Engineer- Technical Sales I USA

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

Basic Job Functions:

• The Technical Sales Engineer manages the technical aspects of the sales cycle for photovoltaic modules and is the voice of the customer back to the Product Management and R&D teams, within the Americas. It is a client facing position.
• This role leads customer opportunities from early stage origination through indicative analysis and final bidding. It includes supporting the contract execution team lead after a deal is won. The Technical Sales Engineer works as an integral member of the Sales and Product Management teams. This role is responsible for completing the plant performance estimates, technology comparisons, site layouts, and capital cost estimates for a module sale or for a customer's RFP bid response.
• The role works with the Technical Sales team and a commercial lead to address and remove any technical roadblocks that would prohibit a customer from executing a module transaction. This includes: reviewing customer technical documents, site optimization, Balance of System cost guidance, and energy performance estimates to ensure module customers and third-party partners are optimally designing, testing, and valuing First Solar module technology. When necessary, this role will coordinate the customer's deeper technical and business questions to the proper resource whether within First Solar or through collaboration with industry professionals.
• The Technical Sales Engineer reflects the First Solar tenet of customer intimacy and is the first person the customer will contact when technical concern arises.

Education/Experience:

• Must have a BS degree in an engineering discipline, (i.e. BSEE, BSME, BSCE, BSChE).
• Advanced degree in Business or Engineering preferred, but not required.
• 0-3 years power industry experience with knowledge of solar project design, equipment selection, energy modeling, and technical sales.
• Project experience to include: brainstorming, planning, design, estimation.
• Fundamentals of Engineering or Professional Engineer Registration is a plus.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Must possess technical knowledge of engineering systems, equipment, engineering calculations.
• Aptitude for and/or knowledge of product development, project engineering, procurement and construction processes/procedures.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills required.
• Strong computing skills including MS Office Suite, computer aided design, and engineering programs.
• Organized with the ability to simultaneously manage customer relationships and close transactions.
• Have an interest in: inverters, structures, battery-storage, field-testing, marketing, and data analysis.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Work with a sales lead, effectively engage in the consultative selling process with customers via phone calls, email, in-person meetings, and written proposals.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with clients and industry partners.
• Review and provide feedback to customers on plant energy estimates, site layouts, and capital cost estimates.
• Generate and manage internal creations of comparisons, layouts, energy predictions, and module application notes and certifications.
• Review technical portions of written proposals including energy modeling tools, weather file selection, electrical and structural ecosystems and align with commercial offers.
• Represent First Solar at technical conferences for the PV industry, speak during engagements that advocate for First Solar's module technology, create technical videos and technical marketing collateral.
• Stay informed of trends within PV industry, providing free technical consulting to customers when it can facilitate and advance a module sale opportunity.
• Stay informed on the offerings of industry providers for structure and other balance-of-plant equipment; route module customers to integrators that can enhance First Solar's module value.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:

• Technical Sales Manager, Product Management.
• This position will not have direct reports.

Travel:

• Up to 25% of travel per year.

Estimated Salary Range:

• $58,656-$80,000 Annually.

US 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.