Senior Engineering Program Manager

The solar industry needs a global end-of-life partner to restore, renew, and ultimately recycle yesterday’s solar panels for tomorrow’s clean energy projects. SOLARCYCLE aims to be the partner of choice for solar asset owners looking for a responsible solution to their end-of-life system needs. And we need you to direct our field operations to help us become a leader in this new burgeoning sector in the renewable energy industry.

About the role:

SOLARCYCLE specializes in recycling crystalline silicon solar panels. With a commitment to environmental responsibility and technological innovation, we strive to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of our cutting-edge solar panel recycling processes. We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Engineering Program Manager to join our dynamic team in Odessa, Texas. The Senior Engineering Program Manager will play a pivotal role in driving key initiatives aimed at enhancing our recycling processes, implementing new equipment, and optimizing factory throughput while ensuring safety and quality standards are met.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project Management

• Lead and oversee multiple projects simultaneously, from initiation to completion, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans using Smartsheet, providing regular updates to stakeholders on progress and milestones via presentations, meetings, and email communications.
• Manage project intake and execution, prioritizing the sustaining needs of our recycling lines against key innovations that must be implemented with speed and quality to meet our ever-growing production plan needs.
• Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure successful project completion.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, production operations leadership, customer operations leadership, maintenance professionals, researchers, and other stakeholders, to define project goals, scope, and deliverables, then execute them via individuals or teams of people that are part of those projects.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify areas for process improvement and automation within the recycling processes.
• Design, implement, and execute process improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and increasing throughput.
• Interpret and quickly understand complex technical concepts and process flows to circumnavigate roadblocks that arise during project execution. Proactively identify and problem-solve project issues, bottlenecks, and conflicts to keep projects on track. Know when to get “in the weeds” and how to efficiently get out of them.

• Manage the implementation of new equipment and technologies within the factory, coordinating with vendors, engineers, maintenance professionals, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration and functionality.
• Conduct feasibility studies and cost-benefit analyses for equipment upgrades and replacements.
• Manage and oversee the usage of heavy-duty industrial equipment to move and build equipment applications.

• Mentor and support junior mechanical and electrical engineers, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Provide guidance and direction to team members, empowering them to contribute effectively to project objectives while firmly holding them accountable for their deliverables.

• Champion a safety-first culture within the organization, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
• Implement measures to mitigate risks and hazards associated with recycling processes and equipment.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or mechanical engineering is required. A master’s degree in these fields is a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years of industry experience in electrical or mechanical engineering.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in project management, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency in effectively using project management software such as Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or Monday.com to create meticulously detailed project plans.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive results and meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain focus on project objectives and timelines.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and levels of the organization.
• Skilled at conflict resolution and persuasion
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Certification in project management (PMP, PgMP, or similar) is a plus.
• Highly skilled at giving clear and concise presentations of the status of project plans to senior leadership using Microsoft PowerPoint
• Highly skilled at utilizing Microsoft SharePoint to collaborate quickly and effectively with team members using a cloud-based file share system
• Highly skilled using computers and software to reduce time-to-output and work as part of a global team.
• Located in or willing to relocate to Odessa, Texas and work in-person at our factory there (no remote work).

You don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. If you think this role is for you but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right person for this role.

You will be working alongside a highly successful team who deliver amazing innovative work in the solar PV industry! The solar industry needs a global end-of-life partner to restore, renew and ultimately recycle yesterday’s solar panels for tomorrow’s clean energy projects. SOLARCYCLE aims to be the partner of choice for solar asset owners looking for a responsible solution to their end-of-life system needs.

Solar power is one of the most powerful tools humanity has in our fight against climate change. But for solar to truly scale to its full potential, we need to create renewable supply chains and a vibrant secondary market for upcycled panels and recycled materials. Since its launch in 2022, SOLARCYCLE has assembled a world-class management team with experience scaling companies and organizations such as Amazon, Nextracker, Sierra Club, Solaria, and SunPower. The company has secured high-volume contracts with industry leaders such as AES, EDF Renewables North America, EDP Renewables North America, Greenbacker, Ørsted, Qcells, Silfab, Silicon Ranch, and Sunrun. This is the next frontier – ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable and domestic supply of the critical minerals needed for the next wave of solar. We exist to make clean energy massively scalable and even more sustainable by radically advancing recycling technology and infrastructure for the solar industry. If this resonates with you, we really want to meet you.