Solar Technician

Requisition ID # 168170 

Job Category: Maintenance / Construction / Operations 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Operations - Other

Work Type: Onsite

Job Location: Moss Landing

This is an IBEW Local 1245 represented classification, which has over 100 years of experience representing employees at PG&E.  This job is subject to collective bargaining. 

Department Summary / Facility Summary 

PG&E's Power Generation Department manages and operates the largest privately-owned hydroelectric system in the nation. These renewable electric generation resources, located mostly at high elevation in California's Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountains include 68 powerhouses, 184 miles of canals, 41 miles of flumes, 135 miles of tunnels, 19 miles of penstock pipes, 99 reservoirs, and 142,000 acres of watershed lands - all covered by 26 operating licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In addition, the department is expanding its presence in renewable generation such as wind, photovoltaic (PV) solar, and fuel cells.   The company recently received authorization to construct 250 MW of PV generation, most of which is expected to be located in the Central Valley of California.  Additionally, the company also recently received authorization to construct a 200 kW Fuel Cell facility at SF State University and two 1.4 MW Fuel Cell facilities (one at SF State and one at CSU East Bay).

Position Summary

The Solar Technician position is a journeyman level position.  Required skills are those of a journeyman electrician or Power Plant Technician who has qualified in the Electrical skill block discipline.  The successful candidate shall be able to perform work assignments, with or without direct supervision.   Duties include the ability to inspect, evaluate, test, clean, calibrate, and maintain solar photovoltaic module systems, mounting hardware, combiner fuse boxes, inverters, switchgear, circuit breakers, transformers, batteries, data acquisition systems, relays, programmable logic controllers, revenue meters, weather stations, fuel cell equipment, and other AC and DC equipment.   This position may involve frequent, professional interaction with outside contract personnel and other site representatives.

Employees will be required to travel between facilities located within their assigned geographic area as a part of their normal job responsibilities.

PG &E is providing the hourly rate that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This position is subject to collectively bargained hourly wage rates and increases. The starting wage rate for this position is $65.27 per hour.  This wage rate is specific to the locality of the job. The wage rate is based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity. 

Responsibilities:

• Ability to apply safe work practices and perform facilities’ clearance and switching procedures per PG&E safety policies and procedures.
• Work safely and effectively with or without direct supervision while conducting safety tailboards with self and others as required.
• Review and understand technical documents such as OEM manuals, electrical single-line, wiring diagrams, schematics, relay settings, and other site specific diagrams.
• Work safely in close proximity with energized electrical voltages up to 12 kV A.C.
• Troubleshoot and perform routine preventative and corrective electrical maintenance duties on site equipment such as: batteries and chargers, wiring and terminations, ground systems, fuses, filters, inverters, transformers, monitoring equipment, circuit breakers, and switchgear.
• Familiarity with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems used to input data into the work management system including creating equipment job notifications, performing the work tasks, and closing out the jobs.
• Helps develop, review, and update operating and maintenance procedures to ensure they are complete and accurate.
• Monitor and Record routine operating data and keep Supervisor regularly informed of equipment status.
• Assist in ensuring regulatory compliance is maintained at all times and any identified deficiencies are addressed at once.
• Conduct all assigned activities in a professional, business like manner

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must possess a High School diploma or GED
• Must possess a valid State Driver's License with good driving record

• Must hold a state or PG&E certification as a Journeyman Electrician OR have a minimum of 5 years experience operating and maintaining electrical equipment/utility solar generating facilities.
• Be able to work alone in isolated areas, outside under varying temperature extremes
• Willingness to work overtime as required

Desired Qualifications:

• Successful completion of an accredited solar photovoltaic technical training program
• Experience in working on solar photovoltaic project sites, either in the construction or operations and maintenance phase
• Basic computer proficiency with Microsoft Office suite in a Windows environment
• SAP work management process experience
• Factory certifications to repair Satcon, Advanced Energy, or SMA inverters.