New Homes Solar Activation Specialist

Qcells; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 87,100 - 104,500; Full time

Job summary

Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc. is seeking a Solar Activation Specialist to lead activation and commissioning support for solar and battery systems in new home developments.

You will manage onsite activations, remote PV/battery activations, and dashboards, working with Field Managers to ensure PTO readiness and timely completion. The role involves 70% field work and 30% onsite, with potential remote consideration for exceptional cases.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field with 5+ years of professional work experience or an associate's degree with 8+ years of experience including 2+ years in solar.
• Strong computer skills including data entry, email, and navigating CRM platforms.
• Excellent time management and organizational abilities; multitasking across phone, emails, and CRM updates.

Responsibilities

• Attend new community kickoff meetings and preconstruction walkthroughs tied to field operations.
• Coordinate with Project and Field Managers to resolve commissioning issues quickly and prevent activation delays; provide field status updates.

Skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Independent work

Multitasking

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Associate's degree in related field

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Description

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

QCELLS Home Energy Solutions is seeking a Solar Activation Specialist to lead the activation and commissioning support of solar and battery systems installed in new home developments. In this role, you will manage onsite scheduled activations and remote PV/battery activations, while maintaining and reporting on remote/field dashboard performance. You’ll partner closely with the Field Manager during installation to complete commissioning and system power checks, ensuring each home is prepared for remote activation prior to receiving Permission to Operate (PTO). Key responsibilities include conducting job site visits (SPCs) within new home communities to confirm installers are completing contracted commissioning scopes on schedule and to best-in-class quality standards. You will also support wireless device setup (when applicable), troubleshoot solar/battery issues, and deliver a strong customer experience by building positive relationships with homeowners. The ideal candidate is a hands-on construction professional with experience supporting new home builders and coordinating across residential trades, including framing, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, photovoltaics, and energy storage.

This position will be based out of one of our offices in Irvine, CA; San Francisco, CA; or Teaneck, NJ, with a potential in-office schedule set at the direct manager’s discretion in accordance with the company policies and procedures. Remote work may be considered for exceptional cases. This role will be 70% field / 30% onsitebased and overtime may be required as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend new community kickoff meetings, preconstruction walkthroughs, and other key stakeholder meetings tied to field operations.

• Partner with Project and Field Managers to resolve commissioning issues quickly and prevent activation delays. Provide clear, consistent field status updates to Project Management, Field Manager, and Activations Manager.

• Coordinate with builders, installers, and internal operations to remove technical or logistical blockers before and during construction.

• Guide installers, builders, and homeowners through commissioning and activation sequences, including hands-on mechanical and electrical troubleshooting when needed.

• Serve as the technical SME on Q CELLS PV and ESS mechanical and electrical systems for builders, installers, and field operations.

• Plan and optimize travel routes using software and strong navigational judgment to maximize site-visit efficiency and consistently hit activation targets.

• Inspect installations for as-built discrepancies that could impact inspections, performance, or compliance (layout, electrical specs, labeling, placards).

• Own commissioning quality, on-time phase completion, and adherence to scope of work.

• Conduct quality audits of solar contractor PV and battery installations and verify alignment to internal standards and industry best practices. Validate project milestones in Salesforce, including date of entry and photo review to support work order management.

• Support permitting and inspection activities as needed, including permit pickup/submittal and hosting AHJ inspections, support inventory reconciliation when requested, including in-person cycle counts with procurement/supply chain and support the Service team by troubleshooting startup systems that are offline or experiencing issues prior to activation of work order closeout.

• Travel as needed to support existing and new communities. Use of personal vehicle or assigned fleet vehicle (GPS-enabled).

• Deliver high-quality customer service and maintain positive homeowner relationships through knowledgeable, timely, professional support.

• Configure wireless devices and connect PV/ESS equipment to the internet when applicable; provide homeowner orientation on monitoring applications.

• Monitor and maintain Salesforce activation dashboards and reports (SPCs, Activation Report, Signal Sent Report, NCC Report). Maintain accurate documentation, including service requests, activation of work orders, and all work performed.

• Continuously improve remote and onsite activation cycle times through disciplined dashboard management and strong attention to detail.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field with 5+ years of professional work experience or an associate's degree in related field with 8+ years of professional work experience including a minimum of 2+ years of work experience in solar.

• Strong computer skills, including data entry, email, and navigating CRM platforms.

• Excellent time management and organizational abilities. Strong multitasking skills — comfortable handling phone calls, emails, and CRM updates simultaneously.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Customer service experience or related client-facing role.

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision as well as manage a schedule independently and meet time-sensitive field priorities.

• Comfortable with high-volume customer engagement across multiple channels with a focus on continuous quality and productivity monitoring.

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills; proactive, process-driven, and focused on long-term solutions

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Background in construction, roofing, solar, and/or electrical or 5+ years in project management and 3+ years in field operations/operations management supporting solar and storage in new home communities.

• Ability to read, interpret, and execute master plans and PV/ESS design sets with strong attention to detail and sound judgment to optimize layouts and system specifications.

• Clear verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present contractor performance updates to internal and external stakeholders

• Ownership mindset and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment

• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record (must maintain)

• Ability to perform jobsite visits in compliance with Q CELLS and OSHA safety requirements

• OSHA 30 certification

• Hands-on commissioning and activation experience across major platforms (Tesla, Enphase, Franklin, SolarEdge, QOMMAND PV/ESS)

COMPENSATION:

In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws, the anticipated annual base salary for this position is:

• Zone 1 (Bay Area, NYC): $95,000 – $114,000

• Zone 2 (CA, NJ, NY): $87,100 – $104,500

• Zone 3 (All Others): $79,200 – $95,000

The applicable salary range is based on the employee’s primary work location. Individual compensation will be determined based on qualifications, relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and other business-related factors.

Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc. (“HQCA”) is a Qcells company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of solar photovoltaic (PV) products and solutions. Headquartered in Irvine, California, HQCA has been rapidly expanding its business in North America through the expansion of products and solutions, including distributed energy solutions, direct-to-homeowner solar sales and financing, and EPC services. We provide an opportunity to be part of an exciting and growing world-class global business in an interesting and expanding industry of the future.