Project Engineer

Job Description: Project Engineer (Mini-Grid, C&I, EV) - Projects, Engineering & Operations · Abuja / Lagos, Nigeria
Location: Abuja / Lagos, Nigeria
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Technical Manager (Engineering and Operations)
Sector: Projects, Engineering & Operations
Company Description
Ashipa Electric is an energy company committed to accelerating the transition to a distributed, digitized, decarbonized, and equitable energy future. We design and deploy mini-grid solutions that help homeowners and businesses reduce energy costs while improving reliability and resiliency. By enabling more efficient and resilient energy systems, Ashipa Electric supports local economic growth and sustainable development. Our work is focused on creating long-term positive impacts for communities and millions of end users.
About the Role
The Project Engineer is a critical technical and coordination role within the company's distributed energy portfolio. The role holder is responsible for the end-to-end engineering delivery of projects across mini-grid development, commercial & industrial (C&I) solar, electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and the ongoing operation and maintenance (O&M) of renewable energy systems.
Working closely with the Project Manager and cross-functional teams, the Project Engineer ensures that all projects are engineered to the highest technical standards, delivered on schedule, within budget, and in full compliance with regulatory, safety, and quality requirements.
Key Performance Indicators
≥ 95% - Project On-Time Delivery
< 5% - Budget Variance
Zero LTI - HSE Incident Rate
≥ 98% - System Uptime (O&M)
Key Responsibilities
1. Project Engineering & Delivery
• Prepare and review engineering designs, technical specifications, single-line diagrams (SLDs), layout drawings, and bill of quantities (BOQ) for all project types.
• Conduct site surveys, feasibility assessments, and due diligence visits to inform engineering decisions and system sizing.
• Develop and manage project schedules, work breakdown structures (WBS), and resource plans in coordination with the Project Manager.
• Oversee civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering works on site, ensuring execution is in strict accordance with approved designs and specifications.
• Monitor project progress against milestones, identify deviations early, and implement corrective actions to keep projects on track.
• Liaise with EPC contractors, equipment vendors, and sub-contractors to ensure quality, timely delivery, and cost-effectiveness of works.
• Prepare and maintain project documentation including progress reports, inspection records, punch lists, and as-built drawings.
2. Mini-Grid Development
• Support the full project lifecycle for rural and peri-urban mini-grid projects — from site identification and energy demand assessment through engineering design, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Conduct or review energy demand surveys, load profiling, and community engagement data to inform system sizing and tariff modelling.
• Utilise energy modelling tools (HOMER, PVSyst) for solar PV, battery storage, and hybrid generation system design and optimisation.
• Coordinate with regulatory authorities (e.g. NERC, REA, state agencies) for permitting, licensing, and compliance requirements.
• Oversee construction supervision including solar PV array installation, battery storage integration, LV/MV distribution network deployment, and metering infrastructure.
• Lead commissioning activities: system testing, protection relay setting, metering verification, and performance validation before handover.
• Prepare commissioning reports, as-built documentation, and final handover packages for mini-grid sites.
3. Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Solar Projects
• Assess C&I client electricity load profiles, consumption patterns, and tariff structures to design optimised behind-the-meter solar PV and storage solutions.
• Develop technical proposals, system designs, and financial models (including ROI, payback period, and IRR analysis) to support business development.
• Manage procurement of solar modules, inverters, energy storage systems, switchgear, and balance-of-system (BoS) components, ensuring quality and cost targets are met.
• Supervise installation, testing, and commissioning of rooftop, ground-mount, and carport solar PV systems at commercial and industrial client facilities.
• Negotiate and administer Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), lease agreements, and EPC/O&M contracts with clients and contractors.
• Conduct post-installation performance audits and energy yield analysis to verify system performance against design expectations.
4. Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Development
• Support the design, procurement, and deployment of EV charging infrastructure including AC and DC fast-charging stations for fleet, commercial, and public applications.
• Assess site electrical infrastructure — grid connection capacity, transformer sizing, protection requirements — and recommend upgrades where necessary.
• Coordinate with grid operators, OEMs, and EV charging network providers for technical integration and connectivity.
• Evaluate solar-integrated EV charging solutions and energy storage co-location opportunities to maximise clean energy utilisation and reduce demand charges.
• Develop project specifications, installation drawings, and commissioning protocols for EV charging deployments.
• Monitor EV charging infrastructure performance using network management platforms; identify faults and coordinate rapid resolution.
5. Operation & Maintenance of Renewable Energy Systems
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve preventive and corrective maintenance programmes for all asset types under management (solar PV, battery storage, mini-grid, EV infrastructure).
• Monitor system performance using SCADA, EMS, and remote monitoring platforms; analyse data to identify underperformance, faults, or degradation trends.
• Coordinate and supervise field O&M teams and service technicians; conduct regular site inspections and quality audits.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical faults including inverter failures, battery management system (BMS) alarms, protection trips, and metering anomalies.
• Manage spare parts inventory, tools, and maintenance consumables to minimise system downtime.
• Track and report O&M KPIs including system availability, performance ratio (PR), energy yield, and mean time to repair (MTTR).
• Prepare detailed O&M reports, root cause analyses (RCA), and maintenance schedules for client and management review.
• Ensure all O&M activities comply with relevant HSE standards, safe systems of work, and manufacturer specifications.
Qualifications & Experience
Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree (B.Eng / B.Sc) in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Energy Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of post-qualification engineering experience in the renewable energy or power sector.
• Registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) or actively pursuing registration.
• Member or Associate Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) or equivalent professional body.
Preferred / Added Advantage
• Post-graduate qualification or professional certification in Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2) or Renewable Energy.
• Hands-on experience in mini-grid development, C&I solar, or EV charging infrastructure deployment.
• Familiarity with Nigerian energy sector regulations, REA/NERC licensing frameworks, and rural electrification programmes.
• Experience with energy modelling tools (HOMER, PVSyst) and SCADA/EMS platforms.
Skills & Competencies
Technical Engineering Depth: Designs, specifies, and oversees the full engineering lifecycle across solar PV, storage, mini-grids, and EV infrastructure.
Project Delivery Discipline: Manages schedules, BOQs, contractor interfaces, and milestones with precision and accountability.
O&M & Asset Management: Develops and improves maintenance programmes; tracks system performance and minimises downtime.

Work arrangement
Yes