Associate Engineer Jobs in Tehachapi, CA (NOW HIRING)

Terra-Gen
Terra-Gen is one of the largest integrated and independent renewable energy power producers in the United States. We are an end-to-end project development, financing and operating company producing quality, utility-scale renewable power across a diverse set of technologies. Our mission is to provide affordable, clean energy, at a large scale, to help the nation achieve its goals of energy security, grid resiliency and having a meaningful impact on climate change.
The Lead OT Field Technician is a senior, hands-on technical leader responsible for overseeing field execution of operational technology (OT) work while coordinating issue tracking, scheduling, and project completion forecasting. This role bridges field operations, engineering, and project management by ensuring open issues are tracked to closure, work is properly scheduled, and progress is accurately reflected in the company's Jira ticketing system. The Lead OT Field Technician provides technical leadership to OT Field Technicians while maintaining accountability for execution quality, timelines, and communication.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (Other duties may be assigned as needed)

• Lead and perform installation, configuration, testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting of OT hardware, software, and networked systems at company sites.
• Provide day-to-day technical leadership and mentorship to the OT Field Technician team.
• Track all open technical and field issues across active sites and projects.
• Develop, maintain, and execute resolution plans, including scope, dependencies, resources, and timelines.
• Coordinate with engineering, IT, cybersecurity, vendors, and field teams to drive issues to closure.
• Own and maintain the accuracy of the Jira ticketing system for OT field work.
• Create, update, prioritize, and close Jira tickets to reflect real-time field progress.
• Ensure ticket descriptions, acceptance criteria, and resolution notes are complete and accurate.
• Develop and maintain field schedules for OT work, outages, and project milestones.
• Forecast job and project completion dates based on scope, resource availability, and site conditions.
• Adjust schedules and forecasts in response to changing priorities, risks, or technical constraints.
• Coordinate technician assignments and site visits to optimize efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Provide clear status updates, reports, and dashboards to support management visibility.
• Ensure all work complies with company policies, safety requirements, and industry standards.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation for installations, maintenance, and system changes.
• Capture lessons learned and recommend process, tooling, or design improvements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts by documenting lessons learned, developing standards, and proposing enhancements to OT infrastructure.
• Adhere to all Terra-Gen safety policies, procedures, and standards while actively contributing to the continuous improvement of the Terra-Gen safety culture.
• Promote a strong safety-first mindset by identifying hazards, following established safe work practices, and supporting operational excellence across all activities.
• Take immediate and appropriate corrective action in response to emergency situations to minimize safety risks, equipment damage, and operational downtime
• Travel up to 25% or more, as required.

Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE -

• Associate's degree in Electronics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work or military experience.
• 5+ years of experience working in renewable energy OT environments, including utility-scale solar, wind, and/or battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• Strong knowledge of PLCs and devices such as Rockwell Automation, Schneider, SEL RTACs and Campbell Scientific loggers
• Demonstrated experience in OT, IT, or industrial systems environments
• Proven experience coordinating field execution, tracking open issues, and driving resolution plans to closure.
• Hands-on experience using Jira or similar ticketing and work management systems to track, update, and close work items.
• Experience developing and maintaining schedules, tracking deliverables, and forecasting job or project completion dates.
• Strong technical background in networking, computer hardware, software installation, and troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of OT protocols, industrial communications, and OT cybersecurity fundamentals.
• Solid understanding of the OSI Network Model.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, network diagrams, schedules, and system documentation.
• Relevant certifications such as CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA, or Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) are a plus.
• Experience with Cisco or Hirschmann equipment is strongly preferred
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to lead field efforts and coordinate across multiple teams.
• Ability to lift and carry equipment, work in varying environmental conditions, and travel to company sites as required.
• Candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

LANGUAGE SKILLS -

• Ability to clearly read, interpret, and follow technical instructions and documents.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft technical reports and routine correspondence.
• Ability to work effectively across teams, vendors, and external stakeholders.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS -

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS -

• Ability to read and interpret work from simple and/or complex instructions.
• Ability to effectively communicate with others.
• Ability to write routine correspondence.

REASONING ABILITY & DECISION-MAKING SKILLS -

• Possess great attention to detail and have excellent time management skills.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to provide, understand and complete written and verbal instructions and communication.
• Ability to problem solve and work independently and/or in a group setting.
• Must be organized, with an ability to stay focused on assigned tasks and possess an attention to detail.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS -

• Possess a valid driver's license for the state in which you are applying.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS -
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to type, handle, or feel.
• The employee frequently is required to talk or hear.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ten pounds and up to 20 pounds with assistance.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT -
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
Terra-Gen is an equal opportunity employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws and regulations as applicable. All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to age, race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening. All qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with federal, state or local requirements such as the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Employees must be authorized to work in the US and employment is contingent upon presentation of acceptable documents as evidence of identity and employment authorization, as detailed on Form I-9.
Terra-Gen provides a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off, paid holidays, and 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match.
The posted compensation is the range that we in good faith anticipate relying on when setting wages for this position. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California. This salary range may also be modified in the future, depending upon skills, experience, education, and geographical location.
Job Openings - Terra-Gen
Additional Qualifications/Responsibilities
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE -

• Associate's degree in Electronics, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent relevant work or military experience.
• 5+ years of experience working in renewable energy OT environments, including utility-scale solar, wind, and/or battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• Strong knowledge of PLCs and devices such as Rockwell Automation, Schneider, SEL RTACs and Campbell Scientific loggers