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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wind Turbine Consultant

💰 $ - $

EngineeringRenewablesConsultingEnergy

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a Wind Turbine Consultant to provide technical advisory and hands‑on expertise across the full lifecycle of wind farm projects — from site assessment, energy yield and technical due diligence to operations & maintenance (O&M) optimisation, repowering and end‑of‑life solutions. The ideal consultant blends turbine‑level engineering knowledge with data analytics, vendor management, regulatory understanding and strong client communication skills to deliver actionable recommendations that improve performance, reduce downtime and manage OPEX/CAPEX risk.

This role is client-facing and requires on-site inspections, analysis of SCADA and condition monitoring data, preparation of technical reports and proposals, and collaboration with multi‑disciplinary project teams including development, construction, finance and operations.

Optimized keywords: wind turbine consultant, wind energy consultant, onshore wind, offshore wind, turbine diagnostics, SCADA analysis, power performance testing, asset management, condition monitoring, technical due diligence.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Wind Turbine Technician / Service Technician with OEM or O&M provider
  • Mechanical or Electrical Engineer (power, renewable energy, aerospace)
  • Asset Management or O&M Analyst in wind or utilities

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wind Turbine Consultant / Technical Lead
  • Project Manager – Wind / Head of Asset Management
  • Principal Consultant / Technical Director — Renewables

Lateral Moves:

  • O&M Manager for wind farm portfolios
  • Technical Due Diligence Specialist (M&A)
  • Repowering / Lifecycle Extension Program Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Conduct technical due diligence for wind farm acquisitions and investments, including detailed review of turbine OEM contracts, warranty and availability clauses, condition of major components (nacelle, gearbox, generator, blade), expected residual life and risk exposure to inform investment decisions.
  • Lead and perform power performance testing (PPT) and energy yield assessments using SCADA data, met mast/LiDAR data and wake loss models to validate expected energy production and optimize site layout and curtailment strategies.
  • Analyze SCADA, vibration and condition monitoring datasets to diagnose drivetrain, generator and pitch system faults, identify root causes of recurring trips and propose corrective maintenance strategies to improve availability and reduce unscheduled downtime.
  • Plan and execute on-site technical inspections and detailed blade inspections (visual, rope access, drone, ultrasonic) and prepare structured defect and repair reports with prioritized remediation actions and cost estimates.
  • Develop and implement predictive maintenance programs using condition monitoring systems, leading edge analytics and alarm tuning to shift from reactive to reliability‑centered maintenance and lower O&M costs.
  • Support tendering, OEM negotiations and contract management for service agreements, spare parts procurement and major component replacement (gearbox, generator, transformer) to optimize lifecycle cost and contractual risk transfer.
  • Perform structural and fastener assessments of turbine towers, foundations and transition pieces including corrosion and fatigue risk analysis to determine remediation, strengthening or replacement needs.
  • Lead root cause failure investigations for major events (fire, catastrophic gearbox failure, blade loss) including forensic analysis, sequence-of‑events reconstruction and supplier performance review to allocate liability and recommend design changes.
  • Provide technical input to grid connection studies and power quality analysis (voltage flicker, reactive power, LVRT/HTRT compliance) and collaborate with electrical engineers to ensure compliance with grid codes and interconnection agreements.
  • Support repowering and life‑extension studies by evaluating techno‑economic trade‑offs, assessing hub height and rotor upgrades, foundation reuse potential and estimating CAPEX/OPEX implications and regulatory permitting requirements.
  • Perform site suitability assessments and micrositing (mesoscale downscaling, wake modelling, noise and shadow flicker assessments) to support early‑stage development and optimize energy yield and environmental compliance.
  • Lead development of asset performance dashboards and KPI frameworks, integrating SCADA, CMS and business systems to track availability, failure modes and OPEX drivers for portfolio-level reporting and performance benchmarking.
  • Conduct advanced analytics and machine learning modelling for anomaly detection, remaining useful life (RUL) estimation and failure probability forecasting to prioritize interventions and inform spares strategy.
  • Prepare clear, client-ready technical reports, proposals and presentation materials summarizing findings, recommendations, CAPEX/OPEX estimates and implementation roadmaps for owners, investors and lenders.
  • Advise on HSE and safe‑work procedures for turbine maintenance and inspection activities, ensuring compliance with industry standards (GWO, IEC, DNV) and local regulatory requirements during site visits and shutdown planning.
  • Provide technical leadership during construction and commissioning phases, performing punch-list inspections, witness tests, commissioning of electrical systems, and validation of performance guarantees and acceptance tests.
  • Support warranty claims and insurance investigations by documenting failure evidence, compiling test data, coordinating with OEMs and preparing technical justifications to recover costs where applicable.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams (development, environmental, procurement, grid and legal) to ensure integrated delivery of projects, mitigate risks and drive decisions that align technical feasibility with commercial objectives.
  • Perform lifecycle cost modelling and LCOE sensitivity analysis to inform investment decisions, capital allocation and strategic planning for portfolios considering technology choices, O&M strategies and repowering timelines.
  • Design and execute site-specific test plans (e.g., noise surveys, shadow flicker measurements, structural testing) required for permitting, community engagement and compliance reporting.
  • Mentor junior engineers and technicians, delivering training on turbine technology, SCADA analytics, inspection techniques and industry best practices to upskill internal teams and clients.
  • Support development of business proposals and technical sales activities by scoping client needs, estimating effort and delivering subject matter expertise during pre-bid and commercial negotiations.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry standards, manufacturer technology roadmaps, regulatory changes and emerging innovations (digital twins, drones, robotics) and apply best practices to client solutions.
  • Coordinate with OEM field service teams, suppliers and contractors to manage major repairs, component replacements and logistics of heavy lifts, site access requirements and outages to minimize production losses.
  • Review and optimize spare parts strategies, inventory levels and supply chain arrangements to ensure critical spares availability while controlling holding costs across wind farm portfolios.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis for internal teams and clients, extracting insights from SCADA, CMS and meteorological datasets to answer operational and investment questions.
  • Contribute to the organization's technical strategy and roadmap for wind asset optimization, advising on digitalisation, condition monitoring rollouts and O&M transformation initiatives.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate client requests into technical scopes, statements of work and engineering deliverables that align with project timelines and budgets.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies when working with data science and digital teams on analytics, predictive models and dashboard development.
  • Provide subject-matter expertise in bid reviews and technical evaluations during procurement processes to ensure technical requirements are clearly defined and assessed.
  • Assist with regulatory filings and permit renewals by preparing technical appendices, monitoring compliance obligations and liaising with authorities and stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep knowledge of wind turbine technology (nacelle systems, gearboxes, pitch/yaw systems, generators, converters) and OEM design philosophies (e.g., Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, GE, Nordex).
  • SCADA data analysis and time-series processing for performance assessment, availability calculations and event investigation.
  • Condition monitoring systems and vibration analysis proficiency (CMS platforms, FFT, envelope analysis) to detect bearing and gearbox faults.
  • Power performance testing (PPT), energy yield assessment and wake loss modelling using WindPRO, WAsP, OpenWind or equivalent tools.
  • Experience with LiDAR and met mast data processing, site calibration and uncertainty analysis for yield modelling.
  • Structural assessment and fatigue analysis basics for blades, towers and foundations; familiarity with NDT and inspection techniques (ultrasonic, thermography, drone imaging).
  • Grid code compliance knowledge and power quality analysis, including LVRT/HVRT, reactive power management and fault ride-through requirements.
  • Proficiency in data analytics languages and tools (Python, R, MATLAB), SQL for data extraction, and basic familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS/Azure) for handling large SCADA datasets.
  • Experience preparing technical due diligence reports, O&M strategies, and CAPEX/OPEX cost modelling for investors and lenders.
  • Familiarity with industry standards and guidelines: IEC 61400 series, DNVGL standards, ISO, and local regulatory frameworks.
  • Competence in condition-based maintenance strategies, predictive maintenance modelling, and lifecycle cost optimisation.
  • Knowledge of HSE regulations and safe working practices for turbine access (GWO standards, rescue, working at height).
  • Experience with drone operations for visual blade and structure inspections and producing actionable defect reports.
  • GIS and CAD basics for site layout, cabling and access planning; ability to read electrical single-line diagrams and general arrangement drawings.

Soft Skills

  • Strong client-facing communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical findings into clear, commercial recommendations.
  • Excellent report writing and presentation skills for diverse audiences including investors, lenders, OEMs and regulatory bodies.
  • Problem-solving mindset and attention to detail for root-cause analysis and engineering judgement in high-stakes technical situations.
  • Project management and coordination skills to lead multi-disciplinary teams, manage timelines and deliverables across projects.
  • Team collaboration and mentoring ability to support junior staff development and cross-functional knowledge transfer.
  • Negotiation and stakeholder management skills to work effectively with OEMs, contractors, suppliers and landowners.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work in field conditions, travel frequently to onshore/offshore sites, and balance multiple concurrent assignments.
  • Commercial awareness with the ability to evaluate cost versus benefit trade-offs and drive value-focused technical decisions.
  • Critical thinking and data literacy to assess model assumptions, uncertainty and sensitivity in analytics-driven recommendations.
  • Ethical judgement and confidentiality when handling sensitive commercial, operational and contractual information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Renewable Energy, Wind Energy, Structural Dynamics, Power Systems or Business (MBA for senior advisory roles).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical/Power Engineering
  • Renewable Energy Engineering
  • Aerospace/Structural Dynamics
  • Data Science / Applied Mathematics (for analytics-focused roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–10+ years working in wind turbine technology, O&M, asset management, technical consultancy or related engineering roles; senior roles typically require 7+ years.

Preferred:

  • Proven track record in client-facing consultancy or technical advisory roles for onshore and/or offshore wind projects.
  • Hands-on experience with field inspections, SCADA/CMS analysis, power performance testing and leading technical due diligence for project finance or M&A.
  • Relevant certifications (GWO, NDT, SCADA analyst courses) and OEM training or manufacturer factory/service training are highly desirable.
  • Experience with regulatory compliance, permit processes and grid connection studies is a plus.
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