Careers
Solutions for the Future
Continental Energy Solutions (CES) offers end-to-end solutions. We design, engineer, procure, install, commission, monitor, and maintain solar arrays, solar plus battery storage, and full microgrid solutions.
Knowledge Thrives
We offer an unbeatable team of engineers, project managers, and field supervisors, including NABCEP Certified Professionals, the gold standard in the solar industry. Together, our team works to provide our customers with clearly outlined costs, energy savings, and overall project ROI. Our solar, storage, and microgrid solutions have put CES at the top of our industry in the Midwest. Our project portfolio includes both rooftop and ground mount systems for big-box retail, warehouse, and campus solutions. With our experienced team and extensive project portfolio, we can build a solar and storage solution for every customer to meet any challenge.
Illuminating Your Vision,
Energizing your Future
A Path towards Success
Working for Continental Energy Solutions provides:
- Collaboration, assistance, tools, and resources for success
- An engaging and respectful workplace
- Pride working for the largest PV and battery storage installer in the Midwest
Sucess Starts Within
Our value-based culture isn’t just a concept. This page and our whole website make it clear that we actually live our values.
- Everyone United
- Nurture Communication
- Enforce Accountability
- Relationships Matter
- Growth and Development
- You Make the Difference
Valuing Individuals
With our benefits, we show how much we care about you as a person. Benefits include:
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Life insurance
- 401(k) with generous match
- Profit Sharing
- Tuition assistance
- Disability insurance
- Liberal PTO
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Time Off to volunteer with a charity
Current Job Openings
Assistant Project Manager – Solar and Energy Storage Construction
The associate project manager collaborates closely with an experienced project manager, offering assistance in tasks related to solar construction projects. This role serves as a foundational step toward a career in project management, providing hands-on experience and development in the dynamic field of renewable construction projects.
What you’ll do:
- Administratively support the Project Manager in all areas including procurement, purchasing, subcontract and lease agreements, quality assurance, commissioning, and equipment tracking
- Assist in the logistics and management of equipment, materials, and labor
- Help track the project construction schedule utilizing Primavera P6 software
- Contribute to managing task finances, including forecasting work progress and monitoring important project logs.
- Establish and nurture customer relationships
- Assist estimators gathering quotes, printing drawings, counting, take-off estimating, and responding to RFIs and RFQs
- Oversee document management, including RFIs, constraints, purchase order logs, field testing, change orders, shop drawings, and owner acceptance.
- Professionally interact with customers, other trades, general contractors, and internal staff
- Participate in the closeout process, including tracking punch list items.
- Work collaboratively with various trades, contractors, and project stakeholders.
What you’ll need for success:
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Electrical Engineering or related field or commensurate experience
- 1-2 years of experience in project coordination or project management, preferably in an electrical construction or commercial solar construction environment
- Passion for renewable energy
- Proficient in MS Office applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, etc.)
- Knowledge in Microsoft Project is beneficial.
- Familiarity with Primavera P6, Bluebeam, Procore, Acubid, Plangrid is a plus.
- Excellent team collaboration and customer service skills
- Analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Solid organization and prioritization skills, managing concurrent deadlines.
Project Manager
Manage commercial solar or solar plus storage projects from the inception/estimating phase, through design, engineering, construction, and handover to O&M, taking full ownership of the projects and coordinating all internal and external stakeholders to achieve the identified project requirements. The Project Manager also oversees associate project managers who are doing the same.
What you’ll do:
- Act as the main point of contact for clients, installers, inspectors, and internal teams
- Project manage multiple multi-million dollar PV and/or ESS contracts simultaneously
- Create and maintain project CPM schedules
- Manage and reduce project costs and conduct project financial projections for the team’s projects monthly
- Conduct internal and external project team meetings
- Provide status reports to various project stakeholders
- Drive internal and/or external engineering teams to develop design drawing packages for various milestones of the project development cycle (interconnection, permitting, construction)
- Identify & develop project-specific scopes of work and assemble complete budgets and estimates based upon civil, structural, & electrical drawings and specifications
- Request, analyze, & negotiate project-specific pricing for equipment, material, & subcontracted scopes of work
- Mitigate project risk by identifying & implementing contingency plans, and ensure projects adhere to engineering, utility, AHJ, and legislative requirements/specifications
- Achieve or improve upon baseline project margins & schedule
What you’ll need for success:
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or related field desired
- 3+ years in commercial solar and/or battery storage EPC project management role
- Demonstrated engineering and/or project management of commercial BESS experience desirable
- Proven success managing multi-million dollar PV and/or ESS contracts simultaneously
- NABCEP PV Installation Professional (desired)
- FAA part 107 (desired)
- NEC code knowledge (required)
- Thorough understanding of commercial PV installations, components, and solutions required
- Effective time management, organization, and prioritization abilities
- Demonstrated leadership and influence skills
- Proven analytical abilities
- Intermediate software knowledge:
- MS Office Suite: Outlook, Word, Excel
- Bluebeam/Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Primavera/MS Project desired
- Helioscope desired
Solar and Energy Storage Intern
As a Solar and Energy Storage Intern, you will assist with various tasks related to the design and project management of solar and energy storage solutions. This internship provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the renewable energy sector, develop technical skills, and gain experience in project management.
Why Intern with Us?
We’re not just offering an internship; we’re offering a pathway to your future career. Our program is designed to provide you with a robust foundation in solar and storage technologies, as well as the opportunity to return for subsequent internships as you advance through your academic career.
What you’ll do:
- Training and Orientation:
- Learn the fundamentals of solar energy and energy storage technologies.
- Understand safety protocols and company procedures for project execution.
- Site Assessments and Design:
- Assist in site evaluations and basic system design tasks.
- Learn to use CAD software for creating design plans and estimating project costs.
- Documentation and Permitting:
- Help prepare project documentation for permits and regulatory approvals.
- Familiarize yourself with local building codes and permit processes.
- Field Support and Installation:
- Shadow installation teams and support them with project support tasks.
- View first-hand how these systems are installed in the field
- Data Collection and Analysis:
- Assist in collecting and analyzing performance data from installed systems.
- Learn to use data analysis tools for evaluating system efficiency.
- Leadership and Support:
- Take on manageable leadership responsibilities for small projects or specific tasks, with the mentorship of senior team members.
What You’ll Need for Success:
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy, Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- Strong interest in renewable energy and solar technology.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Familiarity with CAD software is a plus but not required.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
- Eagerness to learn and take on new challenges.
- Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
What You’ll Gain:
- Hands-on experience in solar energy system design and project management.
- Exposure to real-world challenges and solutions in the renewable energy industry.
- Opportunities for professional development and networking with industry experts.
Solar & ESS Field Technician
The Solar & ESS Field Technician provides maintenance, inspections and verification on ongoing and existing commercial solar and battery storage projects.
What you’ll do:
The Solar & ESS Field Technician has responsibility for operation and maintenance related functions on commercial solar arrays.
- Responsible for the operation and maintenance of commercial, industrial, and utility solar power & ESS plants in accordance with established standards and procedures; always maintains safety and professionalism throughout Illinois.
- Troubleshoot electrical components with help and use of digital multi-meters, meggers, amp clamps, and similar equipment. Test installed equipment, ensuring proper working order including daily mechanical electrical inspections.
- Perform progress, mc, sc and preventative maintenance inspections with thorough reporting.
- Conduct routine preventive maintenance activities on solar panels, battery storage systems, and associated equipment.
- Perform sUAS(drone) and handheld infrared thermography inspections (job training as needed).
- Maintain accurate documentation of O&M activities, including maintenance logs, work orders, and inventory records.
- Responsible for documentation including, but not limited to; work orders, service orders, time logs, and emergency information schedules.
What you’ll need for success:
- Two (2) years of technical experience (electrical, etc.) and/or technical education
- Minimum 2 years’ experience maintaining commercial or utility solar arrays
- Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record
- Understanding of solar photovoltaic, energy storage, and microgrid applications
- Understanding of electrical and mechanical functions of all components of solar site and associated equipment
- Ability to read and understand electrical single-line and three-line diagrams / schematics, SLD and Electrical Construction Drawings
- Experience with PV and electrical systems including DC systems, AC medium voltage systems, and network communications and monitoring
- Experience with Material Takeoffs for replacement of failed/damaged equipment
- Experience with the operation of various SCADA systems
- Knowledge of National Electrical Code (NEC) and standard practices
- NABCEP and OSHA 30 preferred.
- Ability to climb / work safely from a portable step ladder and on rooftops
- Ability to move and manipulate up to 45 kg (100 pounds)
- Willing to travel up to 30% of the time with some overnights and on-call availability.
Future Opportunities
Are you interested in exploring career opportunities at one of Illinois’ largest and most well-respected commercial solar and battery storage companies? Do you not see any current openings that align with your interests, skills, and background? Please submit your resume and cover letter here to be considered for future opportunities. We will retain your application and reach out to you if an appropriate opening becomes available.
Our Company
Continental Energy Solutions (CES) offers end-to-end commercial renewable energy solutions. We design, engineer, procure, install, commission, monitor, and maintain solar arrays, solar plus battery storage, and full microgrid solutions. Our experienced team and extensive project portfolio including both rooftop and ground mount systems for big-box retail, warehouse, and campus solutions have put CES at the top of our industry in the Midwest.
We offer an unbeatable team of engineers, project managers, and field supervisors, including NABCEP Certified Professionals, the gold standard in the solar industry. Together, our team works to provide our customers with clearly outlined costs, energy savings, and overall project ROI. We have built hundreds of solar PV projects, many solar plus battery storage solutions, and installed over 350 electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Our project portfolio includes rooftop systems for big-box retail and warehouse customers, and community solar projects with multiple developers. With our experienced team and extensive project portfolio, we can build a solar and storage solution for every customer to meet any challenge.
Working for Continental Energy Solutions provides:
- Collaboration, assistance, tools and resources for success
- An engaging and respectful workplace with excellent benefits and compensation
- Pride working for the largest PV and battery storage installer in Illinois
Continental Energy Solutions is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex, sexual or gender orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.
If you have any questions, contact us at careers@cesnrg.com