Q-Cells
Associate Director of IT Operations
Q-Cells - Houston
Work at Q-Cells
Overview
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Overview
Description
Title: Associate Director, IT
Department: Process Innovation Center
Location: Houston, TX
Supervisor: Head of Process Innovation
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Status: Full-Time
Work Status (Remote/Hybrid/In-Office): In-Office
A SSOCIATE D IRECTOR , IT
Hanwha Qcells USA Corp ( Qcells USA), headquartered in Irvine, CA, specializes in providing utility-scale modules, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services for solar and BESS projects nationwide. Qcells USA delivers comprehensive turnkey solutions encompassing the entire utility-scale project lifecycle. By choosing Qcells USA for turnkey solutions, customers can reduce uncertainty and risk, leading to enhanced investment returns and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Qcells USA's complete turnkey solutions seamlessly integrate the expertise of our Development, Module, and EPC teams, while ensuring close coordination with other vital internal groups such as Project Finance, Systems Integration, and Legal. This collaborative approach ensures that Qcells USA projects deliver exceptional value and performance. With several multi-billion-dollar investments, Qcells is pioneering the establishment of the only complete module supply chain in the U.S., including the expansion of our Georgia module manufacturing facility, which stands as the largest in the Western Hemisphere.
As an integral part of the global Qcells brand, Qcells USA benefits from a legacy of excellence in photovoltaic manufacturing. Qcells is renowned worldwide for its high-performance, superior-quality solar cells and modules. With dual headquarters in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim , Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ), Qcells operates under the umbrella of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 company and one of the top 8 business conglomerates in South Korea.
SUMMARY
Qcells USA is seeking a results-driven Associate Director, IT to lead our IT operations, infrastructure, and cybersecurity programs as we scale our construction and corporate technology environments. This role will ensure the secure, compliant, and efficient operation of our IT systems while driving modernization efforts, including advanced use of Intune, Azure Active Directory, and cloud-based services. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader who can balance strategic vision with technical depth, ensuring Qcells ' IT ecosystem supports business growth, protects critical assets, and enhances the user experience across the organization. This position reports to the Head of Process Innocation , or another management personnel that the President of the Company may designate. This position is located in Houston, TX and working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. Overtime and weekend working hours may be required as needed. This position is expected to travel up t o 5%.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time .
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES
Hanwha Qcells is proud to be an at-will Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
It is important to note that the job descriptions provided by Qcells USA Corp are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the positions. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, reflecting our dynamic and evolving work environment.
We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Hanwha Qcells will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodations at (email protected) .
Title: Associate Director, IT
Department: Process Innovation Center
Location: Houston, TX
Supervisor: Head of Process Innovation
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Status: Full-Time
Work Status (Remote/Hybrid/In-Office): In-Office
A SSOCIATE D IRECTOR , IT
Hanwha Qcells USA Corp ( Qcells USA), headquartered in Irvine, CA, specializes in providing utility-scale modules, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services for solar and BESS projects nationwide. Qcells USA delivers comprehensive turnkey solutions encompassing the entire utility-scale project lifecycle. By choosing Qcells USA for turnkey solutions, customers can reduce uncertainty and risk, leading to enhanced investment returns and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Qcells USA's complete turnkey solutions seamlessly integrate the expertise of our Development, Module, and EPC teams, while ensuring close coordination with other vital internal groups such as Project Finance, Systems Integration, and Legal. This collaborative approach ensures that Qcells USA projects deliver exceptional value and performance. With several multi-billion-dollar investments, Qcells is pioneering the establishment of the only complete module supply chain in the U.S., including the expansion of our Georgia module manufacturing facility, which stands as the largest in the Western Hemisphere.
As an integral part of the global Qcells brand, Qcells USA benefits from a legacy of excellence in photovoltaic manufacturing. Qcells is renowned worldwide for its high-performance, superior-quality solar cells and modules. With dual headquarters in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim , Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ), Qcells operates under the umbrella of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 company and one of the top 8 business conglomerates in South Korea.
SUMMARY
Qcells USA is seeking a results-driven Associate Director, IT to lead our IT operations, infrastructure, and cybersecurity programs as we scale our construction and corporate technology environments. This role will ensure the secure, compliant, and efficient operation of our IT systems while driving modernization efforts, including advanced use of Intune, Azure Active Directory, and cloud-based services. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader who can balance strategic vision with technical depth, ensuring Qcells ' IT ecosystem supports business growth, protects critical assets, and enhances the user experience across the organization. This position reports to the Head of Process Innocation , or another management personnel that the President of the Company may designate. This position is located in Houston, TX and working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. Overtime and weekend working hours may be required as needed. This position is expected to travel up t o 5%.
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time .
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for all IT functions, including infrastructure, cybersecurity, networks, enterprise software, and end-user computing.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity program to safeguard company systems, data, and assets, leveraging frameworks such as NIST or ISO 27001.
- Oversee implementation/ management of Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and Intune for identity, device, and application management, ensuring secure and seamless access across endpoints.
- Establish and enforce IT policies, procedures, and controls that align with industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and Qcells' risk posture.
- Collaborate with legal, compliance, and business teams to ensure adherence to cybersecurity, data privacy, and IT governance standards.
- Lead vendor and partner management, including contracts for IT services, cloud infrastructure, software licensing, and security tools.
- Guide and mentor the IT team, cultivating a proactive, service-oriented culture.
- Oversee incident response planning, testing, and execution; lead post-incident reviews and continuous improvement efforts.
- Prepare and present IT metrics, risk assessments, and strategic initiatives to executive leadership.
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- 10 + years of progressive IT experience, with at least 5 years in IT leadership roles managing infrastructure, cybersecurity, and enterprise systems.
- Proven experience implementing, managing and securing Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Intune environments for identity, access, and device management.
- Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles, threat landscapes, and security operations, with hands-on experience in developing and managing security programs.
- Demonstrated ability to lead IT operations in hybrid cloud / SaaS environments (e.g., Azure, AWS).
- In-depth knowledge of TCP/IP, including switches, access points, firewalls, and data flow through a network.
- Experience with IT governance frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001) and compliance standards (e.g., SOX, GDPR, CCPA).
- Successful track record of IT budget management, vendor negotiations, and large-scale project delivery.
- Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging both technical teams and executive stakeholders.
- Relevant certifications preferred (e.g., CISSP, CISM, Azure Solutions Architect, Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator).
- Stationary Position: frequently remains stationary up to 90% of the time and sitting up to 8 hours in a day
- Move/Traverse: infrequently bend, stand, stoop and/or walk
- Carry Weight: infrequently carry weight and/or lift objects (light to heavy) weighing up to 50 pounds
- Hearing and Speech: frequently communicates with the ability to hear and talk on a regular basis with employees, coworkers, and all personnel matters; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
- Sight: frequent use of sight to detect images on computer, office documents, and office objects near and far
- Climb: occasionally ascends/descends on stairway to get to office upper and lower floors
- Travel: up to 5% as needed
- Regular professional, office business setting
- Noise level ranges from low to moderate (if in office setting)
- Noise level ranges from moderate to high (if on construction worksite)
- Under the Office Mobilization Plan (OMP) policy, the role may transition to an onsite or hybrid arrangement, as determined by business needs and the Head of Department
Hanwha Qcells is proud to be an at-will Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
It is important to note that the job descriptions provided by Qcells USA Corp are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the positions. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, reflecting our dynamic and evolving work environment.
We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Hanwha Qcells will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodations at (email protected) .