| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Energy and Solar |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Solar O and M Engineer |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher or up to 3 years in solar maintenance |
Solar O&M Technician job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Solar O&M Technician
Department: Energy and Solar
Reports to: Solar O and M Engineer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Solar O&M Technician carries out the hands on maintenance that keeps a solar plant generating: cleaning, inspection, fault attending and routine servicing. They perform preventive maintenance, clean modules, check strings and inverters, and fix or escalate faults under the O and M engineer. The role reports to the Solar O and M Engineer. A good solar O and M technician keeps modules and equipment in good condition, attends faults promptly to protect generation, works safely with electrical systems, and records maintenance accurately.
Key responsibilities
- Carry out preventive maintenance of modules, inverters and balance of plant.
- Clean solar modules and manage vegetation to reduce generation loss.
- Inspect strings, junction boxes, cabling and connectors for faults.
- Attend and rectify simple faults and escalate complex ones to the engineer.
- Take string current and voltage readings and check for underperformance.
- Support inverter servicing and the filter and cooling fan maintenance.
- Follow safe electrical practice with isolation and protective gear.
- Assist with thermography and IV testing under the engineer.
- Maintain tools, spares and the site in good order.
- Record maintenance, cleaning and fault attending work accurately each day.
Requirements
- ITI or diploma in electrical
- Solar maintenance training
- Electrical safety awareness
- Fresher or up to 3 years in solar maintenance
KRAs and KPIs for a Solar O&M Technician
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Preventive maintenance | Assigned preventive maintenance completed on schedule with no overdue task |
| Module cleaning | Cleaning done to the plan so soiling loss stays within target |
| Fault attending | Simple faults attended within the target time on the plant |
| Safety | No electrical safety lapse on maintenance work in the month |
| Underperformance detection | Underperforming strings identified and reported during rounds |
| Records | Maintenance and fault records completed accurately each day |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Multimeter and clamp meter, Cleaning equipment, Torque wrench, Insulation tester, Safety gear.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior O and M Technician, Solar O and M Engineer, Site Supervisor
Interview questions for a Solar O&M Technician
- How do you check a string that seems to be underperforming?
- How do you clean modules safely and effectively?
- What do you inspect during a routine plant maintenance round?
- How do you work safely on live electrical equipment?
- When do you attend a fault yourself and when do you escalate it?
- Tell me about a fault you found during a maintenance round.
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What does a solar O and M technician do?
A solar O and M technician carries out the hands on maintenance that keeps a solar plant generating. They perform preventive maintenance, clean modules, inspect strings and inverters, take readings, and attend or escalate faults under the O and M engineer. They keep equipment in good condition, work safely, and record maintenance accurately.
What qualifications do you need to be a solar O and M technician?
Most solar O and M technicians hold an ITI or diploma in electrical with solar maintenance training and electrical safety awareness. Employers look for skill in module cleaning, string and inverter checks, attending simple faults, taking measurements, and working safely on live systems. It is a common entry into solar operations and maintenance.
What is the difference between a solar technician and an O and M technician?
A solar technician often focuses on installation, fitting panels, structures and wiring during construction. A solar O and M technician focuses on maintaining an operating plant: cleaning, inspection, servicing and fault attending. The skills overlap, and many technicians move from installation into operations and maintenance with experience.