Description
Install, maintain, and repair solar photovoltaic (PV) electrical systems, including modules, inverters, energy storage, and balance-of-system components. Ensure work complies with NEC, utility, and local codes; perform commissioning, troubleshooting, and safe interconnections to building services.
- • Assemble, install, test, and maintain PV modules, racking, inverters, optimizers, combiner boxes, and related wiring.
- • Diagnose faults in PV arrays, inverters, optimizers, or monitoring systems using test equipment and correct the problem.
- • Connect DC strings to combiners and inverters, and AC outputs to service equipment, panels, or meters.
- • Inspect PV systems for hazards, defects, proper grounding and bonding, and code compliance (e.g., NEC Article 690).
- • Advise customers or management when continued operation is unsafe or could damage equipment.
- • Test performance, polarity, continuity, insulation resistance, grounding, and rapid shutdown using meters and PV testers.
- • Maintain current electrician’s license and comply with AHJ, permit, and utility interconnection requirements.
- • Plan array layout, conduit routes, and equipment placement based on site surveys, structural constraints, and local codes.
- • Direct or train crew members to install, maintain, or repair PV and energy storage systems.
- • Prepare or interpret single-line diagrams, site plans, and blueprints to ensure code and design conformance.
- • Use hand and power tools and test gear such as multimeters, clamp meters, insulation testers, and IV-curve tracers.
- • Install grounding electrodes, bonding jumpers, surge protection, and connect power cables to inverters and batteries.
- • Complete administrative tasks such as O&M logs, commissioning reports, as-builts, and ordering materials.
- • Repair or replace PV modules, inverters, optimizers, disconnects, wiring, or monitoring hardware.
- • Work on roofs, ladders, scaffolds, or lifts to install or service arrays and equipment, following fall protection procedures.
- • Install conduit, raceways, and junction boxes; pull and label PV wires and manage conductors on racking.
- • Flash roof penetrations; mount and secure disconnects, combiners, and rapid-shutdown devices to manufacturer specs.
- • Perform physically demanding work such as trenching for ground-mounts, setting posts, or lifting modules and equipment.
- • Provide preliminary system designs, takeoffs, or cost estimates for PV installations and service work.
- • Coordinate inspections and utility interconnections; support PTO and commissioning with monitoring setup.
- • Assist during outages or emergencies by performing safe shutdown/startup, operating generators, or restoring PV/ESS systems.
- • Fabricate simple brackets or parts and assemble racking per specifications and torque requirements.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
