Salary: £40,000–£47,000 per annum, depending on experience
Bonus: Company bonus scheme
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Annual Leave: 33 days per year
Benefits: Private healthcare
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
The Role
Kembla is looking for an experienced and appropriately qualified Technical Manager – Solar PV & Battery Storage to take technical responsibility for the electrical design, compliance, certification and technical standards of our Solar PV and battery-storage projects.
This is a key technical role within the business and is suited to an experienced electrical professional with strong Solar PV and Electrical Energy Storage System (EESS) knowledge who is comfortable taking responsibility for the technical approval of designs and completed installations.
The successful candidate must be more than a Solar PV designer. We are looking for someone with the qualifications, competence and practical experience to review, approve and take technical responsibility for Solar PV and battery-storage systems, covering both domestic/small-scale installations and larger commercial projects.
The position will support our project managers, installation teams, subcontractors and design function while helping Kembla maintain consistently high technical and compliance standards across the business.
Key Responsibilities
The Technical Manager will be responsible for:
- Producing, reviewing and approving detailed electrical designs for Solar PV and battery-storage systems.
- Acting as a senior technical authority within Kembla for electrical, Solar PV and battery-storage matters.
- Producing and approving Single Line Diagrams (SLDs), electrical schematics and detailed design documentation.
- Completing and reviewing cable-sizing calculations, voltage-drop calculations, fault-current calculations and electrical load assessments.
- Determining appropriate AC and DC cable specifications, protective devices, isolation, switching, earthing and bonding arrangements.
- Designing and reviewing surge-protection arrangements and other electrical protection requirements.
- Reviewing and approving inverter selection, string configuration, MPPT allocation and overall system architecture.
- Designing and reviewing the electrical integration of battery-storage systems, including inverter/charger arrangements, protection and controls.
- Reviewing existing electrical infrastructure and determining its suitability for connection of Solar PV and battery-storage equipment.
- Providing technical input into commercial projects involving three-phase electrical systems and larger Solar PV installations.
- Reviewing site surveys and identifying technical risks before projects progress into installation.
- Reviewing designs produced internally, by subcontractors or by external consultants.
- Ensuring designs and installations comply with current BS 7671 requirements and applicable amendments.
- Ensuring compliance with relevant Solar PV, battery-storage, MCS and electrical industry standards and Codes of Practice.
- Supporting compliance with BS EN 62446 requirements for Solar PV system documentation, commissioning, inspection and testing.
- Providing technical input into G98, G99 and G100 applications and supporting resolution of more complex DNO connection queries.
- Supporting commissioning, testing and certification of completed installations.
- Reviewing test results and commissioning documentation before technical approval and project handover.
- Providing technical support to project managers, electricians, installation teams and subcontractors throughout project delivery.
- Investigating and resolving complex technical issues arising during design, installation or commissioning.
- Establishing and maintaining Kembla's standard electrical designs, approved products, technical specifications, calculation methods, checklists and technical documentation.
- Supporting technical audits and continuous improvement across the business.
- Keeping up to date with changes to electrical regulations, MCS requirements, DNO requirements, industry Codes of Practice and relevant British Standards.
- Supporting the technical development and mentoring of junior designers, engineers and other members of the team.
Technical Responsibility & Sign-Off
A fundamental requirement of this position is the ability to take genuine technical responsibility for the work undertaken by the business.
The successful candidate will be expected to be suitably qualified, experienced and competent to:
- Check and approve electrical designs.
- Review and approve Solar PV and battery-storage designs.
- Review inspection, testing and commissioning results.
- Identify non-compliant or technically unsuitable designs and installations and require corrective action.
- Take technical responsibility for systems before certification and handover.
- Act as, or be capable of being formally appointed/accepted as, Kembla's relevant MCS Technical Supervisor for Solar PV and Electrical Energy Storage Systems.
- Act as, or be capable of becoming, the relevant Qualified Supervisor / nominated technical person under Kembla's electrical certification arrangements where required.
Any formal appointment will remain subject to the requirements and assessment of the applicable certification body.
Essential Qualifications
Applicants should hold the following qualifications, or recognised current industry equivalents:
Core Electrical Qualifications
- A recognised Level 3 electrotechnical/electrical installation qualification, apprenticeship, NVQ or equivalent demonstrating qualified-electrician status.
- Current BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations – 18th Edition, including applicable amendments, such as City & Guilds 2382 or equivalent.
- Level 3 Inspection and Testing qualification, such as City & Guilds 2391-52 Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing, or recognised equivalent.
- Level 4 Design and Verification of Electrical Installations, such as City & Guilds 2396, or recognised equivalent.
Solar PV Qualifications
- Current recognised Level 3 Solar Photovoltaic qualification meeting applicable industry/MCS competence requirements.
Examples include:
- City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Installation and Maintenance of Small Solar Photovoltaic Systems (2922-34); or
- EAL Level 3 Award in the Installation of Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems; or
- An alternative current qualification recognised by the relevant certification body/MCS.
Battery Storage / EESS Qualifications
- Current recognised Level 3 Electrical Energy Storage System (EESS) qualification.
Examples include:
- City & Guilds Level 3 Award in the Design, Installation and Commissioning of Small Electrical Energy Storage Systems (2923-34); or
- EAL Level 3 Award in the Design, Installation and Commissioning of Electrical Energy Storage Systems; or
- An alternative current qualification recognised by the relevant certification body/MCS.
Older equivalent qualifications may be considered where they remain current and are accepted by the appropriate certification body.
Essential Experience
In addition to formal qualifications, applicants must be able to demonstrate significant practical experience within the Solar PV/electrical industry.
We are particularly looking for experience in:
- Electrical design of Solar PV installations.
- Commercial Solar PV design, rather than exclusively domestic installation experience.
- Designing and reviewing three-phase commercial electrical installations.
- Solar PV string design and inverter selection.
- AC and DC cable calculations.
- Protection coordination and protective-device selection.
- Earthing, bonding and surge-protection design.
- Electrical Energy Storage Systems / battery storage.
- Integration of Solar PV, battery storage and existing electrical infrastructure.
- Inspection, testing and commissioning of Solar PV installations.
- Electrical certification and technical compliance.
- Producing and reviewing SLDs and electrical schematics.
- Working to BS 7671 and relevant Solar PV/EESS standards.
- MCS requirements and technical documentation.
- DNO connection requirements and G98/G99/G100 applications.
- Reviewing and approving the work of electricians, designers and subcontractors.
- Identifying technical or compliance issues and determining appropriate corrective actions.
Experience should include systems ranging from domestic and small-commercial installations through to larger commercial Solar PV projects.
For larger commercial battery-storage projects, applicants should also be able to demonstrate appropriate practical design, integration and commissioning experience beyond small domestic EESS installations.
Desirable Experience & Qualifications
It would be advantageous if applicants also have:
- Current or previous experience acting as an MCS Technical Supervisor.
- Current or previous experience acting as an NICEIC Qualified Supervisor or equivalent.
- ECS Gold Card or equivalent.
- HNC/HND/Degree in Electrical Engineering or Building Services Engineering.
- Experience designing large commercial rooftop Solar PV systems.
- Experience within the education, manufacturing, industrial or wider commercial sectors.
- Experience integrating larger commercial battery-storage systems.
- Experience with export limitation and G100-compliant systems.
- Experience with protection studies and more complex commercial electrical distribution systems.
- Knowledge of LV switchgear and commercial distribution-board modifications.
- Experience liaising directly with DNOs.
- Experience working with Solar PV and battery manufacturers and completing manufacturer-specific technical training.
- Experience undertaking technical audits of Solar PV installations.
- Experience supporting O&M, fault diagnosis and performance investigations.
Technical Knowledge
Applicants should have strong working knowledge of the relevant requirements and principles contained within:
- BS 7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations.
- BS EN 62446 – Grid-connected photovoltaic systems.
- IET Code of Practice for Grid Connected Solar Photovoltaic Systems.
- IET Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems.
- MCS Solar PV requirements, including MIS 3002.
- MCS battery-storage requirements, including MIS 3012.
- ENA Engineering Recommendations G98 and G99.
- Export limitation requirements including G100.
- Applicable DNO requirements.
- Manufacturer installation and commissioning requirements.
About You
You will be someone who is comfortable being the person the wider business turns to when a technical decision needs to be made.
You will be:
- Technically strong and confident in your own electrical knowledge.
- Comfortable challenging a design or installation where you believe it is incorrect or non-compliant.
- Methodical and thorough with technical documentation.
- Able to explain complex electrical issues clearly to project managers, customers and non-technical colleagues.
- Commercially aware and able to balance sound engineering with practical project delivery.
- Comfortable reviewing and approving the work of others.
- Able to work independently and take ownership of technical decisions.
- Keen to improve standards, procedures and consistency across the business.
- Able to support and develop less experienced members of the technical and project teams.
What We Offer
- £40,000–£47,000 per annum, depending on experience.
- Company bonus scheme.
- 33 days annual leave per year.
- 37.5-hour working week.
- Monday to Friday working.
- Private healthcare.
- The opportunity to take a leading technical role within a growing Solar PV and battery-storage business.
- Exposure to a varied portfolio of domestic, commercial and larger-scale Solar PV and energy-storage projects.
- The opportunity to influence Kembla's technical standards, design processes, approved products and future technical capability.
The Candidate We Are Looking For
This role is not simply a CAD or Solar PV design position.
We are looking for an experienced electrical professional who understands the complete technical journey from initial site assessment and electrical design through to installation, inspection, testing, commissioning, certification and final technical approval.
The successful candidate must have the confidence, qualifications and experience to take responsibility for the technical standard of Kembla's Solar PV and battery-storage installations and to ensure that the systems we design and install are safe, compliant and technically robust.
Pay: £40,000.00-£47,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: In person
