Renewable Energy Technician 4 [On Site]

About Us:

EDF power solutions North America has been providing clean energy solutions throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico since 1987. We are a market-leading independent power producer and service provider, serving utilities, corporations, industries, communities, institutions, and investors with reliable, low-carbon energy solutions that help meet growing demand.

From developing and building scalable wind (onshore and offshore), solar, storage (battery and pumped storage hydro), smart EV charging, microgrids, green hydrogen, and transmission projects, to maximizing performance and profitability through skilled operations and maintenance and innovative asset optimization, our teams deliver expert solutions along the entire value chain—from origination to commercial operation.

Be a part of an innovative and collaborative team environment that fosters our goal of delivering renewable solutions to lead the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Benefits & Perks: 

EDF power solutions offers best-in-class employee benefits, including the following:

• Competitive bonus incentives. This position is eligible for our annual bonus program.
• Comprehensive health coverage. EDF power solutions USA provides low-cost health & wellness coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Rewarding 401k. EDF power solutions provides a generous matching contribution.

We are also proud to offer:

• Favorable paid time off programs, including paid parental leave after one year of service.
• Rewarding learning & career development and advancement opportunities.
• Supportive mentorship & buddy programs.

Salary Range: The full pay range for this role is $28.08 - $46.83 per hour. The target range for this position is $35.00- $39.00 per hour. We generally base our salary decisions on factors such as internal equity, candidate work and/leadership experience, educational credentials, and in some cases, candidate work location.

Scope of Job: This position, under specific direction from the site manager, performs unsupervised field maintenance, troubleshooting, and will lead major repairs on various types of renewable energy assets. The scope includes full system installation, commissioning, maintenance, system performance evaluation and troubleshooting of power and energy systems. The Technician 4 will train and sign off other renewable energy techs. Technician 4 is expected to have in-depth knowledge of procedures, instructions, and documents as provided by the company and to know and follow established safety guidelines and will seek guidance in matters for which they may be uncertain or unfamiliar. The Technician 4 will occasionally assist with overseeing daily activities without a manager or lead, being exposed to leadership and supervision role within daily activities.

Required Training: Each Renewable Energy Technician will attend mandatory five (5) week training and certification course at the start of their employment. The exact duration will be determined based on experience and qualifications. The training is in Albert Lea, MN, and travel, accommodation, and expenses will be provided.

Responsibilities: 

• Perform unsupervised corrective and preventative maintenance on utility-scale Renewable Energy Assets, plants and energy storage systems in a timely matter including:
  • Advanced Testing and troubleshooting electrical systems and performing live electrical work in accordance with industry standard and company mandated safety practices,
  • Advanced knowledge of testing equipment including, but not limited to, infrared camera, IV curve tracer, multimeter, ammeters, inclinometers, megohmmeter, pyranometers, and albedometers.
  • Perform the inspection and preventative maintenance on HV systems including substation collection and distribution systems, NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) inspections and required maintenances.
  • Perform the inspection and preventative maintenance on Renewable Energy Assets.
  • Recommission Renewable Energy Assets, PV (Photovoltaics) and energy storage systems including, but not limited to; insulation testing, insolation, and irradiance performance testing, IV curve testing, thermal / infrared imagery, torque testing, battery capacity and efficiency testing, and asset and project performance evaluations,
  • Collaboration with engineering teams as subject matter experts to support a continuous improvement environment – upgrades, retrofits, and revisions to PV and BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) systems.
• Train and oversee Techs 1-3 as outlined in the applicable qualification card and sign off on their competency.
• Conduct site safety assessments, team engagement visits and equipment inspections, identify all safety hazards on the job site, follow safety regulations and work procedures, lead daily safety meetings, and accurately fill out required safety documentation, as well as seeking guidance from a competent source / subject matter expert for all work which they are unfamiliar with or do not feel safe performing.
• Daily, accurately complete maintenance logs, warranty and inventory management documentation, service orders, timecards, service reports, and any other required paper or computer work for the specific project / job / assignment.
• Participate in 24/7 on-call rotation, monitoring systems as well as other components of large PV power plants and energy storage systems, and to identify system performance errors and system resets as needed on faulted equipment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervision of Others: The Technician 4 will oversee, and train lower-level Renewable Energy Technicians as outlined in the applicable qualification cards covering corrective and preventative maintenances. This position may, under certain situations, allow for the oversight and scheduling of the site crew and any contractors to support the site(s).

Working Conditions: 80% of time is spent working in the renewable asset field. 20% of time is spent in the office environment, utilizing computers (frequent use of various Microsoft software/programs), phones, and general office equipment.

This position requires working on platforms or skids, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, and the repetitive use of legs, arms, hands, and fingers. The employee will work eight (8) hours a day, forty (40) hours a week, and overtime and night shifts as required.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to:

• Extreme weather conditions, including cold, heat, rain, wind, etc.
• High voltage and stored energy
• Moving mechanical parts and vibration
• Confined spaces
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Fiscal Responsibilities: Support site budget by ensuring costs is within budget and maintenances and repairs are made in a timely manner by finding efficiencies and working with appropriate subject matter experts to decrease operating loss factor (OLF) and striving for continuous improvement.

Education/Experience:

• High school Diploma or equivalent required.
• A minimum of 5 years of renewable energy experience or a similar discipline.

Required Certifications:

• OSHA 10 or equivalent certification.
• Basic Safety Training (BST) certification under the Global Wind Organization.
• Basic Technical Training (BTT) certification under the Global Wind Organization.
• Control of Hazardous Energies (CoHE) certification under the Global Wind Organization.
• Slinger and Signaler certification under the Global Wind Organization.
• NFPA 70E and NFPA 70B or equivalent certification.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities:

• Must possess a valid current driver’s license and successfully meet organizational requirements to operate motor vehicles.
• Skilled in using advanced diagnostic tools, understanding of system software, and familiarity with the latest industry standards.
• Ability to effectively communicate, coach and instruct and train less experienced technicians on how to complete corrective and preventative maintenances for the Renewable Energy Assets they jointly maintain.
• Filling out and understanding safety documentation, service/work orders, control instructions for maintenances, inspection forms, parts sheets, and other job-related forms.
• Proficient with mechanical schematics, drawings, technical data, and construction documents.
• Proficient with electrical schematics, drawings, technical data, and construction documents.
• Skilled in the use of electrical test instruments for the purpose of checking for the presence of current, voltage, and resistance measurements on energized and de-energized circuits and the knowledge of in-depth testing and troubleshooting of medium and high voltage equipment.
• Competence in the theory of Renewable Energy systems and all sub-components and knowledge of the generation theory of each system.
• Understanding of fastener types and techniques.
• Knowledge in electrical safety and arc flash standards and requirements.
• Must have an advanced working knowledge of solar industry best practices, NEC requirements, and diagnosis / repair of solar generator and energy storage systems including understanding the theory of operation, documentation and schematics, mechanical and electrical controls and voltages, system hazards and mitigation controls, and DAS navigation and fault identification on these systems and sub-components.
• Knowledge of EDF Renewable Energy policies and procedures and understand how to find and use all necessary documents and find the appropriate company contacts to perform work-related duties.
• Must be familiar with testing and measuring equipment including multimeters, ammeters, inclinometers, pyranometers, albedometers, megohmmeters, IV curve tracers, and infrared cameras, at least.
• Ability to train other technicians in the company providing policies and procedures and preventative and corrective maintenance procedures on PV and BESS systems and sub-components.
• Ability to work well with contractors in resolving issues identified in the field during that project phase.
• Ability to understand, read, write, and speak clearly in English.
• Working knowledge of the National Electric Code and industry related OSHA regulations.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Ability to work in company provided: software as a service (SaaS), data acquisition systems (DAS), and computer maintenance management systems (CMMS). These include Microsoft Suite (Teams, Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), ECRM, and OEM SCADA systems.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Physical Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Due to weight restrictions associated with life-saving fall-arrest equipment employees are required to wear while working at heights, maximum employee weight (for Wind only) must not exceed 285 lbs. Employee weight is subject to review at any time throughout employment and required annually at a minimum.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to:
• Be able to use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and be able to reach with hands and arms.
• Possess good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity for working with small parts and tools.
• Possess good vision and hearing to frequently detect potential hazards and communicate effectively with team members.
• Be able to stand, crouch, walk, and work for extended periods of time.
• Be able to operate company vehicles (field trucks) on site and on public roads and highways.
• Regularly lift and/or move up to 35 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Be able to work in an electrical-mechanical environment.
• Ability to climb ladders, stairs, and structures to heights more than 91 meters (300 feet).
• Able to work at heights, including climbing up and descending towers, entering nacelles and hubs at extreme heights.
• Be comfortable with working in various weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, wind, and rain.
• Comfortable working at heights and in confined spaces.