Head of Design – Renewable Energy

Head of Design Renewable Energy

Department: Engineering & Design

Location: Chennai / Ahmedabad (with project site travel)

Role Overview

The Head of Design will lead and oversee the complete design function across Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical disciplines for large-scale renewable energy projects. This role is critical in driving design excellence, standardization, cost optimization, and timely delivery of designs for utility-scale and commercial solar/wind projects . The incumbent will manage major projects end-to-end, mentor multi-disciplinary teams, and ensure all designs meet statutory, client, and quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Design Leadership & Governance

• Head the Design Department comprising Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical design teams.
• Define design philosophy, standards, SOPs, and best practices across all disciplines.
• Ensure integration and coordination between civil, electrical, and mechanical designs.
• Review and approve all critical design deliverables before client submission.

2. Project Design Management

• Lead design activities for utility-scale and large commercial renewable energy projects .
• Ensure timely delivery of layouts, calculations, drawings, BOQs, and technical documents.
• Support pre-bid and tendering teams with feasibility studies, conceptual designs, and technical inputs.
• Manage design timelines aligned with project execution schedules.

3. Technical Oversight (Multi-Disciplinary)

• Civil: Site feasibility, grading, drainage, foundations, roads, and structural layouts.
• Electrical: DC & AC system design, SLDs, protection systems, grid integration, energy yield analysis.
• Mechanical: Module mounting structures, trackers, wind/load calculations, fabrication drawings.
• Module mounting structure design (fixed-tilt and tracker-based systems), tracker coordination, wind and structural load calculations, preparation of fabrication drawings, and design optimization for constructability, cost efficiency, and long-term performance.
• Ensure optimization of designs for cost, constructability, and long-term performance.

4. Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with IS, IEC, MNRE, utility, DISCOM, and client standards .
• Oversee design audits, risk assessments, and technical reviews.
• Interface with clients, consultants, and third-party reviewers during design approvals.

5. Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Project Management, Procurement, Construction, QA/QC, and O&M teams.
• Provide design clarifications and technical support during execution and commissioning stages.
• Coordinate with vendors and OEMs for design validation and approvals.

6. Team Development & Capability Building

• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing design teams.
• Drive training, knowledge sharing, and succession planning within the department.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of key design resources.

7. Continuous Improvement & Innovation

• Drive design standardization, modularization, and value engineering initiatives.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, tools, and software relevant to RE design.
• Contribute to organizational growth through improved design efficiency and innovation.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: B.E./B.Tech in Civil / Electrical / Mechanical Engineering (Masters preferred).
• Experience: 1218 years of experience in Renewable Energy design , with at least 5+ years in a leadership or departmental head role .
• Proven experience handling large-scale solar/wind projects (100+ MW cumulative exposure preferred) .

Skills & Tools

• Strong command over AutoCAD, STAAD Pro, PVsyst, ETAP, Helioscope, Civil 3D , and relevant design tools.
• Excellent understanding of project lifecycle, EPC execution, and design-build coordination.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking with hands-on technical depth
• Strong ownership and accountability
• Ability to manage complexity and multiple large projects
• High standards for quality, safety, and compliance

Outcome of the Role:

To build a robust, future-ready design function that delivers technically sound, cost-effective, and compliant renewable energy projects, enabling the organization to scale sustainably.