Sara Stavinoha has loved math and science since she was a kid. Now, as Lead Civil Engineer, she gets to turn numbers into solar fields.
She, along with the engineering team, prepares and designs sites so they can be accessed, built and maintained. In addition to planning road layouts and preparing grading designs, a big part of her job is protecting the water quality in and around each site through the design of erosion control and stormwater management systems. Her team collaborates with the PV Engineering team as a project progresses to make sure the design of array layout, roads, equipment, and other infrastructure are in agreement.
As both a project and a people manager, Sara gets to use her analytical and interpersonal skills. “With engineers, you sometimes picture someone in a cubicle by themselves crunching numbers, which is not the type of engineer I wanted to be. I enjoy facilitating communication and collaboration, building people up, and making sure they have the tools they need to succeed.”
She also appreciates the expertise her colleagues bring to the table. “I’ve really enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere. There’s an openness to ask questions and an understanding that we can all learn from each other.”
When she’s not planning solar projects, you can find Sara mountain biking, hiking, and planning her own outdoor projects with her husband.
