Solar Operations Technician – Rutherford Solar

Southern Company • Forest City, NC

11h • Onsite

About The Position

Southern Power is seeking strong technical individuals for the Solar Operations Technician position for its Rutherford Farm solar facility in Rutherford County, North Carolina. This position will also support the Granville Solar Facility as needed in Granville County, NC. The Rutherford Solar Facility is a 74-megawatt project located on 489 acres, consisting of 289,104 fixed-tilt, monocrystalline solar panels. The Granville Solar Facility is a 2.5-megawatt solar facility located on 40 acres, consisting of polycrystalline photovoltaic solar modules. This role involves operating and maintaining utility-scale solar photovoltaic electric systems, monitoring, troubleshooting, and repairing electrical and mechanical equipment. The successful candidate will maintain plant maintenance records in the computer-based work order system, Maximo®, and participate in the plant system owner program. The candidate will also need to be willing to serve on Operations Review Board (ORB) action teams when required. Shift work is required, including nights. This position will be filled at a level commensurate with experience.

Requirements

• HS Graduate or Equivalent
• 2-year College/Technical Degree or equivalent relevant work experience required
• Strong mechanical and electrical aptitude and a demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and repair electrical and mechanical equipment are required
• Strong technical background in electrical and electronic devices and equipment
• Must be a self-starter with the ability to work with little to no direction as well as possess an ability to follow directions when required
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions
• Ability to apply principle of logical thinking and deal with situations that will be encountered
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills are required
• Must be able to learn how to independently operate a solar plant and communicate effectively with plant stakeholders
• Ability to perform physically demanding activities (i.e. climbing stairs and ladders, lifting heavy equipment) while working safely in all types of weather

Nice To Haves

• Electrical background is highly preferred
• Solar Utility Scale Inverter maintenance experience preferred (i.e. Advanced Energy or SMA)
• Instrumentation experience is a plus
• PV and/or experience with inverters is desired

Responsibilities

• Operating and maintaining utility scale solar photovoltaic electric systems
• Monitoring, troubleshooting, and repairing the plant's electrical and mechanical equipment
• Maintaining plant maintenance records in the computer-based work order system, Maximo®
• Participating in the plant system owner program
• Serving on Operations Review Board (ORB) action teams when required
• Supporting multiple solar sites at times, which may require overnight travel for multiple days

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Annual incentive awards for eligible employees
• Health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being
• Relocation assistance may be available

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED