Team Lead, Field Operations - Solar & BESS

The Team Lead, Field Operations - Solar & BESS role at AES Indiana is based at the Pike County BESS project site near Petersburg, Indiana. This position oversees preventive and corrective maintenance for solar PV, battery energy storage systems, and balance of plant equipment, with daily commuting required to the site at 6418 N Blackburn Rd, Petersburg, IN 47567. Some remote work may be needed, but the position is not fully remote.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support AES technicians and third-party technicians in preventive and corrective maintenance plus ongoing construction activities at the assigned solar PV and BESS site.
• Plan, coordinate, and manage safe, efficient, and reliable field services delivery while assisting the Renewable Energy Manager with maintenance obligations.
• Collaborate with the Renewable Energy Manager and Engineering team to remediate site issues and improve portfolio performance.
• Coordinate contractors for maintenance activities and verify compliance with AES safety procedures.
• Lead coordination with onsite technicians and third-party teams for solar PV, BESS, and substation operations and maintenance, including advanced troubleshooting.
• Stop unsafe work, report and correct hazards, and submit accident or incident reports as required.
• Support the Regional Safety Committee and identify opportunities for continuous improvement of O&M activities.
• Manage warranty claims processes with EPC providers and equipment vendors.
• Maintain relationships with plant owner representatives and ensure scheduling of site training and qualification efforts.
• Identify, onboard, and manage third-party contractors and vendors, including development of work scopes.
• Establish and communicate the annual on-call schedule and respond to after-hours emergencies as needed.
• Ensure timely and complete documentation of O&M activities, including service tickets, maintenance reports, switching orders, JHAs, JSAs, Safe Work Permits, LOTO, and other safety permits.
• Review investigation results and OEM recommendations with Engineering, implement solutions, and document changes through the change management system.
• Track inventory levels with Procurement and initiate re-orders of consumables and spare parts.
• Participate in construction and commissioning activities to support high-quality build, punch list closeout, and transition to operations.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, regulatory, and company policy requirements.
• Stay current on technical and safety standards and share updates with the team.
• Use phone, email, CMMS, and other business software to facilitate communication on all activities.
• Perform other duties and administrative tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• 5 or more years of supervisory experience.
• Knowledge of systems, processes, and protocols for operations and maintenance of industrial PV solar plants and electrical systems, including OSHA standards, NFPA 70E, and Lockout/Tagout/Grounding.
• Experience operating SEL relays, pad mounted switch gear, and re-closers.
• Appropriate electrical trade qualification with at least 5 years working on utility-scale electrical systems.
• Experience working with C&I or utility-scale power plants; PV systems experience is a plus.
• Competence with CMMS, DAS/SCADA, equipment-specific maintenance programs, and Microsoft Office programs.
• NFPA 70E certification.
• OSHA 30 certification.
• Technical degree or bachelor’s degree in a related field (preferred).
• Ability to read and interpret equipment and facility schematics, maintenance instructions, procedures, manuals, and process documents.
• Ability to work around rotating and energized equipment, hazardous materials, and chemicals.
• Ability to perform occasional lifting as required for duties.
• Ability to work outside in solar power plant and BESS site conditions, including high or low ambient temperatures, high or low humidity, and at heights.
• Ability to stand, sit, walk, kneel, twist, climb stairs and ladders, and enter plant equipment for inspection or data collection.
• Ability to travel regionally in a company vehicle and use regional air travel as needed to support solar and storage assets.
• Valid driver’s license.