Mechanical Engineer (P.Eng.)
Vancouver, Canada Area
- Current
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- Project Engineer at AMEC
- Past
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- Renewable Energy Advisor (part-time consultant) at Pemberton Power
- Research Associate at NRC - Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation
- Education
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- Canadian Securities Institute
- The University of British Columbia
- Queen's University
- Recommended
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2 people have recommended James - Connections
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124
connections
- Industry
- Mining & Metals
- Websites
James Larsen’s Summary
James' main area of expertise is in the successful execution of large-scale mining projects. After working at AMEC for the last 4.5 years, James has been involved in almost all aspects of engineering consulting, including technical design, procurement, and commissioning. He was also the co-developer of AMEC's Earned Value Analysis Workbooks, a tool used for budget and schedule analysis during the construction phase of projects. For the past year, James has been the Engineering Lead in the Vancouver office to implement a new software system to streamline AMEC's engineering workflow.
Although the majority of James' experience is associated with mining, he has a strong passion for renewable energy and sustainability. He spent one year working in the fuel cell industry and also consulted with a renewable energy start-up company in Vancouver. He has been an active member of the BC Sustainable Energy Association and also volunteered with the Urban Wind Turbine Project, aiming to install a wind turbine in the city of Vancouver to help educate the public about the benefits of renewable energy.
James' immediate goal is to enroll in an MBA program to increase his knowledge of business management. Following graduation, he plans on working in management consulting or finance related to the energy industry. After developing a strong background in either one of these roles, he envisions combining this new business acumen with his engineering background in a business development role for a young company in the renewable energy industry.
James Larsen’s Specialties:
Project management, mechanical design, systems analysis, 3D modeling, 2D design, Earned Value Analysis, procurement, project feasibility, commissioning, proposals, software implementation.
James Larsen’s Experience
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Project Engineer
AMEC
(Public Company; AMEC.L; Information Technology and Services industry)
May 2005 — Present (4 years 8 months)
• Identified as the Engineering Lead for new Metro Vancouver projects; Managed a three-person mechanical team and collaborated with other Leads to prepare a proposal for the $1M Barnston pump station.
• Led the implementation of AVEVA VPE software to reduce hours and increase accuracy and efficiency; Coordinated the integration with four offices; Developed an execution plan and managed the complex workflow transformation; Identified software weaknesses and initiated solutions; Transferred knowledge as the subject matter expert by mentoring colleagues, developing work instructions, and facilitating training sessions.
• Conducted the mechanical design, bid evaluation, and procurement for $12M of mining process equipment for PotashCorp’s Picadilly mine; Liaised with project owners, sub-contractors, and equipment vendors and recommended solutions to optimize the plant integration of the equipment.
• Co-developed Excel Earned Value Analysis Workbooks to model project metrics; Utilized a top-down approach to identify project deficiencies; Achieved forecasting accuracy within 5% for a $1B DeBeers diamond mine. -
Renewable Energy Advisor (part-time consultant)
Pemberton Power
(Renewables & Environment industry)
April 2008 — September 2008 (6 months)
• Analyzed geothermal and micro-hydro development and prepared a summary report to identify opportunities.
• Assessed the energy markets, policies, and infrastructure in various Central and South American countries.
• Leveraged expertise developed at AMEC to review and advise management on feasibility analysis studies.
• Evaluated project economics using NPV and sensitivity analysis. -
Research Associate
NRC - Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation
(Research industry)
September 2003 — October 2004 (1 year 2 months)
• Identified a cost-saving opportunity by fabricating fuel cell test stations in-house; Contributed to the design of a prototype test station, eliminating redundant features and sourcing cheaper components; Performed a cost-benefit analysis and secured management approval for funding; Utilized in-house labour to build the test station.
• Developed a test fuel cell and condenser for research; Employed our internal machine shop to build the equipment.
James Larsen’s Education
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Canadian Securities Institute
CSC , Market Securities , 2004 — 2004
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The University of British Columbia
Diploma , Accounting , 2003 — 2004
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Queen's University
Bachelor of Science , Mechanical Engineering , 1999 — 2003
- Activities and Societies:
- President of the Foosball Club, Intramural Soccer.
Additional Information
James Larsen’s Websites:
James Larsen’s Interests:
My interests are broad, but I think the most significant is music. I'm currently in a 7-piece band that is a mix of reggae, hip-hop and rock and I play the guitar, keyboard, and trumpet. We just released an album in September 2009, fulfilling a long-time dream of mine. I'm also very interested in personal finance, technology, innovation, tennis, golf, soccer, snowboarding, and water sports.
James Larsen’s Groups:
Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of British Columbia (member), British Columbia Sustainability Energy Association (member), Urban Wind Turbine Group (volunteer), AMECDowntownXpress Toastmasters (president)
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Renewable Energy Network -
Queen's University Alumni -
University of British Columbia (UBC) Alumni -
Brentwood College School Alumni
James Larsen’s Honors:
Area Champion & District Finalist in the 2007 Toastmasters Inspirational Speech Competition
James Larsen’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
