Electrical Technician

Contract Electrical Technician (Control Panel Build, Wiring and Test)

Location: Trafford Park, Manchester (fully onsite)

Rate: -32 to -36 per hour

Duration: 2 months (August and September)

Hours: 4 day working week

KO2''s client is a renewable energy technology company developing solar generation and high power conversion systems for large scale, harsh environment applications. Their equipment converts high voltage DC from solar arrays into three phase AC power, with extensive onboard monitoring, control and protection built in.

They are setting up a new test facility and need a hands-on contract Electrical Technician for two months to build, wire and test two systems: a test panel that simulates PV generation to validate their main power conversion panel, and a production test rig that verifies each panel is manufactured correctly before it ships.

The key skills

- Wiring and testing power systems at 600V DC and 400V three phase AC

- Safe working practices around high voltage equipment, safety comes first on this project

- Wiring sensors over Modbus and Ethernet

- System configuration and testing

The work

- Assembling and wiring DIN rail mounted industrial control equipment including relays, breakers, contactors and current sensors, working from schematics

- Neat, professional panel wiring to a high standard, with bootlace ferrules on terminations

- Building a test panel to simulate PV generation for a power conversion system that converts 600V DC to 400V three phase AC via a motor drive

- Working safely at all times around live high voltage DC and AC equipment, following safe isolation and proving dead procedures

- Wiring, configuring and testing Modbus devices, including current sensing and remote I/O for reading signals and switching relays

- Working with wired Ethernet (RJ45) networks and an Ethernet to Modbus gateway that links the PC to the Modbus devices

- Connecting sensors that communicate over Modbus or RS422 differential serial, such as GPS and light level sensors

- Building a production test rig that places panels under large LED arrays simulating daylight, with PC controlled switching, current measurement and results logging

- Basic electrical testing with a multimeter, checking continuity and voltage

- Contributing your own ideas on test methods and improvements, these will be welcomed

What you need

- Experience wiring and testing power systems, ideally at 600V DC and 400V AC or similar voltages

- A strong personal safety mindset and disciplined safe working practices around high voltage equipment, this is essential

- Proven experience assembling and wiring industrial control panels from schematics

- Hands-on Modbus experience is the key skill, setting up, wiring and testing Modbus devices and sensors

- Familiarity with wired Ethernet networking and connecting sensors over Ethernet

- Experience configuring systems and carrying out functional testing

- High standard of wiring workmanship, crimping and ferrule termination

This is an electrical role, not an electronics role. There is no component level work, soldering or oscilloscope work involved. If you are comfortable wiring a system together from drawings, configuring Modbus kit and proving it all works, you have this covered.

Why this Role

You will be joining a small, well-funded engineering team working on genuinely new clean energy technology, with direct input into how the test systems are put together. The 4 day week gives you a three day weekend every week for the duration of the contract.

To apply, send your CV or call KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions