About the OpportunitySolaris is seeking a dedicated Director of Operations and Maintenance to join the SPS team. The Director of Operations and Maintenance is responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of an islanded microgrid facility comprising multiple combustion turbine generators, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and associated balance-of-plant equipment. This role functions as the plant manager for the site, holding full accountability for generation availability, maintenance program execution, regulatory compliance, budget performance, and personnel leadership. Because the facility operates in island mode without connection to a larger utility grid, this position carries elevated responsibility for grid stability, frequency/voltage control, and operational resilience.
Essential FunctionsOperations Management- Oversee daily operations of combustion turbine generators, battery storage systems, and microgrid controls to ensure continuous, reliable power delivery to the islanded load.
- Direct load dispatch, generation scheduling, and battery state-of-charge management to maintain grid stability and meet reliability targets.
- Ensure operators and technicians follow approved procedures for startup, shutdown, transient response, and emergency/black-start conditions.
- Serve as the senior on-site decision-maker for operational issues, equipment trips, and grid disturbances.
Maintenance Program Leadership- Develop and manage preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs for combustion turbines, generators, BESS, transformers, switchgear, and balance-of-plant systems.
- Establish maintenance schedules aligned with OEM recommendations, manufacturer warranties, and equipment condition data.
- Manage outage planning and execution, including major inspections, hot gas path/combustion inspections, and battery system servicing.
- Maintain spare parts inventory and vendor relationships to minimize downtime.
Team Leadership- Hire, train, supervise, and develop operations and maintenance staff, including shift operators, technicians, and engineers.
- Build and maintain on-call and shift coverage adequate for 24/7 islanded operation.
- Foster a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, and site-specific safety programs.
Compliance and Reporting- Ensure compliance with applicable environmental, air quality, and emissions regulations for combustion turbine operation.
- Maintain compliance with battery storage safety codes (e.g., NFPA 855) and fire/life-safety requirements.
- Prepare and present operational performance reports, KPIs, budget status, and reliability metrics to senior leadership.
- Maintain accurate records for regulatory inspections, insurance audits, and internal quality reviews.
Financial and Strategic Management- Develop and manage the annual O&M budget, including labor, parts, contracted services, and capital planning.
- Identify and lead reliability, efficiency, and cost-reduction initiatives.
- Participate in long-term planning for asset life extension, capacity additions, or technology upgrades (e.g., additional storage capacity, controls upgrades).
Safety LeadershipThe Director of Operations and Maintenance serves as the site's primary safety leader, setting the tone and expectations for a workplace where safe behavior is non-negotiable and continuously reinforced.
- Champion a strong, visible safety culture in which every employee - regardless of role or tenure - has the authority and responsibility to stop work when conditions are unsafe.
- Lead by example through consistent personal adherence to safety procedures, PPE requirements, and lockout/tagout protocols, demonstrating that safety expectations apply equally at every level of the organization.
- Conduct regular safety meetings, toolbox talks, and job hazard analyses (JHAs) for routine and non-routine work, with particular attention to high-risk activities such as combustion turbine outages, energized electrical work, and battery system servicing.
- Ensure arc flash, electrical safety (NFPA 70E), confined space, lockout/tagout, and fire/life-safety programs are current, well-documented, and consistently followed.
- Investigate incidents, near-misses, and unsafe conditions thoroughly, driving root-cause analysis and corrective actions rather than focusing solely on compliance documentation.
- Track and report leading and lagging safety indicators (near-miss reports, observation counts, TRIR, etc.) and use this data to proactively address risk trends before they result in injury.
- Integrate safety considerations into maintenance planning, procedure development, and capital projects from the outset rather than treating safety as a final review step.
- Mentor supervisors and senior technicians to reinforce safety leadership throughout the organizational structure, ensuring the culture is sustained even in the director's absence.
- Maintain awareness that this is a remote/islanded facility, where emergency response times may be longer than at grid-connected sites - and plan staffing, training, and emergency procedures accordingly.
Experience/Education- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline strongly preferred.
- Equivalent combination of technical education, military training, and/or direct industry experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
- 7-10+ years of progressive experience in power generation operations and maintenance, with direct experience in combustion turbines required.
- Experience with battery energy storage systems strongly preferred.
- Prior experience in islanded, isolated, or microgrid power systems is highly desirable.
- 3+ years of supervisory or plant management experience.
- Demonstrated track record of building or sustaining a strong safety culture in a high-hazard generation environment.
- Strong understanding of combustion turbine theory, controls, and auxiliary systems.
- Familiarity with BESS architecture, battery management systems, and inverter/PCS operation.
- Working knowledge of microgrid controls, frequency/voltage regulation, and islanded grid behavior.
- Understanding of electrical protection schemes, switchgear, and SCADA/DCS control systems.
- Ability to respond to and lead the team through emergency operational events, including off-hours response.
- Strong leadership, communication, and budget management skills.
- Valid driver's license; willingness to work on-site at a remote or islanded facility as required.
Key Skills and Qualifications- Exceptional communicator - direct and transparent, skilled problem-solver with proven success in building coalitions and avoiding conflicts
- Total ownership mentality - proactively identifies and removes obstacles across numerous ongoing tasks
- Independent thinker - provides original thoughts and constantly asking "how can we do this better"
- Innovative thinker - willingness to consider novel solutions and ability to adapt to change
- Desirable teammate - impeccable character, humility, and collaborative
- Relentless - aspires to contribute and achieve his/her full potential
We value your hard work, integrity, and commitment to the Solaris "First in Service & Innovation" culture through competitive pay and benefits packages and ongoing career development.- Competitive compensation packages
- Medical, Dental & Vision benefits
- Disability Insurance
- Company paid Life and AD&D insurance with supplemental offerings
- Company matching 401(k) retirement plan
- Paid time off, including 10 paid holidays
- Career Progression
- Tuition Reimbursement
This job overview is not all inclusive. In addition, Solaris reserves the right to amend this job overview at any time.
