Staff Power Generation Development Engineer

What to Expect

The Staff Generation Development Engineer owns the full lifecycle of large-scale natural gas power generation projects — from concept and detailed design through procurement, construction quality assurance, commissioning, and long-term operational oversight. This role delivers behind-the-meter and grid-connected generation capacity supporting Tesla manufacturing and energy operations, with deep technical ownership across combustion turbine, steam turbine, steam boiler, simple cycle, and combined cycle technologies, plus balance-of-plant (BOP) systems. Candidates should expect a fast-paced environment with high accountability, frequent OEM/EPC interface, field time at construction and operating sites, and direct ownership of technical outcomes from first fire through commercial operation and ongoing reliability.

What You’ll Do

• Lead front-end and detailed engineering for simple cycle, combined cycle, steam turbine, and steam boiler generation facilities from greenfield concept through issued-for-construction packages, including heat balances, P&IDs, PFDs, general arrangements, electrical one-lines, protection schemes, and control architectures

• Evaluate, select, and size major equipment and full balance-of-plant systems — combustion turbines, steam turbines, HRSGs, boilers, generators, transformers, fuel gas, water/steam cycle, cooling, condensate/feedwater, compressed air, fire protection, HVAC, chemical feed, and wastewater — including ASME B31.1 steam generation, distribution, and user systems

• Perform and oversee thermodynamic performance modeling, emissions estimates, water balances, and plant optimization studies; prepare Owner’s specifications, data sheets, scopes of work, RFPs, and technical bid evaluations for OEMs and EPC contractors

• Lead technical procurement and OEM/EPC interface management through design reviews, hold points, change control, deviation resolution, and award recommendations for major equipment and BOP packages

• Witness and approve FATs and SATs for turbines, generators, HRSGs, switchgear, transformers, DCS, and critical BOP skids, including domestic and international travel

• Establish and enforce QA/QC across design, fabrication, construction, and commissioning; review ITPs, welding procedures, NDE, and pressure test packages; provide field engineering support for RFIs, NCRs, mechanical completion, system turnover, and pre-commissioning readiness

• Own commissioning and startup through first-fire, steam blows, turbine roll, synchronization, load ramp, and reliability runs; lead or oversee ASME PTC performance testing and emissions compliance demonstration

• Serve as technical owner for operating generation assets, including performance monitoring, reliability improvement, outage support, major inspections, retrofits, and development of operating envelopes and technical procedures

• Ensure compliance with ASME BPVC, B31.1, B31.3, PTC, NFPA, IEEE, and API; apply NERC/FERC generator owner/operator requirements where facilities export to the grid or include offsite power distribution and interconnection; apply ERCOT protocols and reliability expectations for Texas generation and interconnection

• Support air, water, building, and interconnection permitting with technical inputs; coordinate fuel gas, water, electrical, and environmental interfaces; mentor engineers and set generation technical standards across Tesla sites

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience

• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive engineering experience in design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and/or operation of large-scale natural gas and/or steam power generation facilities (Staff / Senior Staff level)

• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of generation projects from concept through commercial operation — spanning design, procurement, QA/QC, commissioning, and operational support

• Deep expertise across combustion turbine (simple cycle), combined cycle (CCGT), steam turbine, and steam boiler configurations, plus strong balance-of-plant experience (fuel gas, HRSG/steam cycle, feedwater/condensate, cooling, water treatment, compressed air, fire protection, chemical feed, and auxiliary power)

• Familiarity with ASME B31.1 steam generation, distribution, and user systems, including design, specification, construction oversight, and code compliance

• Familiarity with NERC- and FERC-regulated generation facilities when exporting power to the grid or operating offsite power distribution and interconnection facilities; familiarity with ERCOT requirements, interconnection practices, and reliability expectations for high-availability generation in Texas

• Proven ability to write specifications, lead OEM/EPC bid evaluations, and manage technical interfaces with major equipment vendors (e.g., GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, Mitsubishi Power, and equivalent BOP suppliers)

• Hands-on commissioning and startup experience including first-fire, performance testing, punch-list closure, and turnover to operations; working knowledge of ASME BPVC, B31.1, B31.3, PTC, NFPA 85/850, and IEEE protection practices

• Proficiency with a substantial subset of generation engineering tools: Thermoflow (GT PRO/MASTER, STEAM PRO/MASTER, THERMOFLEX, PEACE), Gate Cycle, or EBSILON; AutoCAD/Plant 3D, Smart Plant, AVEVA, Navisworks, Bluebeam; CAESAR II, PIPE-FLO or AFT; ETAP, SKM, or Easy Power; and familiarity with major DCS platforms (e.g., Emerson Ovation/DeltaV, GE Mark VIe, Siemens T3000, ABB 800xA) and plant historians (e.g., OSIsoft/AVEVA PI)

• Based in or willing to relocate to Houston, TX or Austin, TX; willing to travel domestically and internationally, around 25% of the time, for FATs, construction, commissioning, and ops support; strong communication skills with executives, OEMs, and EPCs; PE license preferred