Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Counsel, Development

at Canadian Solar (North America)

🏢 About Canadian Solar (North America)

Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest solar module manufacturers, with over 55 GW delivered globally. The company's North American arm is rapidly expanding into distributed battery storage and solar project development, offering a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of the clean energy transition with a vertically integrated leader.

About This Role

As Senior Counsel, Development, you will be the lead transactional lawyer for distributed energy storage and solar projects, handling everything from site control and offtake agreements to project financing and sales. This role is critical to scaling Canadian Solar's project pipeline and monetizing tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a call with the development team to review site control status for a new 50 MW storage project, followed by negotiating an EPC contract with a contractor. After lunch, you'd work on a tax equity term sheet for a project financing, then review a PPA for a solar-plus-storage deal, wrapping up with a strategy call with outside counsel on regulatory approvals.

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🎯 Who Canadian Solar (North America) Is Looking For

  • 8+ years of experience with at least 3 years in a large law firm focusing on energy project transactions, specifically distributed solar and battery storage.
  • Expertise in drafting and negotiating site control agreements, PPAs, EPC contracts, and project financing documents (including tax equity structures).
  • Licensed to practice in a U.S. state and a JD from a top 50 law school, with strong academic credentials.
  • Proactive and business-minded, able to manage multiple deals simultaneously and coordinate outside counsel effectively.

📝 Tips for Applying to Canadian Solar (North America)

1

Tailor your resume to highlight specific distributed solar and battery storage project experience, including deal size and stage (development, financing, construction).

2

In your cover letter, explicitly mention your familiarity with tax credit monetization (e.g., Section 45X, 48 ITC) and how you've structured such deals.

3

Emphasize any experience with remote work and managing cross-functional teams across time zones, as this role is remote.

4

Quantify your transactional volume (e.g., 'Led negotiations for 200 MW of distributed storage projects valued at $500M').

5

Research Canadian Solar's recent project announcements and mention specific projects (e.g., the 100 MWh battery storage project in Texas) to show genuine interest.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your deep experience in distributed energy project development and financing, with concrete examples of deals closed.', "Understanding of the Inflation Reduction Act's impact on solar and storage tax credits and how you've leveraged them.", 'Ability to work independently and manage multiple transactions in a remote, fast-paced environment.', "Passion for renewable energy and alignment with Canadian Solar's mission to decarbonize the grid."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Canadian Solar's annual report and investor presentations to understand their strategic focus on distributed storage and solar.
  • → Look up recent press releases on project acquisitions and financing deals (e.g., their 2024 battery storage projects in California and Texas).
  • → Study the company's corporate structure and how the North American development team interacts with the global headquarters.
  • → Familiarize yourself with Canadian Solar's competitors (NextEra, Fluence) and their market positioning.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through a complex distributed solar + storage project finance deal you led, from site control to closing.
2 How do you approach negotiating an EPC contract with a new contractor under a tight timeline?
3 Describe your experience with tax credit transferability under the IRA. How have you structured such transactions?
4 How do you prioritize competing deal deadlines when managing a pipeline of multiple projects?
5 Given Canadian Solar's global supply chain, how would you handle cross-border issues in a U.S. project?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention distributed energy storage or tax credit monetization.
  • Overlooking the requirement for 8+ years experience and top 50 law school; if you don't meet these, don't apply.
  • Failing to demonstrate remote work readiness or ability to manage outside counsel effectively.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Canadian Solar (North America)!

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