Development Engineer – BESS (UK)

Job Purpose / Overview

Fidra Energy (“Fidra”) is a battery energy storage system (“BESS”) platform, backed by EIG and National Wealth Fund, and headquartered in Edinburgh, UK.  Fidra currently has a ~3GW secured pipeline in the UK comprising Thorpe Marsh (1.4GW), West Burton C (500MW) and Bicker Fen 1 & 2 (1.2GW).  Thorpe Marsh, Europe’s largest battery development project, secured funding in September 2025 to progress into construction.  We are targeting delivery of a 10GW portfolio of projects in development, construction and operation in the UK and major European markets by 2030. Growth of the Fidra platform, and the delivery of our pipeline, is the responsibility of our Growth & Strategy team.

We are looking for an Development Engineer to support the commercial development of grid-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects across the UK. You will play a key role in progressing projects from site identification through grid connection, planning, and pre-construction, ensuring designs are technically robust, commercially optimised, and aligned with UK regulatory and network requirements.

This role is well suited to an engineer who enjoys working at the front end of projects, balancing technical detail with commercial decision-making in a fast-paced development environment.

Contextual Information

Principal Accountabilities

Project Development & Commercial Support

• Provide engineering input to early-stage BESS project development, including site feasibility, capacity optimisation, and layout strategies
• Support investment, land, and planning decisions through technical feasibility assessments
• Identify technical constraints, risks, and opportunities that impact project value
• Support technical DD vendor assessments and tender reviews for specification compliance

Technical Definition & Risk Management

• Develop high-level BESS project concepts and technical solutions during early project development
• Define project technical scope and employer’s requirements for consultants, EPCs, and OEMs
• Ensure compliance with UK and international standards
• Understanding and awareness of multi-discipline requirements
• Review third-party designs and studies to ensure alignment with development assumptions and commercial objectives (electrical, civil, fire safety, thermal)
• Maintain and manage technical risks through the development lifecycle

Stakeholder & Consultant Management

• Act as the technical interface between internal teams, external consultants, OEMs, and EPC contractors
• Support technical due diligence for acquisitions or project financing
• Contribute to tender evaluations and supplier selection from a technical and commercial perspective

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Strong understanding project development principals and leading work packages within overall project
• Knowledge of developing UK power projects and able to articulate the project requirements.
• Ability to balance engineering judgement with commercial outcomes
• Strong analytical capability and problem-solving skills
• Experience and knowledge of undertaking Factory Acceptance Testing

Desirable

• Ability to identify construction and operational challenges early in design and engineer them out
• Understanding of planning constraints and how they influence project development and design
• Experience developing projects from the ground through to investment decision, utilising consultants and contractors
• Ability to confidently review all technical discipline aspects of project development
• Experience of construction projects

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Degree in Engineering or a related discipline
• Experience in UK power, renewables, or energy infrastructure project development
• Experience reviewing consultant or third-party technical outputs

Desirable

• Experience specifically with BESS or co-located renewable projects
• Experience supporting technical due diligence or financial close
• Chartered Engineer status or working towards professional registration