In 2013, six. Momentum Solar has faced two discrimination lawsuits by employees. Recognized by Inc. 500 as one of the fastest-growing private companies, Momentum Solar employs over 2,000 people nationwide. Their jobs were safeguarded during the Covid outbreak. Problem solving and independence were probably the two most valuable qualities that a graduate student can bring to an internship. If you have more questions about her experience at Momentum Solar you can contact her at mchaney@princeton.edu. So naturally most don't make the cut! When working for a large company like Momentum Solar, it is astonishing to see this degree of transparency. estimate customized to your home, including federal, state, and local Even when my job is challenging, learning new things keeps me going. Because of these numerous issues, Momentum Solar isnt a company thats included in The Solar Nerd network of installers. Sometimes its mundane issues, such as driving a company vehicle without the company name and license displayed (a violation in California) or more serious issues, such as safety violations or working on a project without a permit. Momentum Solar is one of the leading residential solar contractors in the United States. The main project I worked on was writing a program to optimize appointment scheduling and driving routes, with the goals of improving efficiency from both a time and a fossil fuel standpoint: a great example of a sustainability practice helping a companys bottom line. They were ranked on the Inc. 5000 most successful companies in 2016 (with 250 employees), Inc. 500 fastest growing companies in 2017 (700 employees), and Inc. 5000 most successful again in 2018 (950 employees). In my view, they're an excellent place to work. Employees at Momentum Solar are kind and helpful. We operate in New Jersey, New York, California, Florida, Texas. I searched the license number they list on their website, and both their legal name (Pro Custom Solar) and Momentum Solar, but couldnt find a current license. Thanks, The senior management's main responsibility is to ensure. How often do raises occur at Momentum Solar? Diverse Workers and Duties in their Workplace. Here's what you can do. Advised by Jim Smith, her research focuses on the use of polarimetric radar to study tropical cyclones and other extreme weather events. Also the 3rd week is in the office and supervisor is negative, everyday I heard if you don't make that's how the chips fall there's other jobs out there. According to this New York Times article: The other lawsuit was filed by a female employees who alleged that she was fired after the company learned about her pregnancy. Use our calculator to get a financial payback and solar performance In 2011, they had just four employees. 
Aside from health and transportation benefits, Momentum Solar provides a number of additional perks to its employees. Management was poor and turnover is high! This Company Offers a Professional Work Atmosphere. A free ebook for homeowners to help you understand solar Finance, biotech, management consulting, and oil & gas companies filled the room with tables and recruiters. After hearing this pitch, we toured the office, which, while full of diligent employees in front of huge screens, also boasts two ping pong tables and a darts board. I can't think of any, as I've always had a wonderful time, They Give a Vast Array of Delegation Alternatives. Insights on Sustainable Development from Princeton University. The most useful review selected by Indeed. Copyright 20082022, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. Find a Great First Job to Jumpstart Your Career, Learn How to State Your Case and Earn Your Raise. What I remember most was his message that they were simply looking for intellectual horsepower, something that the CFO would repeat to a group of students who went to their South Plainfield HQ for an information session later that school year. If youre doing your own research on solar installers, you should know that there are probably a lot of satisified customers of this company. Fresh Graduates Have a Number of Career Options. Freedom Forever Solar: The complete review and consumer guide. New recruits receive extensive training and seminars to help them hit the ground running. During my time at Momentum Solar, I was able to develop new skills and increase my expertise. On the surface, this makes sense: if you add people and offices around the country really quickly, its difficult to quickly scale training, quality control, and good hiring practices. According to their website, Momentum Solar was started in 2009 and now employs 2,000 people. If you're thinking of working here in sales don't do it. I had a good experience with them and would suggest them to anybody else. As described in a previous article, my opinion is that these deals are a bad choice for most consumers, and that you would be probably better off getting a conventional loan, or even putting off a solar installation until you can afford it. However, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, consistent quality is a hard to achieve in very large companies like this. This class action lawsuit is about the marketing practices of the company, and not about its operations such as the quality of its solar installation work. The work/life balance is non existent. This means that if youre looking for a solar installer in one of the seven states that Momentum operates in, theres a good chance youve come across their name. A far cry from the multi-table, multi-recruiter teams with tons of free swag to give away like Exxon and Shell, Momentum Solar had a table with some flyers, business cards, and one recruiter. I know my experience was unique: I was treated as an equal, was mentored thoughtfully and intentionally, and had regular interaction with corporate-level executives. There is very little support on the back end once a project is in the works so you will never have the information to give to your customers, which in turn leads to unhappy customers that cancel their projects. Youre on call 6 days a week from 8am to 8pm so dont ever plan on making plans because sometimes the notice they give you is only enough time to get to the appointment. Buying Solar For Your Home: The Complete What is the best part of working at Momentum Solar? Yes, this company provides you leads but the leads are pretty bad. One is a class action lawsuit by consumers in Pennsylvania for alleged telemarketing violations. Momentum Solar actively pushes its employees to think creatively and implement their suggestions and ideas. They Give a High Degree of Job Security to their Employees: Momentum Solar's employees are highly compensated and have a stable employment history. It's worth noting that Momentum Solar is always happy to accept new graduates with little or no job experience. Here are some things I found out after looking up the licenses for Momentum: In Florida, a roofing contractor for Momentum Solar was cited for a license violation in 2009. Some only give you basic information, such as whether the license is valid, but some states give you more details, including whether the company has been been formally cited for license violations. While I wasnt using the specific skills related to my research area here at Princeton, I was using crucial skills I developed along the way during my PhD research: programming and exploratory data analysis. They certainly dont do door-to-door sales or telemarketing. I wouldnt work here again. Online reviews can be useful, but in our guide on how to pick a solar company, a piece of advice I give is to be really selectivce about the review sites you choose to use. Appreciation and Recognizance of Employee Creativity. Because of that, I would completely ignore Best Company and their 3.9 star rating of Momentum. See more Momentum Solar reviews by job title, See more Momentum Solar reviews by location. Their top management and employees are highly knowledgeable. The training method may be challenging to complete. energy, For example, Best Company gives Sungevity a hilariously high 4.2 stars out of 5, and their review completely fails to mention that the company went bankrupt. Seems like a glaring omission. What is the most stressful part about working at Momentum Solar? If you do not you will be demeaned for not getting the sale. While Momentum will offer a straight purchase, it seems like they heavily steer customers toward leases/PPAs, as described in this complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau: There have been two significant lawsuits against Momentum Solar. What is the promotion process like at Momentum Solar? Originally from Chicago, she is a die-hard Cubs (and deep dish pizza) fan. They do a lot of training which doesnt help and its repetitive. Graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in internship opportunities with Momentum Solar should contact Peter Clark, Director of Talent Acquisition, at pclark@momentumsolar.com. Are solar leases or PPAs a good or bad idea? Unfortunately, there are no details listed about the nature of the violations.
Fast forward a couple months, and I was about to have my first day there. I didnt wait in line or crowd around like at the others, and immediately got to talking with Peter Clark. Finding an internship as a Ph.D. student is hard. Your email address will not be published. Momentum Solar appears to acknowledge its workers' efforts when it comes to employee treatment. All content is posted anonymously by employees working at Momentum Solar. Turns out the company is disorganized and consistent with no raise and/or promotions after being employed for a year. Its Past Time for Princeton to Divest from Fossil Fuels. For its employees to realize their full potential, management must invest time and resources in upgrading their skills. How are the working hours at Momentum Solar? Momentum Solar has a long history of doing so. After talking to what turned out to be a bunch of dead ends that didnt excite me much, I decided to check out one last table before leaving. I prefer spending time with my coworkers and colleagues when I am not at work. Momentum Solar employs people from all walks of life. Changes wont be saved until you sign up for an Enhanced Profile subscription. In her spare time she enjoys cuddling her dog, playing videogames, and indulging in good food and wine with her friends and family. I *still* didnt know exactly what I would be doing. qualified solar installers. They did grow quickly, but imploded in the process. how to hire the right installer, and save money with rebates.
Employee communication is an issue that must be addressed. Can you really get solar panels for free. More often than not, quality is sacrified to improve growth. How flexible are your working hours at Momentum Solar? Momentum Solar has been a great place to work in the last five years, and I have always received accolades, incentives, and other employee benefits. When you work at Momentum Solar, you will get a basic income plus an annual bonus as compensation for your achievements. these deals are a bad choice for most consumers, fired after the company learned about her pregnancy. As an Amazon Associate, The Solar Nerd earns from They've always offered many possibilities for advancement to their staff. A great example of this is now-bankrupt Sungevity, which used debt and private equity to try to grow really quickly. I was promised a raise after completing managerial duties but have yet to receive one. I'm delighted to be a part of the company's progress.
For perspective, the average home solar system is 6.4 kW in size. 
People from all over the world congregate here to do business, creating a unique ambiance. In Nassau County, Momentum has three violations on record over the past several years. Base salary and great benefits are perks, plus gas mileage, but none of that makes up for not getting paid the industry standard. Glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it's like to work at Momentum Solar, including salaries, reviews, office photos, and more. The contractor license that Momentum lists for the state of Massachusetts - #192204 - is apparently expired. The best companies in The Solar Nerd network need to do little advertising, and instead get the majority of their business through referrals and word-of-mouth. Momentum Solar is a great place to learn about business, None of the previously stated alternatives. Momentum Solar appreciates and recognizes its diligent employees. What can cause a company to be cited for a violation? If Momentum installed only average sized systems, their installations in 2019 would be equivalent to 14,000 home systems. The lawsuit claims that Momentum Solar violated the Do Not Call Act and accuses Momentum of a proliferation of intrusive, nuisance telemarketing practices. The operational management of Momentum Solar is superb. Molly Chaney is a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in Civil & Environmental Engineering. Those of us in college who want to get valuable work experience in a professional setting would benefit tremendously from this opportunity. Managers and staff may work together to improve communication. At that info session some months later, I was impressed that the CFO, Sung Lee, took the time out of his schedule to speak directly with the group of prospective interns, and gave us all some background about where Momentum has been, and where its going: Momentum Solar is a residential solar power installation company that was founded in New Jersey in 2009 by Cameron Christensen and Arthur Souritzidis. Somewhat unexpectedly, teaching skills proved useful as well: it wasnt enough to prove a point through a certain statistical test; it was crucial that a room full of people with diverse backgrounds understood what a certain figure or result meant. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Furthermore, the firm provides a suitable working atmosphere for its staff. They doubled their revenue from 2017-2018, and doubled again 2018-2019. Momentum continues to grow, regularly setting and breaking records. High quality companies either grow at a sustainable pace, or are happy to limit their operations to a small geographic area. I had nothing but wonderful experiences when dealing with them. They must give better perks to their top employees, Momentum Solar is without a doubt one of the most experienced firms in the solar energy industry. The first is a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by six Black former employees of the company. Its a waste of time. In addition, the benefits provided to employees are substantial. Every state has its own rules, and some even dont require any license at all.
Working there was rewarding, and Momentums success is a glimmer of hope during an ever-worsening climate crisis. Guide. Working with them has given me vital experience. They possess a strong desire and exceptional leadership skills to assist their subordinates in achieving success. What is a typical day like for you at Momentum Solar? I jumped right in to their fast-paced, quick-turnaround style of work, and had check-ins with Sung nearly every day. 
It may be difficult to complete the training. What are perks and other benefits like at Momentum Solar. In New York, contractor licensing is at the local level. What they don't tell you is in the 2 week training is insane. I would say definitely not. It is vital to note that Momentum Solar is ready to recruit new college grads with little or no job experience. Long hours, 6 days a week, no nights or weekends off ever. What is the best way to finance solar panels? What advice would you give the CEO of Momentum Solar about how to improve it? Currently, Momentum has operations in seven states, from California to Connecticut, and shows no signs of slowing down. People had told me before starting my Ph.D. that, unless I was planning on taking the academic route, the most valuable things I would learn would not be in my dissertation, but skills developed along the way. The rules get a little confusing, but you can look up the requirements for your state at the IREC website. Finding one at a company you have legitimate interest in is even harder. Managers push workers to adopt a professional and productive attitude in the workplace. Opportunity, money, promotion from within, Hard work, and success pay off! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. None. It can be the best opportunity of your life if you put in the hard work and buy into the plan or it could be just another 3-month job that is just okay. Great environment that rewards the hard work! Tip: If you are doing background research on the company, you should know that the legal name of the company is "Pro Custom Solar LLC" and Momentum Solar is the dba name. Still have a solar question? This might simply be an issue with the illinois.gov website, or it could mean that they are not actually licensed to install solar in Illinois. Ask a question about working or interviewing at Momentum Solar. What tips or advice would you give to someone interviewing at Momentum Solar? I came away from my conversation not exactly sure what I would be doing if I worked there, but excited about joining a small, quickly growing company founded in sustainability. Sunrun payment plans: a no-nonsense guide, Vivint Solar: The complete review and consumer guide, Titan Solar Power: The complete review and consumer guide. Training new hires should be a long-term objective. You're in virtual training from 9-4 Monday - Friday and you also have to memorize 6 scrips which is 13 pages. Id show up to homes that were not properly vetted and would end up sitting with a renter, Id drive 90 minutes to an appointment for it to no show me, Id get homeowners who screamed at me because someone set up a fake appointment. If you were in charge, what would you do to make Momentum Solar a better place to work? The base pay is all you live on for the first few months so prepare to be poor for the first few months since you dont get paid until the jobs install. The residential solar industry in the US is dominated by a few very large companies, and one of the biggest is Momentum Solar. The energy in the space was palpable, and Sungs enthusiasm was contagious: I was sold. To date, Momentum has installed 174 MW of residential solar energy, enough capacity to power the equivalent of more than 33,000 average American homes. In some conditions, senior management may be challenging to deal with. qualifying purchases. The solar industry as a whole also shows promising trends: since 2008, solar installations in the US have grown 35-fold, and since 2014, the cost of solar panels has dropped by nearly 50%. There are two citations listed with the record, but unfortunately no further details are provided.
