Solar Plant Engineer

Hunter Valley Solar Foundry; Cessnock; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Hunter Valley Solar Foundry Pty Ltd is establishing a new solar PV module manufacturing facility in the Hunter region of NSW. We seek an experienced Solar Plant Engineer to lead design, construction, commissioning and ramp-up of equipment and production lines through start-up and expansion.

You will plan and coordinate the full lifecycle, develop specifications, manage suppliers, ensure safety and quality standards, and optimize plant performance while coordinating with engineering, operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, Automation or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
• At least 10 years of experience in manufacturing or the solar PV industry, including PV module manufacturing, plant and equipment engineering or new factory development.
• Demonstrated experience in PV module factory construction, expansion or production-line implementation.
• Strong knowledge of module manufacturing equipment such as stringing, lay-up, lamination, framing, EL/IV testing and automated material handling.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full project lifecycle from concept to ramp-up, coordinating labour and materials for production lines.
• Plan, direct and coordinate design, construction, modification and commissioning of equipment and production lines.
• Develop equipment specifications and determine configuration, flow, layout and capacity requirements using AutoCAD.
• Establish standards for installation, modification, quality control, testing and acceptance.
• Review supplier equipment designs for suitability to production requirements.
• Oversee maintenance and upgrades of production equipment and automation systems; analyze data to optimize efficiency.
• Coordinate plant utilities and infrastructure (power, water, HVAC, exhaust, piping).
• Maintain equipment documentation, layouts and commissioning records.
• Collaborate with production, quality, EHS, facilities and supply-chain teams to keep projects on track.

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, Automation or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline

Tools

AutoCAD

MS Project

Excel

Job description

About us

Hunter Valley Solar Foundry is establishing a new solar PV module manufacturing facility in the Hunter region of NSW, with planned capacity of up to 500MW per year. We are building local manufacturing capability from the ground up and are looking for an experienced engineer to help stand up the plant.

The role

As Solar Plant Engineer, you will plan, direct and coordinate the design, construction, modification and commissioning of equipment and production lines for our new facility, through to production start-up and ramp-up. You will:

Lead the full project lifecycle, from production-line concept and equipment selection through procurement, delivery, installation, commissioning, acceptance and ramp-up, organising project labour and coordinating the delivery of materials, plant and equipment

Develop equipment and plant-system specifications and determine equipment configuration, material flow, plant layout and capacity requirements, including takt time, equipment quantities, line balancing and capacity assessment, using AutoCAD

Establish standards and procedures for equipment installation, modification, quality control, testing, inspection and acceptance, and resolve issues during commissioning and ramp-up

Design and specify equipment modifications, production-line configurations and supporting plant systems, and review supplier equipment designs for suitability to production requirements

Direct the continued performance and maintenance of production equipment and automation systems, including upgrades, line modifications, new equipment introduction and troubleshooting, and analyse operational data, production schedules and costs to determine optimum equipment and worker efficiency

Coordinate plant utilities and infrastructure (power, water, compressed air, HVAC, exhaust, piping) so that plant buildings and services suit the production equipment

Inspect plant and equipment performance to ensure optimum operation, and maintain equipment and line documentation, including layouts, schedules, commissioning and acceptance records

Work with equipment suppliers on technical requirements, solution reviews, installation, commissioning and delivery schedules

Support spare-parts management and supplier performance to maintain continuous plant operation

Work with production, quality, EHS, facilities and supply-chain teams to keep plant and equipment projects on track

About you

Bachelor's degree or higher in Industrial, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electrical, Automation or Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline

At least 10 years of experience in manufacturing or the solar PV industry, including PV module manufacturing, plant and equipment engineering or new factory development

Demonstrated experience in PV module factory construction, expansion or production-line implementation

Strong knowledge of module manufacturing equipment such as stringing, lay-up, lamination, framing, EL/IV testing and automated material handling

Experience coordinating plant utility systems and facility infrastructure

Proficiency in AutoCAD, MS Project and Excel

Strong supplier management, coordination and problem-solving skills

Excellent written and spoken English

Hunter Valley Solar Foundry Pty Ltd is an equal opportunity employer.