Maintenance Manager - Renewable Energy

FirstLight Power; New Milford (CT); On-site; USD 145,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive bonus

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Wellness programs

Employee assistance program

Job summary

FirstLight Power in New Milford, CT is seeking an experienced Maintenance Manager for Renewable Energy to oversee electrical, mechanical, and instrumentation systems. You will lead preventive maintenance programs, coordinate with departments and contractors, and ensure safe, reliable operations while maximizing unit availability.

The role offers a base salary of $145,000–$165,000 with a competitive bonus potential and comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement match, life and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or related field and 5 years of power plant experience.
• 10+ years’ experience in maintenance management with multi-disciplinary supervision.
• Complete working knowledge of power plant maintenance and systems.
• Proven ability to plan, schedule, direct, and review work in multiple areas.
• Strong communication and leadership skills with cost-conscious decision making.

Responsibilities

• Develops and supervises preventive maintenance and repair programs to meet goals.
• Directs and documents maintenance and repair activities.
• Coordinate with station departments and external contractors on maintenance tasks.
• Plan and document major maintenance to maximize unit availability within budget.
• Prepare specifications, evaluate bids, and manage maintenance budgets (OPEX/CAPEX).
• Ensure critical spares and inventory are available to reduce downtime.
• Review work orders in CMMS for accuracy and closure.
• Monitor training and ensure compliance with qualification standards.
• Comply with regulations and company policies; may assume Senior Operations Manager duties when needed.

Skills

Power plant maintenance

Maintenance management

Team supervision

Planning & scheduling

Problem solving

Effective communicator

Regulatory compliance

Budget management

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

CMMS

Job description

About Us

FirstLight is a leading clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company serving the Northeast. With a diversified portfolio that includes over 1.4 GW of operating renewable energy and energy storage technologies and a development pipeline of solar and battery projects, FirstLight specializes in hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage (including Northfield Mountain, the largest energy storage facility in New England), utility-scale solar and large-scale battery assets. The company’s mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by supporting the development, operation, and integration of renewable energy and storage to meet the world’s growing clean energy needs and deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable. Based in Burlington, MA, with operating offices in Northfield, MA, and New Milford, CT, FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along some of the most beautiful rivers and lakes in North America.

We have over 140 employees with operations based in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

We proudly serve our host communities and beyond through our clean energy assets, the recreation spaces we steward, the jobs we produce, and the economic benefit we deliver through our operations and charitable actions.

We are a team of caring, passionate professionals who are driven to deliver positive climate impact and to have fun while doing it! We value diversity, equity and inclusion and encourage people with diverse perspectives, skills and experiences to apply.

Position Detail

We currently have an opening for an experienced Maintenance Manager – Renewable Energy in New Milford, CT.

Reporting to the Sr. Operations Manager, South, the Maintenance Manager plans, develops, directs, and coordinates programs to maintain electrical, mechanical and instrumentation equipment, as well as associated buildings and structures. Ensures safe, efficient, and reliable operations while maximizing unit availability.

Our ideal candidate possesses the experience, passion and energy to be a driving force in FirstLight’s continued evolution to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid to meet the clean energy needs of tomorrow.

The compensation for this position falls between $145,000-$165,000 base annual salary. The final compensation offered will depend on several factors that may include, but are not limited to, the type and years of relevant experience, industry-specific experience, relevant education/certifications and geographic location.

Our total compensation package also includes a competitive bonus plus comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, retirement savings with company match, life insurance, disability benefits, employee assistance program, paid time off, paid holidays, paid parental leave, health and wellness reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, scholarship program, employee referral bonus, volunteer time off benefit, charitable gift match program and more.

Key Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

• Develops, plans, and supervises cost-effective preventative maintenance and repair programs to ensure compliance to long and short-range goals;
• Directs and documents maintenance and repair activities;
• Coordinates assignments with other station departments, as well as with associated Company and contractor activities;
• Plans, directs, and documents overhaul and other major maintenance and repair activities to achieve maximum unit availability within budgeted costs;
• Prepares and recommends specifications and evaluates bids for contractor activities and/or equipment purchases;
• Prepares and maintains station maintenance budgets (OPEX/ CAPEX and evaluates associated costs;
• Recommend and add inventory items as needed to ensure single points of failure and critical equipment have spares to reduce downtime;
• Review Work Orders for completeness and accuracy and ensure that work orders are properly entered and closed out in the CMMS system;
• Determine project maintenance requirements by helping implement the preventive maintenance programs, evaluating maintenance work requests and coordinate manpower needs, work prioritization, parts procurement, and equipment scheduled outages;
• Participate in the maintenance of the project operating and maintenance manuals, technical references, prints and diagrams and preventive/ predictive maintenance records;
• Develops and monitors programs to analyze and resolve conflicts or discrepancies with contractors and/or vendors;
• Monitors training effectiveness and performance of electrical, mechanical, instrument, and engineering personnel to ensure compliance with qualification standards; initiates corrective measures and updates training;
• Ensures that maintenance and repair activities are conducted in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, costs, controls, and Company practices and procedures;
• Assumes Senior Operations Manager’s responsibilities when designated;
• Comply with all FirstLight policies and procedures;
• Carries out other duties as assigned.

Job Qualifications / Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline or coursework in communications, business administration, or management principles preferred including 5 years of power plant experience;
• 10+ years’ experience in maintenance management as well as experience supervising multi-disciplinary teams;
• Complete working knowledge of power plant maintenance and systems;
• Demonstrated ability to plan, schedule, direct, and review work in multiple maintenance areas;
• Experience evaluating employees and communicating effectively with team members, supervisors and interfacing departments;
• Prior experience analyzing operational methods and creating process improvement plans;
• Strong problem-solving skills, initiative and ability to work independently with minimum supervision;
• Proven experience analyzing information, determining relevant facts, and making decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner;
• Demonstrated skills in the areas of planning, organizing, and project management;
• Strong commitment toward adherence to high standards and best work practices;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Physical Requirements

• Standing, walking, balancing, sitting, climbing (ladders, stairs, ramps, catwalks and the like as required), stooping, squatting, crouching, crawling, kneeling, reaching, grasping, pushing, pulling, lifting (max. 50lbs);
• Visual acuity to accurately read and interpret items such as, but not limited to, instruments, gauges, manuals and drawings;
• Ability to work in a confined space (crawl spaces, shafts, small, enclosed areas, pipes and the like) as required;
• Perform work at various heights and in adverse conditions during operations, shutdowns, and emergency activities;
• Must be physically capable of wearing protective equipment (PPE) including, but not limited to, fall protection equipment, hardhat, safety shoes, safety glasses etc.;

Why Work for FirstLight?

We consider our employees to be our most valuable resource and we strive to provide a challenging, collegial, and rewarding workplace. FirstLight embraces a company-wide commitment to recruit, develop, and retain a dedicated, diverse, and engaged workforce that is motivated to be ever better both professionally and personally.

Joining the FirstLight Team is an opportunity to experience a unique and exciting culture. Some of our benefits for eligible employees include:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Mental Health Care
• 401(k) with Employer Matching
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Savings Account
• Annual Performance Incentive Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Generous Paid Time Off Plan
• Paid Holidays
• Professional Development
• Employee Referral Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Charitable Matching Program & Employer Sponsored Volunteer Program

FirstLight provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state, federal and local laws. In addition to federal law requirements, FirstLight complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

FirstLight’s values are: Respect – Integrity – Safety – Excellence – Innovation - Team