Job Description:
Site IT Engineer — Inverter Assembly Operations
Location: Mesa, Arizona
About the Role
We are scaling up an assembly operation for utility-scale solar and battery storage inverters, and we need a hands-on Site IT Engineer to keep the plant running. This is a boots-on-the-floor role: you will be racking switches, configuring scanners, troubleshooting a test station that lost its network connection, and helping an operator whose label printer just jammed — often all in the same shift.
You will work directly under the IT Manager and alongside engineering, quality, and operations. If you like solving real problems with your hands on the equipment, and want to grow your career in manufacturing IT, this is the role.
What You Will Do
Endpoint & Device Support
- Image, deploy, and maintain laptops and desktops for site staff — engineers, supervisors, quality, and front office.
- Image, deploy, and maintain operator terminals, station PCs, kiosks, and large-format displays on the production floor.
- Configure and support ruggedized handhelds, barcode scanners, RFID readers, and tablets.
- Set up and troubleshoot label printers (Zebra and similar), receipt printers, and large-format printers.
- Manage device inventory, spares pool, and break-fix swap-outs to keep both office staff and the production line running.
- Patch, update, and harden all endpoints per IT and security standards.
Network & Firewall
- Install, configure, and maintain switches, access points, and cabling across the plant.
- Help maintain VLANs and IT/OT network segmentation under the IT Manager's direction.
- Support industrial wireless coverage on the floor — surveys, AP placement, troubleshooting.
- Run cable when needed, document IDF/MDF closets, label everything, and keep network diagrams current.
Factory Equipment & Shop Floor Systems
- Connect and support test stations (HiPot, functional test, burn-in), torque tools, vision systems, and other production equipment to the network and MES.
- Troubleshoot integration issues between shop floor equipment and the MES — is it the scanner, the station PC, the network, or the application?
- Work with equipment vendors and Manufacturing Engineering during new station builds and line changes.
- Support data collection devices and ensure test data is flowing into MES correctly.
- Be the first responder when a station goes down — diagnose fast, fix or escalate.
Local Helpdesk & End User Support
- Run the site's local helpdesk: own the ticket queue, triage, resolve, and escalate appropriately.
- Provide walk-up and floor-side support to all site personnel — operators, engineers, supervisors, quality, and office staff.
- Handle accounts, access requests, password resets, and routine end user issues in coordination with the End User Services team.
- Provide on-floor support during production hours; be available for off-shift escalations on a rotation.
- Track recurring issues and partner with the IT Manager to drive permanent fixes.
Day-to-Day Site Support
- Onboard new operators and staff — accounts, badges, devices, training on shop floor tools.
- Maintain accurate asset inventory, documentation, SOPs, and runbooks.
- Support audits and compliance activities with the data and documentation you maintain.
What You Bring
Required
- 5+ years of hands-on IT support experience, ideally in a manufacturing, warehouse, lab, or other operational environment.
- Solid endpoint support skills across laptops, desktops, and shop floor devices: Windows imaging and troubleshooting, Active Directory basics, MDM tools, printer support.
- Local helpdesk experience — running a ticket queue, prioritizing competing requests, and communicating clearly with end users.
- Working knowledge of networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, VLANs, switch port configuration, Wi-Fi troubleshooting.
- Comfort with firewall basics — reading rules, making approved changes, reviewing logs.
- Hands-on mentality: you are comfortable pulling cable, mounting hardware, and working in IDFs and on the production floor.
- Strong customer-service orientation and ability to communicate clearly with operators, engineers, and managers.
- Willingness to be on-site, on-shift, and on-call as needed to support production.
Strongly Preferred
- Experience supporting shop floor systems: scanners, label printers, ruggedized devices, test station PCs, kiosks.
- Exposure to MES, SCADA, or other manufacturing applications — even as an end-user supporter.
- Experience with Cisco, Aruba, or Meraki networking gear.
- Experience with Fortinet, Palo Alto, or similar firewalls at an administrator level. - CATO a plus
- Familiarity with Zebra label printers and barcode/RFID hardware.
- Basic scripting (PowerShell, Python, or batch) for automating routine tasks.
Nice to Have
- Exposure to electronics or power electronics manufacturing.
- CompTIA Network+, Security+, CCNA, or equivalent certifications.
- Awareness of OT/ICS security concepts.
At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility-scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how solar power plants are designed, built, and operated every day with smart technology, data-driven insights, and advanced automation. Together, we’re building the foundation for the world’s next generation of clean energy infrastructure.
Nextpower is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
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