Field Service Engineer, Medium Voltage III, Western
SMA America · Western Region, AZ, CA, ID, MT, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, WA, Wyoming, Field based, United States
Why Work at SMA America
Power the future. Build your career at SMA America.
As the U.S. subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG, we have been at the forefront of solar inverter technology since 1981, developing solutions that make photovoltaic power plants simpler, more reliable, safer, and more cost effective. Headquartered in Rocklin, California, SMA America has spent more than two decades helping homes, businesses, and utilities across the country generate clean, reliable power. We are the only inverter manufacturer in the world offering solutions for every system size, from residential rooftops to large scale utility plants, backed by more than 1,500 patents and a presence in over 190 countries.
Innovation is only part of the story. We invest in our people, create room to grow, challenge conventional thinking, and protect a culture where teammates genuinely care about each other and the work. We hire capable people and give them the space to do the job, with clear expectations, open door leadership, and real autonomy.
If you are passionate about driving positive change and want a career where you can take ownership of your work, we would love to meet you. Together, we are not just part of the energy transition, we are helping drive it forward.
Field Service Engineer, Medium Voltage III, Western
Field based, Western region: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
LOCATION AND WORK MODEL
This position is field based and covers the Western region, which includes Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Candidates must reside within the Western region. This position requires significant regional travel, with occasional travel elsewhere in the United States.
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
The Field Service Engineer, Medium Voltage III serves as an experienced field resource responsible for leading crews, executing advanced testing and maintenance, and troubleshooting complex substation equipment and systems. This role provides technical leadership, ensures safety compliance, and supports engineers and project teams during commissioning and critical field operations. It combines advanced technical expertise, leadership, and project coordination to ensure safe, efficient, and high quality execution of Medium Voltage and High Voltage work across a wide range of electrical equipment and systems.
PRIMARY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
- Leads daily job site safety briefings, proactively identifying, eliminating, and mitigating hazards.
- Leads crews in the testing, inspection, and maintenance of high, medium, and low voltage electrical equipment.
- Installs, tests, and maintains electrical apparatus, including SF6, vacuum, and low voltage circuit breakers, transformers, grounding systems, battery systems, and switchgear.
- Performs and leads complex troubleshooting of electrical and control systems, determining root cause and implementing corrective actions.
- Analyzes test results using a strong understanding of electrical theory to validate system performance and identify deficiencies.
- Applies expert knowledge of high voltage test equipment to identify root causes for SMA internal quality 8D reports.
- Consults schematics, wiring diagrams, manuals, and engineering resources to optimize equipment functionality and resolve issues.
- Directs repair, replacement, and maintenance activities to ensure reliable restoration of equipment and systems, including DGA sampling and cold weld patch repairs on Medium Voltage transformers.
- Prepares, reviews, and approves detailed reports documenting testing, maintenance, repairs, and system performance.
- Creates and manages project documentation, including test reports, discrepancy lists, and closure packages.
- Leads execution of large scale and complex projects, coordinating field activities to meet schedule, quality, and safety requirements.
- Supports project planning, resource coordination, and work sequencing to optimize field efficiency.
- Trains, mentors, and qualifies Level I and Level II Field Service Engineers, ensuring development of technical skills and safe work practices.
- Coordinates daily activities with engineers, project managers, and other stakeholders to ensure successful project execution.
- Works directly with Medium Voltage engineering counterparts at SMA AG for technical assistance and guidance on MV systems, attending meetings on a daily or weekly basis.
- Develops detailed knowledge to aid in the creation of processes and procedures for SMA Medium Voltage products and associated SMA or third party accessories sold by SMA.
- Serves as a primary field point of contact for customers, providing updates, addressing concerns, and ensuring expectations are met.
- Maintains professional relationships with clients, contractors, and internal teams.
- Other duties may be assigned or required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Field Service Foundation
- 5 to 10 years of relevant industry experience.
- Crew leadership and project coordination experience in the field.
- Ability to analyze and solve problems effectively.
- Ability to work nonstandard business hours occasionally to support service customer contracts, including weekend or night work when customer requirements at the site call for it.
- A valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets SMA insurance requirements, since a company vehicle is assigned to this role.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Medium Voltage Specialization
- Expert knowledge of high voltage test equipment and the ability to interpret its results.
- Experience performing power factor, megger, CT ratio and saturation, and hipot testing.
- Extensive knowledge of low, medium, and high voltage circuit breakers, transformers, and switchgear.
- Prior experience with cold weld patch repairs and field transformer repairs.
- Certifications through the AVO Training Institute or another accredited institution or trade school, either already obtained or completed upon hire with SMA sponsorship:
- Medium Voltage Transformer Levels I and II
- Switch Gear and Circuit Breaker Maintenance with grounding and bonding
- Electrical Safety for Utilities
- Substation Maintenance I and II
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- A Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
- A military technical background is highly desirable.
- Advanced knowledge of power plant measurement devices and techniques.
- Knowledge of solar or alternative energy markets.
- Knowledge of the National Electric Code.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- Extent of responsibility: Regional.
- Travel: Approximately 80% travel, primarily to customer sites across the Western region, with occasional travel elsewhere in the United States and internationally.
- Standard rotation: Approximately two weeks on site at a time, with weekends home possible when site conditions allow.
- First year onboarding: Travel is heavier during the first year, including 2 to 3 weeks of mandatory inverter training at SMA America headquarters in Rocklin, CA, and extended field training at project sites, which may require two weeks or more away from home at a time.
- Schedule changes: Travel schedules may shift based on customer needs, site conditions, and project timelines.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- While at site, the employee is required to stand, walk, talk, hear, and observe surroundings.
- The employee is occasionally required to sit, reach above the shoulder, stoop, bend, squat, and kneel.
- The employee must routinely lift up to 50 pounds.
- The work environment is constrained to a field service environment, with occasional functions in a corporate office.
- The employee is occasionally exposed to electrical hazards and to weather of extreme temperatures.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
WE OFFER
- Compensation: $44.00 to $59.00 per hour, dependent on experienc