Project Engineer to Systems Engineering Manager: Dan Weber's journey at IHI Terrrasun in the last 5 years
5 years ago, we hired Dan Weber to be a Project Engineer for our energy storage projects. From his experience in the nuclear industry, Dan had deep knowledge of energy systems, which made him a perfect candidate for the role that required both broad and deep understanding of how electrical systems come together to operate as an energy storage project engineer. IHI Terrasun has a unique project management structure: we assign a Project Engineer to each of our utility scale energy storage projects to work alongside with the Project Manager. The Project Engineer’s role is to work closely with the Project Manager on project execution, but focus on the electrical operation of the whole system and interoperability of BESS components, rather than equipment delivery or schedule. The Project Engineering team is the backbone of successful integration and operation of our projects because each engineer is intimately familiar with the equipment and its expected operation.
Now Dan has been promoted to lead the Systems Engineering team, which first looks at energy storage systems as a whole and then delves into the design details in support of product development.
In his own words, his journey so far:
What brought you to IHI Terrasun?
For the 15 months before joining IHI, I was working in Georgia at the only two new nuclear units being constructed in the U.S. at the time. I was looking for a change outside of the nuclear industry, and my friend and former colleague was already working at IHI Terrasun as a Project Manager. I heard about the job from him and was excited for the opportunity to get into the energy storage and renewable energy sector to expand my knowledge base and explore new opportunities.
How has your role changed in the last 5 years?
I started out as a Project Engineer when I first joined in 2019 supporting the technical integration of several projects. The roles and responsibilities of my position quickly expanded as I took the lead on more projects. As the team grew, I became the Manager of Project Engineering where I was responsible for the work of multiple supporting Project Engineers as well as the technical details of our fleet of energy storage sites. Having a deep understanding of energy storage systems set me up perfectly to take on my next challenge, and now, I am the Senior Manager of Systems Engineering.
In my newest role as the Senior Manager of Systems Engineering, I manage a group of Systems Engineers, who serve as the bridge for technology and communication between the Application Engineering team and the larger Engineering organization. My team and I support development of technical information for projects and estimates for customization of solutions beyond our standard offering. We evaluate new product initiatives from the Product Management group to scope development costs, project time, and technical specifications that the larger Engineering teams will eventually execute on. As projects enter the execution phase and Engineering groups need to know what they need to develop, update or create, we provide system requirements that need to be met for successful execution of the new products. We also create Validation and Verification plans to ensure the specified system requirements are met by the Engineering teams in their development process.
The team’s role is really interesting to me because it serves as an essential connector between the needs of the customer and their projects and the expert engineering capability of the IHI Terrasun team. We really get to be in the middle of it all.
What drives your mission here at IHI Terrasun?
I enjoy being on the forefront of the emerging technology that is reshaping energy storage. I have become a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in a relatively small industry very quickly. The hands-on experience I’ve gained here has far surpassed what I had in the nuclear energy industry, and I appreciate the opportunities for advancement and responsibilities entrusted to me by IHI Terrasun. Problem solving has been a rewarding aspect of my role as well: every endeavor is a challenge to be solved and our products are better with every energy storage project that comes online. I am proud of supporting the further adoption of renewable energy.
What are some activities you enjoy outside of work?
Most of my time outside of work is spent with my family. I coach my son’s soccer team and I’m an assistant coach for my daughter’s soccer team. And I wish that I had more time and opportunity to play the sport myself! My daughter and I are also involved in a group called Wilderness Princesses which organizes dads and daughters to get together regularly for crafts, activities, and campouts each year.