Title: Project Engineering Manager
Hours: Full-time; Salaried
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (on-site)
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Manager: VP of Project Delivery
Mission – Why we exist and why we need youGeothermal energy is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world. There is 2,300 times more energy in geothermal heat in the ground than in oil, gas, coal, and methane combined. However, historically it’s been hard to find and expensive to develop. At Zanskar, we’re using better technology to find and develop new geothermal resources in order to make geothermal a cheap and vital contributor to a carbon-free electrical grid.
Zanskar's first geothermal plants will become the template for every plant we build after them. As Project Engineering Manager, you will own the technical backbone of that template, from the design basis and company-wide technical specifications to the lessons learned that make each new plant cheaper and faster to build, so every plant after it gets built better.
Outcomes – Problems you’ll solveSuccess in this role in 6 months means the design basis and engineering scope for the power plant, substation, and gen-tie are clear, owned by you, and understood by the EPC contractor and the rest of Project Delivery. You will have put the engineering and design management plan in place, including the design deliverable schedule and review process, and scheduled the constructability, operability/maintainability, design model, and HAZOP reviews so that actions are closed before the project advances through each stage gate.
You will have the management of change process running, so technical and scope changes are evaluated, approved, and documented, with their cost and schedule impact understood. You will also have started capturing technical lessons learned and developing company-wide technical specifications and the standard design basis, so what we learn on the first project feeds directly into our standardized plant design.
Along the way, you will be the technical voice of Project Delivery: representing engineering at stage gates and with the independent engineer, coordinating technical interfaces with our interconnection group, approving technical submittals and procurement packages with the procurement team, and building strong working relationships with the engineers and contractors who will carry the design through construction and commissioning.
Competencies – What we’re looking for- Engineering depth: A BS in mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, or construction engineering and 10+ years of engineering in heavy infrastructure, including at least one project taken from design through commissioning. Experience in geothermal, binary ORC, power plants, oil and gas, or chemicals is helpful, as is working knowledge of substation and high-voltage gen-tie design.
- Review leadership: You have led design, constructability, and HAZOP reviews, and you know how to make sure every action is closed before a project moves forward.
- Standards builder: You like turning hard-won project lessons into repeatable standards. You will own our company-wide technical specifications and the process for approving deviations from them, so experience developing standardized designs or technical specifications across multiple projects is helpful.
- Owner-side contractor management: You have managed outside engineers and contractors, including engineering-of-record and EPC teams, through design reviews, RFIs, and change orders. Owner-side experience on EPC-contracted projects and experience working with an independent engineer or lender's technical advisor are helpful.
- Leader and communicator: You have managed people and can hire and mentor engineers. You can explain technical tradeoffs clearly to articulate optimal design solutions and achieve buy in from stakeholders.
- The position is located in Salt Lake City, UT, on-site, with periodic travel to project locations, the EPC contractor's office, and key equipment suppliers.
- Full-time; Salaried
- Paid holidays
- 18 days PTO + PTO accrual increase based on tenure
- Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
- Group Life, STD & LTD
- Equity Packages
- 401k
- Paid Parental Leave
- A direct impact in displacing carbon emissions, and growth opportunities in a growing startup environment
Zanskar is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practice laws.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, or construction engineering
- 10+ years of engineering experience in heavy infrastructure
- Experience taking at least one project from design through commissioning
- Experience leading design, constructability, and HAZOP reviews
- Experience managing outside engineers and contractors, including engineering-of-record and EPC teams
- Experience managing people and mentoring engineers
- Experience with geothermal, binary ORC, power plants, oil and gas, or chemicals
- Working knowledge of substation and high-voltage gen-tie design
- Experience developing standardized designs or technical specifications across multiple projects
- Owner-side experience on EPC-contracted projects
- Experience working with an independent engineer or lender’s technical advisor
- Ability to travel periodically to project locations, contractor offices, and equipment suppliers
What We Do
Zanskar is the first AI-native geothermal energy company. It utilizes artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced geoscience to precisely pinpoint and develop utility-scale geothermal resources. By transforming exploration into a repeatable, data-driven process, Zanskar aims to unlock vast amounts of clean, firm baseload power, making geothermal energy a cornerstone of the future power grid and a major player in the U.S. energy mix.
