Procurement Engineer (Mechanical Commodity)

Hanwha Q CELLS USA Corp (“HQC US”) develops, invests, and delivers solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects through Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) services in North America.
The company brings a decade of global leadership in solar PV to deliver utility-scale power generation plants customized for local and regional energy markets. HQC US offers the full spectrum of PV solutions – from the core technology of cells and modules to large-scale project development and investment. With proven capabilities across the solar and battery storage value chain, HQC US minimizes uncertainty and risk and helps customers achieve a higher return on their investment in renewable energy.
SUMMARYThe Procurement Engineer will serve as the lead technical representative for the Procurement organization for their assigned commodities. They will be responsible for performing the purchase process for major equipment (racking, foundation piles, etc.) from RFP to purchase order/contract execution in conjunction with other members of the team. Additional responsibilities will include identifying and assessing new vendors and emerging technologies, maintaining a database of current suppliers, supporting the pre-qualification process and monitoring supplier performance. Works closely with key suppliers that support the overall strategic objectives of the organization and ensure reliable support and supply of materials to projects. May be assigned other tasks as needed. This position reports to the Procurement Manager, or another management personnel that the President of the Company may designate. This position is remote eligible with required travel to Qcells HQ in Irvine, CA and other locations as needed. Working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. This position is expected to travel up to 15%.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Regular attendance, in accordance with company's attendance policy and supervisory assignment, is an essential job duty requirement for this position; and
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to optimize the procurement of materials and/or services;
• Manage key procurement processes in alignment with Companies overall strategic goals;
• Explore new technologies, lead the evaluation, and benchmarking of new products to determine the potential financial and performance value of the products and potential impacts if implemented.
• Act as liaison between Procurement and vendor and internal engineering teams.
• Administers the RFP process including, but not limited to the following:
• Prepare RFPs to qualified suppliers including working with other functional groups to gather all required documents and data;
• Determine and maintain bid schedules in accordance with project schedules;
• Coordinate responses to RFIs from bidders;
• Review, compare and evaluate supplier proposals with historical and market pricing to determine cost-competitive pricing and identify opportunities for cost savings;
• Support commercial negotiations for Equipment Supply Agreements, project specific orders, change orders, etc. with key suppliers in accordance with company policies and guidelines;
• Administer change order process for suppliers and other related contract management processes;
• Ensure prime contract flow downs are incorporated into subcontract documents as needed or applicable to scope of work/supply;
• Monitor supplier compliance to contract terms and project requirements;
• Support Project Management and Operations teams as needed with contract information and input to resolve supplier issues, such as under-performance or scope gaps;
• Evaluate vendor performance and develop improvement processes based on lessons learned;
• Evaluate vendor products, systems, and structure for quality and performance;
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, best practices, and requirements;
• Support Project Management Team as needed with urgent procurement needs;
• Maintain accurate and complete purchasing records in accordance with record retention procedures;
• Support qualification and onboard new vendors; and
• Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned by Management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Requires BS degree in Mechanical or Civil Engineering
• 3-5 years of prior relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and directly related experience. General knowledge of supply chain management and procurement, as well as construction principles and processes.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in solar and/or construction field project at the project size of over $30M in procurement of equipment/material or subcontracting
• Experience in Solar or Renewable Energy.
• Knowledge of maj