What are the responsibilities and job description for the Head of/ Vice President, Pre-Construction (Utility Scale PV+S) position at 1st Avenue Power?
Head of / Vice President, Pre-Construction
Location: Hybrid (SF Bay Area or LA Metro preferred Remote)
The Impact You'll Make:
The Head of / VP of Pre-Construction & Project Delivery will lead the company's transition of renewable energy assets from late-stage development through construction execution across a growing portfolio of utility-scale solar PV, battery energy storage (BESS), and hybrid energy infrastructure projects.
Key Responsibilities:
Pre-Construction & Execution Leadership
Minimum of $220,000 to maximum annual salary of $350,000 equity benefits.
The range provided is 1AP's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.
About 1st Avenue Power:
At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.
You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as "8minute Solar Energy"), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles' power.
When Tom sold his interest in Avantus' development business to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night.
Tom's family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue's advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.
1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Join our team and make a real difference in the world.
[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]
California Pay Range
$220,000—$350,000 USD
Location: Hybrid (SF Bay Area or LA Metro preferred Remote)
The Impact You'll Make:
The Head of / VP of Pre-Construction & Project Delivery will lead the company's transition of renewable energy assets from late-stage development through construction execution across a growing portfolio of utility-scale solar PV, battery energy storage (BESS), and hybrid energy infrastructure projects.
Key Responsibilities:
Pre-Construction & Execution Leadership
- Lead all pre-construction activities from late-stage development through construction mobilization.
- Establish and manage project readiness standards ensuring successful transition to EPC execution.
- Develop scalable pre-construction processes supporting multi-GW portfolio growth.
- Oversee constructability, execution planning, and delivery strategy across projects.
- Lead EPC engagement strategy including:
- Contracting approach
- Bid evaluation
- Scope alignment
- Commercial negotiations
- Drive alignment between development assumptions and executable construction strategies.
- Partner with legal and commercial teams to structure cost effective and risk-balanced EPC agreements.
- Support contracting of major equipment and long-lead procurement packages.
- Own project CAPEX validation and estimate accuracy prior to investment approval.
- Lead value engineering initiatives improving project economics and delivery certainty.
- Identify execution risks across engineering maturity, supply chain, permitting, and logistics.
- Ensure schedule realism and constructability prior to Final Investment Decision.
- Serve as primary interface across:
- Development
- Engineering
- Finance & Investment Committee
- Supply Chain
- Construction & Asset Management
- Provide executive guidance on delivery strategy across the project lifecycle.
- Align technical execution with commercial and financing milestones.
- Support transition from pre-construction into active construction execution.
- Partner closely with Project Management teams to maintain continuity from contracting through build.
- Implement best practices improving delivery outcomes, partner performance, and portfolio scalability.
- 10–15 years in renewable energy project execution or delivery.
- Demonstrated leadership advancing utility-scale solar and/or BESS projects from development into construction.
- Experience managing portfolios totaling GW-scale deployment.
- Deep expertise in:
- EPC contracting & negotiations
- Pre-construction leadership
- Procurement strategy
- Project execution risk mitigation
- Experience working directly with investors, development teams, and construction partners.
- Prior leadership in Pre-Construction or Project Delivery at a renewable developer/IPP.
- Experience supporting both solar PV and energy storage portfolios (wind is a plus).
- Background bridging commercial, legal, and technical execution environments.
- Experience scaling execution organizations during rapid company growth.
- Competitive Compensation Package
- Remote Flexibility with 15-30% travel to Company and Project sites as needed
- Health Insurance: We offer 100% coverage of employee premiums under a Gold-level PPO plan. Dental & Vision Insurance: 50% of employee premiums are covered.
- Retirement Plan: A 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.
Minimum of $220,000 to maximum annual salary of $350,000 equity benefits.
The range provided is 1AP's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as location, experience, training, skills, and abilities. Consult with your Recruiter during the initial call to determine a more targeted range based on these job-related factors.
About 1st Avenue Power:
At 1st Avenue Power, we are on a mission to deliver simple, fast-to-deploy, customer-centric and intelligent power systems leveraging the abundance of solar to provide inexpensive and reliable clean energy to global customers from data centers to energy starved communities around the world. We envision a future where every community, business, and nation thrives on the limitless potential of clean energy, united in a shared commitment to a sustainable and equitable world.
You will be working with Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, one of the most successful clean energy technology innovators and entrepreneurs who has been a driving force in making solar-based energy solutions the cheapest and most reliable energy option. Tom founded and led Avantus (formerly known as "8minute Solar Energy"), to become one of the largest and most profitable solar and energy storage companies in the United States and the largest in California, including delivering over 17% of Los Angeles' power.
When Tom sold his interest in Avantus' development business to KKR in mid-2024, it had delivered over $1 billion in profit and secured over $10 Billion in power purchase agreements and project financings with a pipeline of over 30 GW of solar and 90 GWh of energy storage, capable of powering the homes of more than 20 million Americans day and night.
Tom's family office investment firm, 1st Avenue Capital, is building teams for the next generation of advanced solar power system architecture and AI to aggressively drive down the cost of and equitable access to clean and reliable energy.[1] 1st Avenue's advanced large scale power systems are addressing the increasing inadequacy of the grid to meet the massively growing power demands of the digital economy, while its intelligent distributed solar utilities are leapfrogging the grid to provide equitable access to inexpensive, clean and reliable power to underserved communities around the world.
1AI Energy, the employing entity for 1st Avenue Power, and 1st Avenue Power are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race (inclusive of traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), age, veteran or military status, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive decision-making, or any other legally recognized protected class under federal, state, or local law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on 1AI Energy or 1st Avenue Power. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing an application or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Join our team and make a real difference in the world.
[1: Additionally, 1st Avenue is in the business of acquiring projects where there has been a final notice-to-proceed or financial close.]
California Pay Range
$220,000—$350,000 USD
Salary : $220,000 - $350,000