PV Module and Performance Engineer

We’re a team of friends bound together by a mission to preserve our planet for future generations through innovative energy solutions and modern infrastructure. In December 2025, Google announced an agreement to acquire Intersect, to enable more data center and generation capacity to come online faster while accelerating energy development and innovation. After close, we’ll continue doing exactly what we were built to do - develop, construct, and operate the most ambitious power and data infrastructure in the country.

Intersect’s operations will remain separate from Alphabet and Google under the Intersect brand. We’re on an aggressive growth trajectory and looking for people hungry to tackle the largest energy challenges on the planet. 

Location & Team Gatherings

Intersect has been a fully flexible workplace since its founding in 2016.  We’ve been very intentional about the way we do things. We are not work-from-home, hybrid, or in-office - we are any and all of those options! Deepening social connections and offering shared experiences is a cornerstone of the way we work. We connect as a team at our Team Week experiences four times a year and at our recently established Hub locations - SF Bay Area, NYC Metro Area, NY; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; Calgary, AB; and Toronto, ON.

We are currently looking for candidates located within 60 miles of any of the listed hubs to foster more in-person connections while maintaining our flexible remote culture.

About This Position

As part of Intersect’s Engineering team, you’ll lead and be accountable for PV module technology, energy modeling, plant performance, and production estimates across our utility-scale solar portfolio. This role connects deep material science expertise with system-level design, financing diligence, procurement strategy, and long-term operational excellence — ensuring our projects deliver durable, bankable performance from development through operations.

You’ll own thin-film CdTe technology strategy, capacity testing, energy estimation for PPA negotiations, and technical diligence during financing. Working cross-functionally with Development, Procurement, EPC partners, and Independent Engineers, you’ll guide technology selection, optimize system design for lowest LCOE, and ensure technical decisions align with contractual offtake and financial model expectations.

This is currently a sole contributor role without direct reports, with the opportunity to grow as the PV team expands.

This role is planned to start in mid-Q1, with a four-week training period to reach full productivity by mid-Q2.

Team Overview

This team plays a critical role in advancing Intersect’s mission to accelerate the clean energy transition by ensuring our utility-scale solar assets are designed, validated, financed, and operated to deliver long-term performance. Through rigorous engineering, thoughtful optimization, and strong cross-functional collaboration, the team supports projects across development, contracting, construction, and operations. Joining this group means shaping infrastructure that powers communities at scale while influencing technology strategy, cost competitiveness, and long-run asset value.

What You’ll Do

Own PV Module Technology Strategy

• Lead and maintain ownership of thin-film CdTe PV module technology, including qualification testing (performance, degradation, hail, and related stress testing)

• Develop accelerated life test protocols and predictive test programs to evaluate module behavior under real-world plant conditions

• Manage external partner laboratories and testing programs, periodically reporting results to guide procurement, design, and business strategy

• Translate material science insights into bankable performance assumptions and long-term degradation models

Lead Energy Modeling & Production Estimates

• Develop and validate advanced PV energy models using PVsyst, PlantPredict, or equivalent bankability-grade tools.

• Integrate module behavior, MV infrastructure, BOS design, trackers, and plant-level systems into cohesive performance models.

• Lead technical aspects of energy estimation during PPA negotiations, ensuring offtake requirements are met with cost-optimized, constructible solutions

• Perform performance ratio (PR) analysis, degradation modeling, and maintain as-built models to evaluate long-term module and BOS performance

Lead DC collection system design, EPC process & Supporting Ops post COD 

• Lead technical discussions on DC collection systems with the OEMs, EPC and construction teams.

• Lead reliability assessment of the DC collection system

• Support operations team in debugging issues in DC collection systems.

• Apply power systems engineering principles to implement data-driven corrective actions

• Translate complex engineering findings into clear, actionable recommendations for cross-functional teams

Drive System Design & LCOE Optimization

• Maintain ownership of system sizing, equipment selection, electrical modeling, and balance of system documentation

• Lead cross-functional PV optimization efforts targeting lowest LCOE/LCOS while maintaining constructibility and contractual performance requirements

• Evaluate and select tracker systems, DC collection systems, and wire management solutions based on technical and commercial trade-offs

• Apply advanced facility design optimization techniques to improve production, reduce risk, and strengthen lifecycle value

Lead Technical Diligence, Financing & Procurement Support

• Lead and manage Independent Engineers (IEs), their scope, and diligence processes through project financing to successful close

• Develop and own EPC technical exhibits, energy capacity and performance testing protocols, and vendor technical specifications

• Support EPC RFPs and commercial supply agreements to ensure technical requirements are clearly defined and aligned with cost objectives

• Advise Procurement on PV module and tracker selection, including Tier 1 supplier diligence for large-scale procurement transactions

• Interface directly with vendors and suppliers in support of the Procurement team

• Ensure Operational & Regulatory ExcellencePerform ASTM E2848 capacity testing and interpret results with technical rigor and integrity

• Mine power plant historian data to diagnose module performance issues and identify root causes of production shortfalls

• Maintain as-built models to study long-term degradation, mismatch rates, and BOS failure trends

• Ensure compliance with relevant codes and standards (NEC, IBC, IFC, NFPA, UL, IEC, ISO/TSP) across permitting, design, construction, and operations

• Support grid interconnection requirements, including grid-following and grid-forming PV plant considerations (e.g., ERCOT, CAISO)

• Ensure the highest standards of environmental health and safety across engineering activities

• Partner cross-functionally with Development, Land, Engineering, and Business Development teams to resolve permitting, regulatory, and technical issues efficiently

Support Business Development & Emerging Applications

• Provide energy modeling support for Business Development initiatives, including data center and large-load projects

• Develop simplified energy models supporting clean electron to green molecule production initiatives

• Quantify and communicate technical risks and opportunities to inform strategic investment decisions

What You’ll Bring

• BS in Engineering required; Master’s preferred; PhD in Engineering or relevant Materials Science field a plus

• 6+ years of technical experience with ownership of PV performance and production estimates across development, design, contracting (EPC/modules/BOS), and construction phases

• Proven experience performing and interpreting ASTM E2848 capacity testing 

• Demonstrated expertise in thin-film CdTe PV module technology, including material science-based research or development

• Experience managing Independent Engineer scope and deliverables through at least one successful project financing

• Experience advising procurement on Tier 1 PV module and single-axis tracker purchases for utility-scale projects (100MW+ transaction experience or 200MW+ aggregate preferred

• Advanced proficiency with PVsyst, PlantPredict, or similar bankability-grade energy modeling tools

• Strong technical background in MV infrastructure, utility-scale power conversion systems, transformers, inverters, and battery/ESS technologies

• Working knowledge of applicable codes and standards (NEC, IBC, IFC, NFPA, UL, IEC, ISO/TSP) and grid interconnection requirements

• Proficiency in scripting or automation tools (Python, MATLAB, VBA, or equivalent) to streamline engineering calculations and analysis

• Deep understanding of photovoltaic technologies, trackers, inverters, system optimization levers, cost drivers, and lifecycle trade-offs

• Experience in advanced performance and facility design optimization techniques

• Strong familiarity with the full utility-scale project lifecycle from development through commissioning and operations

Total Rewards 

At Intersect, we care about your well-being, growth, and balance. Here’s how we support you:

Total Compensation: $188,500 - $201,500 (total compensation includes base salary + bonus in USD)

Health & Wellness: 100% premium coverage for you and your dependents on medical, dental, and vision

Time to Recharge: Unlimited PTO, plus two company-wide breaks (Fourth of July & end of year)

Family Support: Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, plus 6 additional weeks for birth parents; access to family planning support via Carrot and Maven

Mental Health: Free access to Spring Health which includes 5 free Therapy & psychiatry sessions, plus a Headspace account for mindfulness and meditation through our physical health vendor, Wellhub+

Retirement: 3% non-elective employer contribution to your 401k or RRSP, ensuring your financial future is on the right track

Perks & Extras: $150 monthly food stipend, $150 monthly reimbursement for cell phone/ internet, pet insurance allowance, full home office setup and free access to UrbanSitter with $625 in quarterly paid company credits, ActiveHero, and One Medical

Ready to help build the next generation of clean, reliable, and flexible energy solutions? Apply now and join Intersect in accelerating the energy transition while shaping your own impact in the industry.

Intersect maintains a work environment free from discrimination, one where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. All employees share in the responsibility for fulfilling Intersect's commitment to equal employment opportunity. Intersect does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by and consistent with applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline.