Technical Project Lead: SCADA & HPC at ENGIE

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The development of utility-scale energy projects and subsequent participation in government and corporate tenders in Engie Southern Africa is led by a Business Development Department and supported by the Engineering Department. The TPL:SCADA & HPC (hereafter referred to as “TPL”) role specifically shall specifically include the following:

• The TPL provides local technical support during Development, Construction, Commissioning and the Operations stage of project, including SCADA System Design philosophy and specification, FAT, SAT, commissioning, grid connection tests and operational troubleshooting. The role includes periodic travel to Engie powerplant sites during the construction, commissioning and operations phase as and when needed.

Scope of Activities

• Coordinate control systems engineering designs, writing of specifications and design documents including IT/OT connectivity, Grid requirements, SCADA functional analysis, HMI displays, subsystems to be integrated (trackers, weather stations, inverters, etc.). Evaluations and performance assessments associated to control and equipment protection, construction, operation, and maintenance of the company SCADA system used for renewable plants.
• Ensure the deployment of the SCADAs supplied by qualified Vendors per projects in the country from the engineering to hand-over post-commissioning phases.
• Carry out a regulatory and technology watch to anticipate and integrate evolutions and potential improvements.
• Design and develop SCADA system SOWs for renewable energy projects, including hybrid plants comprising PV, Wind, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
• Ability to analyze and optimize the combined operation of wind, PV, and BESS systems. Understanding of energy dispatch strategies, grid connection requirements, and forecasting techniques.
• Specify the interfaces for operation purposes and reporting (alarms, events, KPI’s etc.)
• Develop the SCADA and IT equipment technical specifications to be included in the Request For Quotation.

Experience in integrating SCADA systems with various components of a hybrid plant, including:

• PV SCADA
• Wind SCADA
• BESS SCADA
• Operations Management System (OMS)
• Energy Management System (EMS)

HPC solution:

• Architectures: Understanding of parallel computing concepts, distributed systems, and different HPC architectures (e.g., clusters, cloud-based HPC)
• Data Management for HPC: Knowledge of efficient data storage and retrieval methods for large datasets, including distributed file systems and databases.
• Cloud Computing: Familiarity with cloud-based HPC platforms and services, allowing for scalable and cost-effective high-performance computing.
• Machine Learning and AI: Understanding of machine learning algorithms and techniques used for forecasting, optimization, and predictive maintenance in renewable energy systems.
• Big Data Analytics: Ability to process and analyze large datasets generated by the hybrid plant using big data tools.
• Integrate data from various sources (e.g., meteorological stations, power inverters, battery management systems) into the SCADA system.
• Check and validate the engineering studies related to SCADA.
• Familiarity with database systems (e.g., SQL) for storing and retrieving SCADA data, generating reports, and performing data analysis.
• Collaborate closely with Tendering and/or Delivery Project Managers, Electrical Engineers, IT department and SCADA Suppliers and follow-up on the correct progress of all studies and on-site activities from pre-com to hand-over.
• Knowledge of network topologies, TCP/IP, routing, and network security to ensure reliable communication within the plant and with external systems.
• Strong understanding of industrial communication protocols like Modbus, IEC 61850, DNP3, and their application in renewable energy systems.
• Provide regular updates on project progress and escalate as necessary to avoid and/or clear issues.
• Play an active role during all the phases of the projects on which He/She will be responsible for (technical workshops, physical meeting/conferences calls, internal meetings, coordination of the SCADA Suppliers and associated subcontractors).
• Support Operational teams on SCADA system troubleshooting s requested and review annually the SCADA system performance for all assets and highlight risks and propose optimisations and  improvements.
• Write/Check the FAT (iFAT, software and hardware), commissioning tests procedures.
• Participate and provide support during SCADA’s FAT (iFAT, software and hardware), Commissioning and Grid tests.
• Review all SCADA and IT/OT related documents (specifications, drawings, I/O lists, networks layouts, calculation notes, test reports, etc.) and challenge suppliers on quality of deliverables.
• Provide technical support to the O&M team to solve SCADA and IT issues and to help to analyze plant failures (through history data analysis).
• Provide local support to third party suppliers to help them to solve technical issues and to Darwin during commissioning and after the plant handover to the O&M for remote maintenance activities (checks, software updates, repairs, etc.).

COMMUNICATION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• Engineering Team
• Acquisitions, Investments and Financial Advisory Team
• Business Development Team
• Legal & Ethics Team
• Procurement Team
• Support Teams (HR, IT, HSE, Finance)
• Project Companies, Operating Companies & Subsidiaries
• Engie HQ, AMEA HQ and GBUs

External

• Clients
• Equipment & Technology Providers & EPC Contractors
• Competitors
• Off-takers and Grid Operators
• Consultants & Engineering Firms
• Project Stakeholders (sponsors, lenders, owners, environmental)

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Education

• Engineering Qualification: BSc, BEng or Masters (Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Industrial Automation & instrumentation, Computer Science, Information & Communication Technology.)
• Additional relevant qualifications would be advantageous
• Professional registration would be advantageous  

Language

• Fluent in English (verbal and written skills)

Core Experience & Skills

A minimum of 5 years of experience in industrial SCADA or DCS solution, specifically able to demonstrate experience and engineering expertise including :

• Ability to scope conceptual layouts/configurations, and conduct preliminary assessments
• Ability to specify and review designs and applicable standards
• Ability to specify equipment and plant performance requirements
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in renewable utility scale plants
• A good understanding of the techno-economic life cycle and risk profile of a power project and knowledge in financial indicators for project follow-up
• A reasonable understanding of power plant development, the IPP model and the associated Project Finance technical requirements and interfaces.
• Experience in scoping the technical works, reviewing & evaluating technical proposals, setting & assessing the performance of the works, and providing lifecycle advisory, guidance and recommendations.
• Experience in leading and project/contract managing technical workstreams and internal/external stakeholders to drive the overall project objectives. 
• Experience in translating technical requirements into commercial & contractual concepts in collaboration with the BD, Legal and Finance teams.
• Ability to support via remote computer access
• Knowledge and proficiency in operation and maintenance of MS Windows, MS Office applications.
• Experience of industrial Ethernet network setup (switch, firewall).
• Experience of SCADA history data export.
• Grid Code knowledge
• IEC61131-3 PLC programming languages
• Sequential control chart (SFC)
• Function block diagram (FBD)
• Ladder logic
• Closed loop control (PI)
• SCADA communication protocols:
• Modbus TCP
• IEC61850
• IEC60870-5-104
• OPC UA
• Fiber Optic network
• AutoCAD – Electrical drawings
• Protocol analyzer
• C/C++/C#, JS, Python
• Experienced in passive/active network equipment administration and configuration (Cisco brands, CCNA is a plus)

Advantageous Experience & Skills

• Experience across multiple power generation technologies
• Experience across multiple project phases (development, construction, commissioning, operations. decommissioning)
• Experience with various project types and structures (greenfield, brownfield, acquisitions, divestments, project finance, equity finance, government and corporate PPAs).
• Knowledge of energy market players (Suppliers, Contractors, Consultants, Competitors) and industry practice would be advantageous
• Electrical accreditation to work on powered LV cabinet (for tests & measurements)  (updated through complementary electrical safety training)

Behavioural Competencies

• Ability to travel within South Africa and to ENGIE offices and assets globally as needed.
• Ability to work autonomously and multi-task in times of complexity, uncertainty, variability and project cycles
• Ability to work within a team of members from varying cultural backgrounds and functional backgrounds
• Ability to communicate and share knowledge between remote teams
• Ability to take ownership and responsibility, keep commitments and manage expectations
• Ability to maintain high standards in terms of work quality and attention to detail
• Ability to think conceptually, strategically and analytically
• Ability to function effectively under pressure and maintain self-control
• Ability to adapt to new and diverse environments and changing contexts
• Maintains high ethical standards and confidentiality where required.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adheres to the Company Policies and Procedures;
• Behaves in a responsible way;
• Lives the values of the Company.