Solar Commissioning Technician (Consultancy) at Jaza

Job summary

Jaza is hiring a Solar Commissioning Technician (Consultancy) to support the commissioning of new solar-powered service locations in Tanzania. The role is part of the Expansion function and is responsible for ensuring that assigned new sites are technically ready, properly equipped, connected, tested, and commissioned according to Jaza’s quality standards.

The position is contract-based and onsite, with work across multiple locations in Tanzania.

Job details

Job title: Solar Commissioning Technician (Consultancy)
Organization: Jaza
Job function: Expansion
Employment type: Contract
Workplace type: Onsite
Designation: Not specified
Level: Not specified
Experience level: Not specified

Locations

The consultancy is available across the following locations in Tanzania:

• Geita, Tanzania – 0000
• Dodoma, Tanzania – 0000
• Mwanza, Tanzania – 000
• Bariadi, Tanzania – 0000
• Kigoma, Tanzania – 000
• Tanga, Tanzania – 00000
• Mbeya, Tanzania – 00000
• Morogoro, Tanzania – 0000000

About Jaza

Jaza is working to power Sub-Saharan Africa by building solar-powered shops that charge batteries used by customers to power their homes. Since 2022, Jaza has achieved over 4 million battery swaps, providing approximately 225,000 people with access to clean and affordable energy.

The company employs women from each community, known as Jaza Stars, to run the service. This model empowers team members to become leaders, entrepreneurs, and drivers of economic growth within their communities.

For more information, applicants can visit www.jazaenergy.com and watch the BBC video about Jaza.

Position overview

The Solar Commissioning Technician is responsible for the technical commissioning of new Jaza service locations assigned through the Expansion pipeline.

The technician will take part in commissioning new sites by ensuring that required quality standards are met and that all necessary technical equipment is available to achieve the commissioning targets.

This role is critical in ensuring the technical readiness of Jaza sites, maintaining a low rework rate for commissioned sites, and supporting the achievement of expansion targets.

Key accountabilities

The Solar Commissioning Technician will be responsible for:

• Owning the commissioning process for assigned new sites in the expansion pipeline.
• Ensuring 100% compliance with the commissioning process.
• Managing assigned technical equipment, inventory, and deployment of tools during commissioning.
• Observing and maintaining technical quality standards for assigned commissioning sites.

Responsibilities

Site commissioning

The Solar Commissioning Technician will:

• Execute the installation of technical equipment for assigned new sites.
• Manage technical equipment inventory and deployment for the commissioning of assigned sites.
• Ensure 100% connectivity in newly commissioned sites.
• Test, troubleshoot, and repair defective products to be used for commissioning.

Technical quality assurance

The Solar Commissioning Technician will:

• Maintain a site commissioning rework rate of 5% or below by implementing technical quality control measures.
• Identify technical issues that may be causing rework and flag them for assistance.
• Ensure completion and submission of quality assurance checklists for all assigned sites in the commissioning pipeline.

Reporting and system management

The Solar Commissioning Technician will:

• Ensure proper setup of new sites in the Star App, Dashboard, and Dataverse.
• Provide regular updates to the Commissioning Tech Team Lead on commissioning progress.
• Document and report key metrics, including sites commissioned and rework rates.
• Manage assigned technical equipment, tools, and inventory.
• Flag any gaps between equipment availability and commissioning targets.
• Accurately file, respond to, update, and escalate technical issues to responsible parties during the commissioning process.

Required skills

Applicants should have skills and knowledge in:

• Electrical engineering
• Solar PV installation
• Solar PV design
• Solar PV maintenance
• Electrical repair

Qualifications and experience

Applicants should have:

• A diploma or degree in Renewable Energy Engineering and/or Electrical Engineering.
• Basic knowledge of solar PV system designs, installations, and commissioning.
• Hands-on experience in Renewable Energy Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related fields.
• Flexibility and experience working in rural parts of Tanzania.
• Understanding of health and safety protocols when handling technical equipment.
• Ability and experience using different tools, software, and equipment for the installation of technical equipment during the commissioning of new sites.
• Experience and knowledge of lithium-ion batteries, including troubleshooting, diagnostics, and battery management systems.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills for interacting with team members, reporting issues, and documenting processes.