Nevados

Head of Engineering

Oakland, California, U.S.

Full-Time

Hybrid

$250,000 – $300,000 per year

TLDR

This hands-on leadership role requires deep systems thinking and strong technical judgment to align engineering efforts with business objectives for optimal product performance.

Company Overview Nevados is the premier solar tracker company for PV power plants built on sloped and rolling terrain. We offer innovative all-terrain trackers paired with a comprehensive software suite in an integrated technology platform that optimizes solar performance, improves plant reliability and respects the natural landscape. Headquartered in Oakland and backed by institutional capital, Nevados is transforming utility-scale PV deployment with our tracking solutions and partnership approach. Nevados is a distributed organization with many team members working remotely, while other roles require an in office and on-site presence. Specifics of the work location, travel expectations and other role requirements are outlined in the position overview. Ideal candidates are self-motivated and able to manage their time effectively. Position Overview Reporting to the COO, the Head of Engineering is the senior-most technical authority at Nevados, responsible for end-to-end product integrity, engineering, execution, and organizational effectiveness. This role ensures our products meet the highest standards of performance, reliability, and manufacturability while aligning engineering efforts with business objectives. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring deep systems thinking, strong technical judgment, and the ability to drive clarity, speed, and accountability across a multidisciplinary engineering organization. Location: Hybrid—with expectation of majority time spent in our Oakland office to work alongside our C-Suite and engineering teams. Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Governance

Serve as the final technical authority on product design, performance, and engineering standards

Lead design reviews, ensuring rigor, cross-functional alignment, and timely decision-making

Own system-level integration across mechanical, structural, electrical, and software components

Engineering Organization & Structure

Optimize engineering team structure to improve speed, clarity, and accountability

Evolve the engineering organization and team structure to support clarity, alignment, and effective execution as the company scales, including thoughtful placement of key functions (e.g., embedded systems, structural engineering)

Serve as a mentor and partner to engineering leaders, supporting their continued growth in leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement

Guide leaders in prioritization, resource planning, and team development within a resource-conscious environment, ensuring focus on the highest-impact work while building a scalable, resilient organization

Product Development & Execution

Drive product strategy and roadmap to amplify market competitiveness

Drive cost reduction initiatives across the product portfolio

Implement a design sprint approach to accelerate development cycles and time-to-market

Ensure strong alignment between engineering, product, and commercial priorities

Provide quantitative, informative and frequent department and product development reporting

Innovation & Technical Strategy

Institute rapid and lean design methods with an AI-forward mindset

Ensure engineering decisions are grounded in data, testing, and real-world conditions

DFM & Commercialization

Oversee design for manufacturing (DFM) to ensure products are scalable, cost-effective, and production-ready

Partner with operations and supply chain to accelerate product launches

Fundraising & External Support

Support fundraising efforts by articulating technical strategy, product roadmap, and differentiation to investors and stakeholders

Qualifications

15+ years of engineering experience, with deep expertise in mechanical, structural, and/or systems engineering

Proven track record as a technical lead or Chief Engineer/Head of Engineering on complex hardware systems from concept through commercialization

Demonstrated ability to act as a final decision-maker on critical technical tradeoffs

Experience leading multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, structural, electrical, software, embedded systems)

Strong background in system-level design, reliability, and performance optimization

Proven success driving cost reduction, DFM, and scalable product development

Experience integrating testing and validation (e.g., wind tunnel or similar studies) into product design

Solar, solar tracker, or adjacent renewable/infrastructure experience strongly preferred

Strong communication skills with the ability to engage executive leadership and external stakeholders

What Success Looks Like

Engineering operates with clear ownership, speed, and accountability

Product development cycles are faster, with improved cost and manufacturability outcomes

New products are delivered on schedule and perform reliably in the field

Technical credibility is strengthened with customers, partners, and investors

Benefits & Total Compensation Package

Nevados offers competitive base salary, bonus, commission (if applicable to the role) and stock options commensurate with qualifications and experience. Full time employees and their eligible dependents are offered medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long term disability and vol life. We also offer 401(k) participation, unlimited PTO, generous sick leave, paid company holidays and additional benefit offerings as we continue to grow.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated as a requirement of the role, candidates must be willing to travel at least 10-20% of the time for company off-sites, conferences, trade shows, site visits, and other potential events as needed.

Inclusion at Nevados

Not sure you meet every qualification? We encourage you to apply anyway. We’re committed to building a team that reflects a variety of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. This includes uplifting women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others who are underrepresented in cleantech and the broader tech industry. Nevados is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Interview Process

At Nevados, our interview process is designed to be comprehensive and thorough to ensure the best fit for both the candidate and our team. It typically entails 3-5 conversations over the course of 3-4 weeks. This timeline and format may vary based on the role as well as availability of team members and the candidate. The process is subject to change at any time.

Phone Screen: An initial call with Recruiting to discuss your background, expectations, and interest in the role.

Discussions with Hiring Managers: In-depth calls with hiring managers/team members to assess your technical skills and fit.

Cross Functional Team Member Interviews: Meetings to gauge team dynamics and working style.

Executive Leadership Conversations: Discussions with our executive team to ensure alignment with the company's strategic goals and vision.

Professional Reference Checks and Background Check: The final step before an offer involves contacting your provided professional references to verify your qualifications and past performance as well as a background check.

To ensure a fair and consistent experience for all candidates, we ask that interviews be completed without the use of real-time AI tools, scripts, or external assistance during live conversations, unless explicitly discussed and approved in advance.

Nevados provides reasonable accommodations for candidates who need them. Please let us know in advance if any adjustments are required.

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Nevados

Nevados develops innovative solar tracking solutions specifically designed for utility-scale photovoltaic power plants on sloped and rolling terrain. Our all-terrain trackers and comprehensive software suite optimize solar performance and improve plant reliability, allowing customers to maximize energy production while respecting the natural landscape.

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