O&M Field Technician BESS at AltGen South Africa

Job Objective

• As a Battery Storage – O&M Field Technician, you will play a pivotal role in the Engineering and O&M department. Your primary responsibilities will include monitoring, performance tracking, reporting and administration of battery storage plants.

Key Responsibilities
Plant Monitoring & Performance

• Monitor BESS plant performance on a daily basis using remote monitoring systems.
• Identify performance deviations, faults and alarms, and take corrective action where required.
• Ensure maximum plant uptime and optimal energy production.

Maintenance & Technical Support

• Perform and coordinate preventative, corrective and emergency maintenance on PV plants and BESS systems.
• Conduct fault finding on AC and DC electrical systems and implement repairs where possible.
• Escalate critical faults to Engineering or OEM support where necessary.
• Perform routine inspections, testing and commissioning support of solar and battery systems.

Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis

• Diagnose technical faults and implement effective solutions.
• Conduct root cause analysis on plant failures and implement preventative measures.
• Support technical investigations relating to plant underperformance or equipment failure.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Export, interpret and analyse operational data from plant monitoring systems.
• Compile technical reports on plant performance, incidents and maintenance activities.
• Assist with performance optimisation through data-driven analysis.

Operational Coordination

• Prioritise maintenance activities and manage task allocation to ensure timely response to faults.
• Support coordination between internal teams, contractors and OEM suppliers.
• Ensure all maintenance activities are carried out in accordance with company procedures and safety standards.

Stakeholder & Client Support

• Provide technical support to internal stakeholders, clients and contractors.
• Maintain strong professional relationships with project stakeholders.
• Assist in addressing client queries relating to plant performance and maintenance.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills & Experience
Minimum Requirements

• Valid electrical trade qualification.
• Valid driver’s licence.
• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience as an Electrician or Technician within the renewable energy or solar PV industry.
• Proven working knowledge of Solar PV systems and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) maintenance and operations.
• Strong understanding of AC/DC electrical systems and fault diagnosis.

Technical Skills

• Experience with online PV plant monitoring platforms (SCADA/monitoring software).
• Knowledge of preventative maintenance strategies for PV plants and electrical equipment.
• Root cause analysis and troubleshooting capability.
• Strong technical report writing skills.

Additional Advantages

• Instrumentation and automation experience.
• Experience with utility-scale or commercial solar installations.
• Knowledge of grid-tied solar systems and energy storage integration.

Software Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel for data analysis and reporting.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3-Phase Wireman’s Licence.
• Red Seal Electrician.
• N5/N6 Electrical Engineering.
• BTech or National Diploma in Electrical Engineering (advantageous).