Job description
Senior Technician – HV & BESS
Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
CrossBoundary Energy
About the Firm
CrossBoundary Energy, part of the CrossBoundary Group, was launched in 2015 as Sub-Saharan Africa’s first dedicated fund for commercial and industrial renewable energy systems, including hybrid power systems for the mining sector. CrossBoundary Energy is currently active in more than 17 countries and has developed a portfolio exceeding US$500 million in renewable energy projects for commercial and industrial clients across the continent. CrossBoundary Energy’s approach to the industrial renewable energy transition has enabled the delivery of some of the world’s most significant mining-focused hybrid power projects. The company operates as a direct investment platform of the CrossBoundary Group and is funded by ARCH Emerging Markets Partners’ Africa Renewable Power Fund (ARCH ARPF). For more information, visit: www.crossboundary.com/energy.
Why Join Us?
The CrossBoundary team is a unique group of people genuinely excited by the opportunity to make a difference in some of the world’s most challenging and dynamic markets. Team members come from diverse backgrounds but share core qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a strong bias for action. Learn more at: www.crossboundary.com.
What You’ll Do
CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) is recruiting a Senior Technician (HV–BESS) to support day-to-day operations and maintenance at our Kamoa hybrid PV + BESS facility. You will lead routine preventive and corrective maintenance on HV systems, PV infrastructure, BESS units, and associated plant equipment. You will support fault response, system optimization, and compliance with availability and baseload performance obligations. This is a site-based rotational role in Kolwezi (typically 8 weeks on / 2 weeks off) with accommodation provided at the onsite camp within the plant boundary.
Primary Responsibilities
HV Electrical Systems
- Perform HV switching operations in compliance with LOTO, PTW, and electrical safety rules.
- Maintain and troubleshoot transformers, RMUs, MV switchgear, breakers, protection relays, and earthing systems.
- Support protection relay testing, verification, and outage coordination.
- Respond to HV faults and lead safe system restoration.
BESS Operations & Maintenance
- Execute preventive and corrective maintenance on BESS containers, PCS/inverters, battery racks, HVAC, and fire detection/suppression systems.
- Monitor alarms and performance via SCADA/EMS and diagnose abnormal battery conditions.
- Support OEM interventions, firmware updates, and warranty activities.
- Enforce battery safety, thermal management, and emergency response requirements.
PV Inverters & Plant Equipment
- Maintain and troubleshoot string inverters, DC combiner boxes, and balance-of-system equipment.
- Analyze inverter faults using SCADA and OEM portals; coordinate corrective actions.
- Support performance optimization and plant availability improvements.
Technical Leadership
- Act as senior technical authority for PV, HV, and BESS activities.
- Mentor technicians and support skills development.
- Coordinate with Plant Supervisor, OEMs, contractors, and CBE Engineering teams.
- Lead and contribute to root cause analysis (RCA) exercises.
Safety, Compliance & Reporting
- Enforce HSSE standards, mine-site protocols, and electrical regulations.
- Lead toolbox talks, safety briefings, and PTW reviews.
- Complete maintenance reports, switching logs, fault reports, and spares documentation.
- Support daily and weekly availability and performance reporting.
Required Qualifications
- Electrical Engineering Diploma or Certified Electrical Technician (HV/BESS).
- 5+ years’ experience in power generation, substations, mining, or industrial electrical systems.
- Hands-on experience with HV switchgear, PV inverters, SCADA systems, and BESS.
- Strong knowledge of electrical safety rules and standard switching procedures.
- Ability to interpret SLDs, protection schemes, and OEM documentation.
- Willingness to work rotational shifts and reside on-site.
Preferred Qualifications
- OEM training on BESS, PCS, or PV inverter platforms (ABB, SMA, Sungrow, Huawei, Schneider, Siemens, etc.).
- Experience with hybrid PV + BESS plants in mining environments.
- Familiarity with SCADA/EMS systems and performance KPIs (availability, PR).
- Mine-site HSSE experience.
- French language skills.
Additional Practical Experience (Preferred)
- 3–5 years in PV plant O&M, commissioning, or related electrical work.
- Proficiency with PV inverters, DC strings, and BOS.
- Familiarity with VCOM, SCADA alarm workflows, and performance monitoring.
- Strong safety mindset and adaptability to rotational site-based work.
Location
Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Think you have what it takes but are not sure you check every box? Research shows that while men apply to roles when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women often only apply when they meet every requirement. If you’re passionate about what we’re building, we want to hear from you!
Equal Opportunity Employer
CrossBoundary is an equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to [email protected]
