shading analysis.
- Design drawings.
- Preliminary equipment schedules.
The Technical Manager will then review and approve relevant technical matters including:
- Final electrical architecture.
- String configuration.
- Cable calculations.
- Protection.
- Isolation.
- Earthing and bonding.
- Electrical compliance.
- DNO requirements.
- Electrical certification.
- Final technical approval.
This structure allows the Solar PV Design Engineer to focus on producing high-quality, optimised and buildable designs while having access to senior electrical and technical support.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a strong eye for detail.
- Enjoys technical design and problem solving.
- Understands that a good Solar PV design must be practical to install as well as look correct on a drawing.
- Is confident using CAD and specialist Solar PV design software.
- Can interpret technical drawings and site information.
- Can manage multiple designs and revisions simultaneously.
- Is organised and methodical.
- Communicates clearly with technical and non-technical colleagues.
- Is comfortable challenging information where site data or proposed designs appear incorrect.
- Takes ownership of their work.
- Is commercially aware and understands that good design has a direct impact on project cost and profitability.
- Wants to develop their technical knowledge and progress within the Solar PV and battery-storage sector.
The Candidate We Are Looking For
This role is primarily about physical Solar PV design and system performance.
We are looking for someone who can take raw site information and turn it into a clear, accurate, efficient and buildable Solar PV design.
The successful candidate should understand that the best Solar PV layout is not simply the layout containing the greatest possible number of modules.
It must also consider structural constraints, installation methodology, access, shading, mounting systems, roof features, maintenance, system performance and commercial viability.
For someone with the right technical aptitude and Solar PV experience, this represents an opportunity to take ownership of a key part of Kembla's project-development and delivery process while working under the technical guidance of an experienced Technical Manager – Solar PV & Battery Storage.
Pay: £32,000.00-£42,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: In person
