Must Have:
ABET Bachelor's Degree in Engineering
Nice to Have:
Certified Project Management Professional
PE (Professional Engineer) registration
Renewables (Wind, Solar) Experience preferred
JOB DESCRIPTION
1. Explain what the scope of the work/project is? Project Overview, deliverables (what is this person responsible for).
This is a Project Engineering (E&C Engineer) role supporting capital projects at wind farms across the region (primarily Southwest Minnesota, with sites across MN, SD, and nearby areas). The engineer will manage a portfolio of ~a dozen projects per year, overseeing the end to end project lifecycle at wind facilities.
Key responsibilities:
Plan and schedule capital projects at wind farms
Order equipment and manage contractors
Coordinate with site Operations & Maintenance teams
Perform limited R&D to select optimal equipment
Manage a multi year (H5 year) project portfolio with budgeting and forecasting
Ensure quality, schedule adherence, and cost control
Travel during construction windows to oversee installations (occasional)
2. What does a typical day look like?
Desk based planning and scheduling (opening/planning work orders)
Coordinating schedules and field visits with contractors
Working with O&M teams to align priorities
Researching equipment options and documenting decisions
Budgeting/forecasting and portfolio tracking
Occasional site visits during construction weeks to oversee work
6. Describe work environment / team culture (supportive/collaborative, teamwork or individual contributor)?
Independent frontline project management
Collaborative across renewables and O&M
Minimal day to day oversight; high autonomy ( assigned projects and make them happen )
Hybrid work with strong ownership expectations
7. Can you elaborate on any potential risks or safety considerations associated with this role, particularly if the responsibilities extend beyond a standard desk or office environment? Some Risk Traveling to Wind Farms, 4 days in office.
9. What are the work hours/shift (standard, evening, full time/part time, OT required, on-call for 24/7 operation)?
Flexible start times (e.g., 7:00 3:30 or 8:00 4:30)
8 hours/day
Hybrid: 4 days onsite, 1 day remote
1. What are the top 3-5 skills and qualifications (technology/application/software, etc.) required?
Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical preferred; other engineering disciplines considered), ideally from an ABET accredited program
Project management experience
PMP (nice to have)
PE license (nice to have)
Renewables experience, especially wind
2. What non-technical skills are necessary (i.e., such as communication, problem solving, team player)?
Strong communication (critical due to multi site coordination)
Ability to work effectively with O&M teams
Independent problem solving and ownership
3. Ideal candidate background and how many years required?
Job Type 2: approximately 3 7 years of experience
Engineers preferred; strong renewables PM backgrounds considered even without a degree (engineering degree is highly preferred, not required)
4. Are there any specific companies you like to see on a candidate's resume?
No specific list; wind turbine OEM experience (e.g., Vestas, Client) or on site wind experience is helpful.
5. Are there any certifications that the candidate must possess?
None required. PMP and PE are nice to have.
6. Are there any preferred or "nice to have" skills?
Wind (or broader renewables) domain experience
Exposure to solar, hydro, or battery projects
Comfort with spreadsheets (tools are easy to learn; not a differentiator)
1. What is the location of the contract assignment (Full time onsite, hybrid percent of time on site/home or, are you open to fully remote)? If the resource is expected to be onsite, can you confirm if the resource can park on Xcel property/in the ramp?
Primary: Marshall Ops Center (Minneapolis area)
Alternate: Sioux Falls, SD service center
Also acceptable: Southwest Minnesota near wind farms
Free parking at Marshall and Sioux Falls
Project engineer position supporting Renewables (Wind, Solar) capital projects. Mechanical Engineer or Electrical Engineer preferred. Hybrid work with minimum 4 days in office per week (Minneapolis, MN). Occassional (<20%) travel to sites will be required (MN, SD, ND) with travel reimbursement.
Responsible for the design, modeling, development and testing of a machine, structure or system. Develops functional requirements. Understands and applies standard engineering principles. Creates simulations and prototypes to evaluate preliminary designs and test how a machine, structure or system operates. Designs and tests components, and integrates components to produce final product. Monitors quality of products and controls the efficiency of processes. Evaluates a design's overall effectiveness, cost, reliability, and safety. Investigates root causes of failures to maintain quality and recommend improvements.
EEO:
Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans.