Brandon de la Torre

Creative Engineer in Renewables Industry | EIT | NABCEP Certified | CAD Expert

Denton, Texas, United States

About

Employed in the Energy Efficiency industry, with a focus on Solar PV, since 2008 I have moved from installation, to sales, then to Design and Engineering. I have been on the operations side of the solar trade since 2010 and have grown to absolutely love it. Having spent 2006-2008 in the HVAC industry, moving over to another category of a building's envelope was effortless. I currently run the engineering department for the solar company that I work for. I also teach a couple of classes per semester at NCTC for the drafting program. I am an extremely confident individual who relishes learning new things and wants to help my company grow.

Experience

  • Adjunct Professor at The University of Texas at Arlington
    Aug 2025 - Present · 11 mos

     Educating students on performing performance analysis on renewable energy projects  Bringing industry knowledge and experience to the classroom for better understanding of realistic challenges students will face in the energy industry

  • Qcells EPC (Irvine, California, United States · Remote)
    • Civil Structural Engineer
      May 2025 - Present · 1 yr 2 mos

       Review technical documentation related to design, cost, and schedule impact, e.g. site studies, reports, permit submissions, equipment reports, and any others required  Identify, track, and report all potential site red flags, construction and design risks  Structural design, drafting, and analysis performed for structures made of concrete, steel, etc.  Designed structures using IBC, ASCE 7, AISC Steel Construction Manual, etc., as applicable.  Coordinated with clients, sub-contractors, vendors, and internal teams to align and create successful construction documents and solutions.  Drafted and Produced all levels of structural drawings for owner review, permitting, and construction.

    • Senior Project Engineer
      Jul 2024 - Jan 2026 · 1 yr 7 mos

       Review technical documentation related to design, cost, and schedule impact, e.g. site studies, reports, permit submissions, equipment reports, and any others required  Identify, track, and report all potential site red flags, construction and design risks, and equipment lead times  Navigate and rectify all permitting obstacles with best practice solutions per company standards  Write and track any engineering change notices during the design phase that affect schedule, cost, or equipment decisions  Manage technical needs in all stages of development and design, including conceptual/advanced system design, tracking cost adjustments, customer requirements, code obligations, environmental impacts, and others  Conduct site visits or in person owner meetings at different intervals of the project stage  Coordinate needs for permitting and technical support during the construction phase  Assist in the development and review of energy production models, project schedules, cost estimates, bill of materials, budgets, scopes of work, standards, and quotes  Coordination of internal resources for subject matter expertise and project risk reduction  Implementation and management of external resources, e.g. EORs, Geotechnical and Topographic Surveyors, suppliers, and any other required specialized professionals  Build Scope of Work distributed to EORs for RFP process, design specifications, and deliverables  Perform and distribute to leadership comparative analyses on RFPs received from EORs for decision-making and awarding  Maintain continuous improvements in project designs, plans, processes, and product development  Sustain high levels of communication across all internal and external parties for accurate collaboration and deliverables  Manage, track, and respond to all technical RFIs from internal and external teams  Assist with technical training to other team members and new hires

  • AUI Partners (Fort Worth, Texas, United States)
    • Lead Sales Engineer
      Feb 2024 - Jul 2024 · 6 mos

       Head of all site design and site layout for projects ranging from 1.0 MWdc DG up to 180 MWdc utility scale  Responsible for all value engineering analysis to recommend most cost-efficient operation in combination of both CapX and OpX  Oversee and perform preliminary, IFP, and IFC engineering drawing sets  Utilize Civil, Electrical, Alta Survey, and Hydrology plans for site development  Run point on utility required studies with grid providers and 3rd party engineering firms  Responsible for researching, understanding, and implementing requirements from ERCOT, National Grid, and local Co-Ops  Created production estimation reports using PVSyst software for yield analysis, as well as Cut/Fill estimations with PVCase to limit grading requirements  Read and comprehend equipment installation manuals with purpose of educating clients, engineers, and installers on pros and cons of equipment and material selection  Train and teach new engineers on creating site design, engineering drawings, value engineering analysis, and software implementation  Perform site visits with clients to showcase equipment with a goal of building and maintaining client relationships for a lasting partnership  Create or code Excel, Smartsheets, and AutoCAD templates for use across multiple departments  Project manage ongoing projects across the country including management and coordination of subcontractors through project completion  Find, manage, and coordinate with logistics partners for delivery of piles and racking materials to all project sites  Keep sales platforms up to date with financial and project forecasts and build out BOM lists with partnering companies for project fulfillment  Attend trade shows to establish new relationships with developers, material providers, logistics firms, and certified installers  Publish client driven professional presentations for technical overviews of mechanical equipment

    • Sales Engineer
      May 2022 - Feb 2024 · 1 yr 10 mos

      Work in the pre-construction phase of prelim design layout and bidding for single axis tracking projects, as well as helping with Design and Engineering for plan sets.

  • TAC Services LLC (Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex)
    • Technical Consultant
      May 2022 - May 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Consultant for training, design and engineering, and commercial sales within the Solar industry.

    • Vice President Of Engineering
      Jul 2015 - May 2022 · 6 yrs 11 mos

       Head of all Design and Engineering  Transfer residential/commercial data from field surveys into site maps and detailed layouts for permit ready packages  Build renderings and create shading studies for production calculation of solar projects  Managed implementation practices of installation per code  Train Site Assessors on process of site survey to gather data for input into designs  Train New Project Engineers on creation and delivery of permit packages  Design structural analysis of roof structures for structural engineer stamps  Design 3-Line and 1-Line wire diagrams for electrical engineer stamps

  • Project Engineer at Circular Energy
    Apr 2014 - Feb 2015 · 11 mos

     Head of North Texas Design and Engineering  Perform Site Surveys as needed, then transfer residential/commercial data from field into site maps and detailed layouts for permit ready packages  Build Solar Designs on CAD that followed national or local Building and Electrical Codes  Work hand in hand with Sales Consultants as well as Implementation team on best practices for each project to maintain profit margin  Train and Manage new Site Assessors on process of site survey to gather data for input into designs  Design structural analysis of roof structures for structural engineer stamps  Design 3-Line and 1-Line wire diagrams for electrical engineer stamps