Solar Technician

Position 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).

The department is expanding into other renewable generation such as wind, photovoltaic (PV) solar, and fuel cells, and has recently received authorizations to construct 250 MW of PV generation and additional fuel cell facilities.

The Solar Technician position is a journeyman-level role represented by IBEW Local 1245. The successful candidate should have the qualifications of a journeyman electrician or power plant technician who has qualified in the electrical skill block discipline. Responsibilities include inspecting, evaluating, testing, cleaning, calibrating, and maintaining solar photovoltaic module systems, mounting hardware, combiner fuse boxes, inverters, switch gear, circuit breakers, transformers, batteries, data acquisition systems, relays, programmable logic controllers, revenue meters, weather stations, fuel cell equipment, and other AC and DC equipment.

The role may involve frequent professional interaction with outside contract personnel and other site representatives.

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

PG&E provides an hourly rate that the company considers appropriate for this position at the time of 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, based on factors such as specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity.

• Apply safe work practices and perform facility clearance and switching procedures per PG&E safety policies.
• Work safely and effectively with or without direct supervision while conducting safety tailboards 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 to 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, chargers, wiring and terminations, ground systems, fuses, filters, inverters, transformers, monitoring equipment, circuit breakers, and switch gear.
• Familiarity with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems to input data, create job notifications, perform work tasks, and close out jobs.
• Help develop, review, and update operating and maintenance procedures to ensure they are complete and accurate.
• Monitor and record routine operating data and keep supervisors regularly informed of equipment status.
• Assist in ensuring regulatory compliance is maintained at all times and address any identified deficiencies immediately.
• Conduct all assigned activities in a professional, business-like manner.

• 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 a good driving record.
• Must hold a state or PG&E certification as a journeyman electrician, IBEW/JATC-sanctioned electrician apprenticeship, or have a minimum of five years experience operating and maintaining electrical equipment/utility solar generating facilities.
• Be able to work alone in isolated areas, outdoors under varying temperature extremes.
• Willingness to work overtime as required.

• Successful completion of an accredited solar photovoltaic technical training program.
• Experience 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.