Green Job Feed

SUMMARY

The PV System Technician performs scheduled and unscheduled fieldwork required to operate and maintain SunPower’s installed base of solar electric systems. Fieldwork includes commissioning of new systems, training of on-site customer personnel, preventive maintenance site visits, corrective maintenance site visits, and system testing. The position reports to the Manager of Operations & Maintenance.

Travel is required for this position, and Technicians should structure visits to ensure maximum use of their time, visiting multiple sites in a region at one time to mitigate travel expenses. Overnight travel is required, averaging up to 25% of the time during normal work conditions, but ranging up to several weeks at a time for large commissioning, two or three times per year.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Responsibilities:

• Failure Diagnostics
• The Technician is first to respond to system outages. (These may be discovered by a customer, SunPower field personnel, alerts from the SunPower data acquisition system (DAS), or observed performance decline.) The Technician often drives initial direction of investigation, determines the root cause of the fault, and performs or guides prompt problem resolution.
• Communication with customer site contact, Project Managers, SunPower QA and equipment service personnel will be necessary to determine course of action. When repairs are referred to vendor, the Technician shall be responsible for tracking actions and ensuring repairs are successfully implemented.
• Field Action
• The Technician undertakes the following repairs and procedures:
• Troubleshooting of low performing strings
• Troubleshooting of phone and network communication errors
• Replacement of shattered PV modules
• Repair of low performance PV where possible
• Replacement of faulty sensors
• Hardware upgrades and Software updates and DAS replacements
• Replacement of inaccurate power meters
• System Testing and Characterization
• Tests to be performed and recorded by Technicians include:
• Open circuit voltage
• Operating DC current
• I-V curves
• Power Meter verification, using PowerSite meter
• Megger Test
• Resistance test
• DAS equipment operation
• Commissioning
• The Technician is responsible for ensuring all SunPower projects are installed to specification during a commissioning site visit and inspection. All installations must have technician sign-off on the commissioning checklist. The Technician addresses areas that need attention (see Field Actions, above) or passes them back to the Project Manager in the form of a commissioning punch list. The technician is responsible for ensuring these items are addressed before project is formally accepted by the Customer Service Department.
• Customer Training

Upon completion of project, the Technician may provide training of the PV system’s field operations to customer and facility personnel. Training includes safety training, inverter operation, system components overview, maintenance and cleaning schedule, and explanation of the performance monitoring system. The Technician should keep in mind that this is a major public interface for SunPower and make every effort to further positive customer interactions.

Preventive Maintenance

Each system is visited periodically while under a service agreement to ensure that there are no otherwise undetected service issues, to offer continuing customer education related to their system, and to perform the following preventive maintenance checks:

• System tests (see above)
• Array and DC wiring inspection
• Inverter and electrical equipment inspection
• Torque on internal inverter and disconnect lugs
• Balance of system physical inspection
• Sensor Calibration
• Roof or grounds inspection
• Documentation
• Recording and adequate filing of service and field activity is vital to the success and effectiveness of the Customer Service Department. The department resolves many issues but also provides valuable feedback to appropriate departments within the company.
• All operation and maintenance activity must be recorded in the O&M tracking database. Service tickets should be processed in a timely manner with all appropriate activity and communication recorded in the notes fields. Where field activity has been extensive, a site visit report should also be generated.
• Report any major or recurrent equipment or process failures to Quality Assurance.
• Write commissioning and maintenance reports promptly after visit, and provide copy to the Project Manager.
• Office work typically accounts for 20% of the technician’s time. The remaining 80% is spent in the field.
• Departmental Work
• The Technician, under guidance of the O&M Manager, will perform tasks that further the work of the Customer Service Department. These include:
• Providing support for interdepartmental requests, e.g., maintenance issue studies, answering technical questions, and reviewing case studies.
• Generating reports summarizing field activity..
• Improve SunPower documentation including O&M Manuals, Service Technicians’ Guidebook, Commissioning and Testing forms, Standard and Extended Warranty, and standardizing O&M field procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Practical knowledge of electrical systems, solar electric systems and their components
• Knowledge of building and structural construction techniques
• Ability to efficiently troubleshoot system failures
• Strong analytical, diagnostic, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal, written, communication and presentation skills
• Strong prioritization skills

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Practical experience with electrical wiring and basic construction practices required
• 2+ years working with solar electric systems or electrical systems and/or 5+ years commercial construction or roofing experience required
• Journeyman Electrician’s Certification desirable
• Technical/science/engineering degree or experience with energy systems preferred
• Experience with metering and test equipment
• Ability to organize, prioritize and complete multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to demonstrate a responsive, customer service approach to listening and responding to requests
• Ability to communicate status of work activities and issues with peers and management as they relate to projects and tasks
• First aid and CPR training

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret a wide variety of written resources including procedures, manuals, and drawings. Ability to effectively present information, request information from, and respond to technical questions from customers, vendors, managers, peers, subcontractors, consultants, and the public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as percentages, lengths, and electrical values. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization may exist. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, architectural or electrical drawing, or schedule form.
 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk, or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands to dexterously maneuver small parts in confined spaces, such as wires, screws, and various components within electrical equipment. Employee may be required to kneel, crawl, climb ladders and stairs, use scissor lifts and cherry pickers, and be on rooftops. Employee is regularly required to lift 50 pounds unassisted and occasionally required to lift 100 pounds or more with assistance.
 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job the employee is often exposed to the risk of electric shock, heights, moving mechanical parts, fumes, and airborne particles. Additionally while working outdoors, the employee is exposed to heat, cold, inclement weather, and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.