Senior Wind Energy Resource Engineer

Job Title: Senior Wind Energy Resource Engineer

Department: Engineering Center of Excellence

Location: Sydney, Australia

About Lightsource bp

We are Lightsource bp – and we’re on a mission to become a global leader in onshore renewables, anchored by our proven track record in solar development.

For over a decade we’ve been actively working to diversify the way our world is powered with sustainable and responsible renewable power. We work to safely deliver affordable, reliable, large-scale onshore renewable and energy storage solutions to help the world decarbonise.

Our growing business is constantly innovating and investing to help drive the energy transition. Our people and projects are focused on supporting long-term sustainable growth and energy security.

Lightsource bp was fully acquired by bp in 2024.

What You’ll do (the role)

Summary

The Wind Energy Resource team is located with the Central Engineering department, and is part of the wider Energy Resource community.

This team provides expertise and support to many areas of LSbp, in particular Engineering Centre of Excellence and Commercial Engineering.

Key deliverables for this role include measurement campaign design and execution, wind farm layout design, energy yield assessments including uncertainty assessment, Operational Yield Assessments, Power Curve Tests, and engagement with third party technical advisors. This role will also contribute to the development and continuous improvement of Resource Assessment standards.

This global team may participate at any project stage: development, design and construction, as well as in operation stage, in coordination with other areas such as Business Development, Planning and GIS, Main Equipment SME, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Commercial Engineering, Development Engineering, Construction Engineering, Operation and Innovation.

Duties and Responsibilities

The following responsibilities will be conducted on projects on APAC markets, with main focus in Australia, and performed in line with Global Resource Assessment standards:

• Undertake preconstruction Energy Yield Assessments (EYAs) for onshore wind projects.
• Perform wind turbine layout designs throughout project development stages, in support of the LCOE optimisation process, collaborating with Commercial Engineering, Development Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction, SME, etc.
• Design cost-effective wind measurement campaigns to achieve optimal EYA uncertainties.
• Oversee deployment, O&M and decommissioning of wind measurement stations, including ensuring data pipeline.
• Manage third party yield assessments including scope and review, in line with internal quality requirements.
• Advise Commercial Engineering and Development Engineering on all aspects related to wind resource, turbine layout design and wind energy yield.
• Perform Operational Yield Assessments (OYAs) and Power Curve Tests (PCTs) for operating onshore wind projects both to support commercial activities, and to feedback into preconstruction lessons learned and methodology improvements.
• Review and support negotiation of technical appendices for Turbine Supply Agreements, including availability guarantees and power curve warranties.
• Support Global Energy Resource Assessment community with development and continuous improvement of all technical methodologies relating to EYA accuracy and wind farm yield optimisation.
• Use wind and solar EYA outputs to perform modelling of hybrid development sites (e.g. wind/BESS/solar hybrid sites).
• Advise Commercial Engineering and Development on guarantee structures for PPA contracts.
• Manage relationships with Technical Advisors to ensure high quality data services are delivered to Lightsource projects.

Who we’re looking for

Knowledge / Experience

• 10+ years of experience in renewable energy technical roles, predominantly focussed on wind energy resource and its influence on the project success.
• Deep experience in undertaking wind Energy Yield Assessments up to investment-grade standard including experience comparing multiple methodologies.
• Experience coding in Python or related language is an advantage.
• Detailed knowledge of onshore wind simulation software and key data suppliers.
• Experience and confidence in data analyses/modelling of renewable stand-alone and hybrid (wind, PV, BESS) sites, is an advantage.
• Detailed knowledge of market movements on, and standards of, onshore wind modelling and simulating assumptions.
• Familiarity with the interactions of developer, turbine supplier, lender and technical advisor in onshore wind project development. Similar experience for utility scale PV and BESS is an advantage.
• Ideally experienced in working across multiple jurisdictions and time zones including some travel
• Knowledge of main players in the industry (TAs, IEs, Investors, Turbine OEMs, etc).

Education / Qualifications

• Degree or Master’s Degree in Engineering, renewable energy or similar.
• Experience working internationally on utility scale wind projects in multiple markets.
• Fluent English spoken and written. Additional languages are a plus.

Why you’ll make a great member of the team

Personal & Work Skills

• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to discuss complex situations with others both in person and remotely.
• Good ability and appetite to identify and develop improvement opportunities in the Wind Energy Resource area.
• Ability to develop and train colleagues and provide quality assurance.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail to identify root cause technical issues.
• Able to work autonomously on projects to improve central and commercial engineering team processes related to performance.
• Strong organisational, strategic thinking and time-management skills, and ability to manage and prioritise workflows which cannot always be predicted and can be disrupted by immediate project needs.
• A good commitment to technical excellence in a fast-moving commercial environment.
• Ability to effectively argue for the companies’ assumptions and positions with external parties (TAs, IEs, Investors, EPC, third party labs, etc).
• Flexible, reliable, assertive, consistent & with a “can do” attitude.
• Forward thinking, a problem solver and solution provider (solution oriented).
• Able to promote a positive working culture within the team and in a cross-functional areas role.
• Team player.
• Self-starter and self-confident.
• Present yourself with integrity, credibility and professionalism.

Why you’ll want to work for us

Our company is a place where you can be yourself and grow; a place where your ideas and opinions matter.

Be you

We pride ourselves on being an inclusive community, where every individual is valued and treated with respect.

Be responsible

Our culture is driven by our core values. From operating safely to ensuring our solar projects are responsible and promote biodiversity. 

Be recognized

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits including annual bonus, retention bank, health insurance, pension and other local benefits.

Be inspired

Beyond your day-to-day working life at Lightsource bp, there’s a variety of initiatives that will contribute to your own personal development. Initiatives to get involved with including our charitable causes, supporting our solar honey project or our sustainability initiatives.

Our Core Values

Lightsource bp truly cares about creating a sustainable future through safe, responsible and meaningful low carbon energy projects. Our core values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, Sustainability and Drive are the guiding principles for everything we do. 

https://www.lightsourcebp.com/careers/