Manager- Controls Engineering USA

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic Job Functions:

1. The Control Engineering Sustaining Manager will be required to drive and manage automation scope on projects for the site and will also be responsible for providing daily operational automation support for existing equipment on the production floor.
2. A successful candidate will be required to manage, plan, and supervise the sustaining related activities for site controls systems to support manufacturing operations including:

• Operations management for the controls support organization in module manufacturing factory by managing MES Controls Engineers/Supervisors as direct reports and provide technical leadership and professional training development of all direct and indirect reports.
• Drive alignment and solution delivery for programs within the roadmap.
• Directs automation solutions involving data systems, shop floor processes, and manufacturing related software.
• Responsible for ensuring timely response to manufacturing tool automation issues as well as identifying and implementing proactive measures to minimize downtime and meeting Controls System KPI.
• Project scope includes coordinating new equipment installation and implementation and new upgrade rollouts on existing equipment; may involve external vendors.
• Works in a dynamic, cross geo, innovation-oriented environment, prioritizing multiple projects simultaneously while building and developing a high performing team.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master Electrical/Electronic or Instrumentation and Controls Engineering or Mechatronic (Robotic).
• Minimum 8 years of manufacturing equipment controls engineering experience.
• 3 - 6 years of team lead or supervisory experience or 2+ year of management experience

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Excellent understanding/knowledge and experience in controls engineering techniques/practices/standards and ability to trouble-shoot electrical/electronic control systems.
• Excellent understanding and demonstrated competence in:
• Industrial I/O networks
• Corporate Ethernet architectures and systems used for integration of plant floor system to MES or Cloud layers.
• Automation system architecture includes PLC based controls, Distributed I/O architectures, HMI server/client applications, PC based applications, and robotics.
• IO networking in the following network types: Ethernet/IP, Profibus, ModBus, DeviceNet, ProfiNet
• Ladder based PLC programming and applications, including Allen-Bradley and Siemens brand systems.
• Programming Rockwell Automation Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) including Server/Client SCADA systems; Proface, WinCC, Ignition a plus.
• Robot systems including programming, safety requirements and design/implementation practices
• Motion controls, including stepper motors, servo motors and AC/DC drives
• Industrial vision inspection systems configuration and programming
• Computer operating systems and software applications
• LOTO procedures and safety
• Relational databases and PC-based console applications
• Microsoft SQL Server Database query and configuration
• OPC Manufacturing connectivity (highly desired)
• Lean Six-Sigma understanding (desired)
• Theory-Of-Constraints (TOC) understanding highly desired.
• Failure-Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) applied understanding desired.
• Experience with AGV system implementation and demonstrated competence with integration with plant floor systems and ERP systems.
• Understanding the principles of Digital Twin Model concepts for Simulation and Emulation of control systems.
• Understanding principles of AI in manufacturing environment.
• Experience in at least one multi-tiered architecture using C#, VB.NET, HTML, XML and SQL
• Leadership and Managerial Competency: Ability to lead, understand, empathize with, motivate, inspire, set and follow-up on goals, and resolve conflicts between direct reports. Proven Organizational and Managerial skills.
• Project and Portfolio Management Skills: Successful track record of project and program management and/or supervision of project managers for complex projects.
• Experience with customer driven SLA reporting and reaction.
• Accomplished Communication Skills: polished acumen in writing, speaking, hosting meetings and delivering presentations, demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with and convey technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences, assist with conflict resolution, and ability to display excellent relationship management across the organization and between cross-functional teams.
• Ability to consult, advise and support top customers at all levels of the organization while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor.
• Ensures operational levels are consistent with current business needs.
• Critical thinking skills a must
• Ability to identify, attract, develop & retain talented personnel.
• Must be able to work in a fast paced, changing environment".

Essential Responsibilities:

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Automation Technician Supervisors and Automation Technicians for the Manufacturing Plants to ensure 24x7 services availability and SLA.
• Manage team consisting of Automation Technicians Supervisors as direct reports and Automation Technicians as indirect reports including resource requirements are staffed to appropriate levels.
• Provide annual and quarterly goal planning, manage work assignments and load balancing, manage performance assessments, pay planning.
• Participate in a leadership role in interviewing and hiring of new team members, including interns and candidates for the MES Controls department.
• Build partnership with key business stakeholders in Manufacturing Engineering, Quality & Reliability, IT, Manufacturing Operations, MES Software, and Global Controls teams to support and drive operational improvement under global continuous improvement initiatives and contributes to improved KPIs for the Global Manufacturing operations.
• Project management of Controls scope within project and close interface with NPI/HRST team on change request plan, scope, costs, schedule and quality of deliverables are all agreed upon SLAs and KPIs.
• Participate in coordination of new equipment installation, implementation, continuous improvement projects, change requests, and tasks.
• Responsible for adherence to strategic alignment of global goals by partnering with other global controls teams/sites.
• Own and ensure that all operational issues related to control systems are resolved in a timely and effective manner.
• Responsible for maintaining and updating of manufacturing process tool electrical drawings; ensuring the tracking of equipment changes are documented and drawings are kept current.
• Responsible for controls related MES integration events and data collection and ensuring SLA's are achieved.
• Prepare data using SQL and JMP to create presentations and documentation for SLA/project resporting.
• Maintains the focus of team projects and key change requests and communicates the status of each (both internally and externally if applicable).
• Responsible for fostering collaboration, open communication, and team building.
• Drives a culture of critical thinking, innovation & continuous improvement.
• Responsible for professional training and career development of assigned direct and indirect reports.
• Lead and mentor team members by encouraging creativity and innovation.
• Ability to handle conflicts, set priorities, attract/ nurture/ coach/ grow talent.
• Responsible for coaching and enacting appropriate disciplinary actions for assigned direct and indirect associates.
• Safety & Compliance: Ensures adherence to all safety and environmental procedures and good housekeeping standards. Execute Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) controls for software source code management.

Key Competencies:

• Takes responsibility for understanding client requirements, collecting data, delivering analysis and problem resolution. Identifies, evaluates and recommends options, implementing if required. Collaborates with, and facilitates stakeholder groups, as part of formal or informal consultancy agreements. Seeks to fully address client needs, enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of client personnel, by ensuring that proposed solutions are properly understood and appropriately exploited.
• Contributes to research goals and builds on and refines appropriate outline ideas for the evaluation, development, demonstration and implementation of research. Uses available resources to gain an up-to-date knowledge of any relevant IT field. Reports on work carried out and may contribute significant sections of material of publication quality. Contributes to research plans and identifies appropriate opportunities for publication and dissemination of research findings.
• Maintains awareness of opportunities provided by new technology to address challenges or to enable new ways of working. Within own sphere of influence, works to further organizational goals, by the use of emerging technologies and products. Contributes to briefings and presentations about their relevance and potential value to the organization.
• Specifies user/system interfaces and translates logical designs into physical designs taking account of target environment, performance requirements and existing systems. Produces detailed designs and documents all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate.
• Designs, codes, tests, corrects, and documents moderately complex programs and program modifications from supplied specifications, using agreed standards and tools. Conducts reviews of supplied specifications, with others as appropriate.
• Assists with the collection of safety assurance evidence, undertaking all work in accordance with agreed safety, technical and quality standards, using appropriate methods and tools. Documents the results of hazard and risk analysis activities.
• Investigates and recommends components and subsystems that meet sustainability criteria.
• Reviews requirements and specifications and defines test conditions. Designs test cases and test scripts under own direction, mapping back to pre-determined criteria, recording and reporting outcomes. Analyses and reports test activities and results. Identifies and reports issues and risks associated with own work.
• Performs, analyses and documents evaluations according to a plan, excluding expert reviews.
• Defines the integration build and produces a build definition for generation of the software. Accepts software modules from software developers, and produces software builds for loading onto the target hardware from software source code. Configures the hardware environment, produces integration test specifications, conducts tests and records the details of any failures. Carries out and reports fault diagnosis relating to moderately complex problems.
• Configures software and equipment and tests platform-specific versions of one or more software products. Reports the outcome of testing and identifies potential improvements to the process and to the software products according to agreed designs and standards.
• Installs or removes hardware and/or software, using supplied installation instructions and tools including, where appropriate, handover to the client. Conducts tests, corrects malfunctions, and documents results in accordance with agreed procedures. Reports details of all hardware/software items that have been installed and removed so that configuration management records can be updated. Provides assistance to users in a professional manner following agreed procedures for further help or escalation. Maintains accurate records of user requests, contact details and outcomes. Contributes to the development of installation procedures and standards.
• Uses system management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed system software maintenance tasks.
• Identifies and resolves issues with applications, following agreed procedures. Uses application management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed applications maintenance tasks.
• Carries out agreed operational procedures of a routine nature. Contributes to maintenance, installation and problem resolution.
• Identifies and resolves network problems following agreed procedures. Uses network management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics. Carries out agreed network maintenance tasks.
• Initiates and monitors actions to investigate and resolve problems in systems and services. Assists with the implementation of agreed remedies and preventative measures.
• Receives and handles requests for support following agreed procedures. Responds to requests for support by providing information to enable incident resolution and promptly allocates unresolved calls as appropriate. Maintains records and advises relevant persons of actions taken.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:

• This position may have direct reports.

Travel:

• 10% - 20%
• If hiring to a new plant prior to plant start, associate will be required to spend extended time (60-80%) in another plant in either Ohio or Alabama for training until their assigned plan starts equipment installation.

Estimated Salary Range:

• $122,800 - $175,000, Annually

US Physical Requirements:

Project Site (non-craft) Requirements:

• Will sit, stand or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift.
• Will climb stairs on an occasional basis.
• Will lift, push or pull up to 27 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis.
• 20/40 vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required.
• Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures.
• May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis.
• May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis.
• The ability to wear personal protective equipment is required (including but not limited to; steel toed shoes, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, protective jacket or apron and arm guards).

Office Physical Requirements:

All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.