Plant Manager - Bakersfield at QE Solar – Bakersfield, California

About QE Solar

We're making clean energy more efficient! For over a decade, the team at QE Solar has brought technical expertise, curiosity, and an investigative approach to the Solar Operations & Maintenance sector, maximizing asset uptime and return on investment while prioritizing safety. QE Solar manages well over 3GWs of PV/BESS projects and hundreds of employees, providing renewable assets owners the most reliable renewable asset service from coast-to-coast. QE Solar is known for an owner’s mindset in delivering consistent quality and service to our clients with a sense of urgency because we know maintenance issues impact the bottom line.

As a Plant Manager, you are responsible for supervising ongoing field services support to solar, battery storage (BESS) or other renewable energy systems on a continual/on-demand basis in order to optimize equipment performance, troubleshoot/resolve equipment issues, support emergency repairs and other provide ongoing O&M compliance support. In this role you will assist with/and schedule all routine site inspections, maintenance projects, equipment & system testing, and other project compliance, troubleshoot or restoration matters. Plant Managers regularly participate in field support, training, and project safety orientations/classes in order to develop skills and technical expertise in one or multiple disciplines including PV array, inverter, medium voltage, BESS and other solar services.

The Plant Manager will be responsible for utility scale operations for the Chalan in Bakersfield, CA. Chalan 87 MVdc / 100MWH site, consisting of BESS / PV technology, primarily from vendors such as Tesla, Sungrow, Waaree, BYD, CATL. This position will manage 1 direct reports, including Solar Technicians or Solar Electricians.

The target start date for this position will be 05/04/2026. QE Solar will train you for 4 weeks at one of our other Utility Operations locations. We ask that you are available to travel during your training period, and then work at Chalan will commence in June 8th 2025.

1. Diagnose and repair systems failures on existing solar sites, identify and correct potential issues that may impact site performance in the future. Diagnose/troubleshoot equipment failures and perform regular preventative maintenance on a variety of solar, BESS and other project equipment. Support field teams and clients via oversight/support of warranty matters regarding equipment and systems for use or replacement. Installs, removes, troubleshoots and the maintenance of solar, BESS and other related electrical equipment.

2. Manage field teams (both internal and external) performing work on site. Maintain scheduling of all internal field personnel. Assist in managing contractual and regulatory compliance for the plant.

3. Ensure a safe, event-free work environment through strict adherence to company and client protocols, safety procedures and regulations. Ensure compliance with all site specific plans, manuals, and safety requirements/safe best practices (e.g. lock-out/tag-out compliance, JHA completion, LDL testing, and compliance with all company safety policies or procedures and work practices).

4. Prepare service tickets and reports for site visits, emergency repairs, equipment modifications and equipment improvement investigations. Provide reports, written and oral communication in a timely and complete fashion.

5. Communicate with company leadership, project leads/managers, clients and third-party sub-contractors to ensure timely resolution to all required activities;

Knowledge of power generation systems (preferably Substations, PV and BESS), proficiency with SCADA/PPC,

Required Education

High School or Technical School Degree, Or, equivalent combination of education and experience; Veterans or military experienced candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Preferred Education

4 year applicable degree

2+ years of specialist, technical experience with solar, BESS, or other renewable systems. Experience with Data Acquisition Systems (DAS)

Required Experience

4 years technical experience as a Plant Manager or Field Engineer in power generation; Experience working with 600v-1500v systems; Strong knowledge of NEC, IEEE and current NFPA-70e requirements; Proficient with technology and computing programs/platforms; C&I/Utility Scale solar/BESS work experience; Experience with operations of solar sites and/or project maintenance and compliance

Other Certifications

Inverter and/or BESS manufacturers’ certifications (e.g SunGrow, Power Electronics, Solectria, BYD, etc) a plus

Thermography certifications (Level 1)

IT/networking skills: Familiarity with RS485, Modbus, tcp/ip, etc.

NABCEP PV Installer Certification

Minimum OSHA 10/30 Certification

Completion of NFPA 70E courses

CPR/First Aid

QE Solar is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The physical and mental demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. This role is performed primarily in field, construction, or industrial environments. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This position requires:

• Working in indoor and outdoor environments, including solar sites, construction sites, and industrial facilities, in varying weather conditions (heat, cold, wind, rain, etc.)
• Prolonged periods of standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, and climbing on uneven terrain
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and equipment up to 50 pounds or more, with or without assistance
• Use of hands and fingers to operate tools, testing equipment, and technical devices with precision
• Ability to safely climb ladders, scaffolding, and work at heights
• Ability to work in confined spaces and near energized equipment while maintaining strict adherence to safety protocols
• Visual acuity to read blueprints, schematics, and technical documents, and to identify potential hazards
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, harnesses, arc-flash protection, and other job-specific gear
• Effective verbal communication skills to coordinate with team members, supervisors, and other trades in active work environments

QE Solar offers incredible benefits! We enjoy:

• 100% paid employee premium on health benefits; additional dependents at low costs and great plans for Health, Dental, Vision, FSA or HSA
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance
• Perks at Work Marketplace for discounts on gym memberships, classes, tech, vacations, tickets, and more
• Family Building and Adoption Assistance Programs
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Discounted Life & Disability Insurance

Statement to all Third-Party Agencies and Similar Organizations:
QE Solar accepts resumes only from contracted recruiting agencies with formal service agreements. Please do not send unsolicited resumes or outreach emails to our QE Solar employees, hiring managers, or team members without expressed consent or contract for services. QE Solar is not responsible for any fees or charges associated with unsolicited resumes or services.