Real Time Grid Engineer (I, II, III, Senior or Principal) - Portland, Oregon - #111346

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PacifiCorp is seeking customer-centric candidates to grow and sustain our commitment to a culture of customer service excellence, environmental sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion.

General Purpose

Provides technical support in the identification of solutions for complex and critical business/real-time operational problems. 

Complete investigations associated with system outages and/or an identified operational issue with a focus on wildfire mitigation, customer reliability, and asset performance.  Responsible for providing 24/7 engineering support for the company’s control centers that includes but is not limited to outage/restoration support, automated system (ADMS, FLISR, etc.) troubleshooting support, and wildfire risk mitigation via relay setting applications/operational assessments. 

Responsibilities

Engineer I:

• Conduct engineering technical analysis, investigation, and applicable deliverables to mitigate wildfire risk, increase system reliability, and improve asset performance
• Coordinate with crews and other T&D field operations personnel to troubleshoot and operate the electric power transmission and distribution system to reduce wildfire risk, increase reliability, improve asset performance, and implementation of resilient strategies
• Provide technical assistance for real-time operational support and troubleshooting of Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) applications
• Provide, as a team; 24/7 technical assistance to system operations and T&D field operations during outage and storm response
• Contribute to engineering analysis to planning and response efforts for system outages; works with line crews and system operators to solve routine operational problems; reviews outage reports daily for accuracy and assist in the development of solutions to mitigate similar outages in the future
• Perform system analyses and provides real-time engineering support to ensure reliable operation of the transmission and distribution systems
• Determine methods and techniques to obtaining results that mitigate wildfire risk, improve system reliability, and enhance asset performance

Engineer II: in addition to the responsibilities of the Engineer I, Engineer II includes:

• Provide technical oversight and guidance (mentor) to less experienced engineers and operational teams that support wildfire risk mitigation, increased system reliability, and improved asset performance.
• Support collaborative discussions between multi-department technical teams to develop solutions to complex real-time operational concerns/challenges based on system interruptions and/or investigation outcomes.
• Coordinate with crews and other T&D field operations personnel to troubleshoot and operate the electric power transmission and distribution system to reduce wildfire risk, increase reliability, improve asset performance, and implementation of resilient strategies.

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Engineer III: in addition to responsibilities of Engineer I and II, responsibilities of Engineer III include:

• Perform system analyses and provides real-time engineering support to ensure reliable operation of the transmission and distribution systems.

Senior Engineer: in addition to responsibilities of Engineer I, II and III, responsibilities of a Senior Engineer include:

• Independently conduct complex engineering research, technical analysis, investigation, and applicable deliverables to mitigate wildfire risk, increase system reliability, and improve asset performance in multiple areas of specialized expertise not commonly available in the competitive engineering market.
• Assist with the identification and development of technical training needs for operational personnel (i.e. control center operators, first responders, etc.) that mitigates wildfire risk, improves reliability, and enhances asset performance.
• Technical lead for real-time operational support and troubleshooting of Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) applications.
• Ability to provide consultation and recommendations to senior management based on real-time operational conditions, situations, and findings.
• Provide input into the company’s wildfire safety, asset management, and vegetation management organizations to prioritize short-term actions and provide input into 10-year plans based on outage investigation findings and proactive EFR distribution circuit hardening reviews.
• Recommend improvements associated with design and construction of company distribution, substation, transmission, and communications facilities, standards, operations, materials, and new technology.
• Provide input and support the introduction of new technology, tools, and software to assist with real-time situational awareness for system operations, T&D field operations, and the real-time grid engineering organization.
• Determine methods and techniques to obtaining results that mitigate wildfire risk, improve system reliability, and enhance asset performance.
• Support the development and implementation of technical training focused on real-time operations for employees in various departments.
• Coach and provide continual feedback to other engineers in the department.

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Principal Engineer: in addition to the responsibilities of Engineer I, II and III, the responsibilities of a Principal Engineer include: 

• Serve as a company technical expert on the real-time operation of the distribution and transmission systems.
• Lead collaborative discussions between multi-department technical teams to develop solutions to complex real-time operational concerns/challenges based on system interruptions and/or investigation outcomes.
• Participate in government, industry, collegiate, and other applicable associations, or work groups which can influence or set policy impacting the future of electric utility operations and/or the company.
• Subject matter expert in the development and refinement of the company’s elevated fire risk (EFR) distribution relay settings and response requirements.
• Technical subject matter expert supporting the identification and development of technical training needs for operational personnel (i.e. control center operators, first responders, etc.) that mitigates wildfire risk, improves reliability, and enhances asset performance.
• Subject matter expert in the real-time operational support and troubleshooting of Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) applications.
• Provide expert authoritative consultation and recommendations to senior management based on real-time operational conditions, situations, and findings.
• Provide technical consultation to the company’s wildfire safety, asset management, and vegetation management organizations to prioritize short-term actions and provide input into 10-year plans based on outage investigation findings and proactive EFR distribution circuit hardening reviews.
• Influence the introduction of new technology, tools, and software to assist with real-time situational awareness for system operations, T&D field operations, and the real-time grid engineering organization.
• Lead the development and implementation of technical training focused on real-time operations for employees in various departments.
• Recommend and implement plans and approaches to support overall business strategies.
• Coach and provide continual feedback to other engineers in the department.

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without an accommodation. 

Requirements

Engineer I:  

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering. 
• Teamwork skills that support solutions to real-time operational issues. 
• Ability to perform effectively in a high-stress real-time control center operational environment while maintaining focus and calmness.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.

Engineer II: in addition to the responsibilities of the Engineer I, Engineer II includes:

• Provide technical oversight and guidance (mentor) to less experienced engineers and operational teams that support wildfire risk mitigation, increased system reliability, and improved asset performance.
• Support collaborative discussions between multi-department technical teams to develop solutions to complex real-time operational concerns/challenges based on system interruptions and/or investigation outcomes.
• Coordinate with crews and other T&D field operations personnel to troubleshoot and operate the electric power transmission and distribution system to reduce wildfire risk, increase reliability, improve asset performance, and implementation of resilient strategies.

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Engineer III: in addition to Engineer I, and II, Engineer III requirements are:

• A minimum of 5 years of utility experience in transmission, substation, or distribution operations or a combination thereof.

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Senior Engineer: in addition to Engineer I, II and III, the requirements of the Senior Engineer are:

• A minimum of 8 years of utility experience in transmission, substation, or distribution operations or a combination thereof.
• Leadership skills including the ability to work with a cross-functional team, maintain project/activity timelines, and deliver on commitments.
• Leadership and teamwork skills to negotiate with and influence peers and management on policy and strategic issues. 
• Highest level of communication and interpersonal skills involving the ability to work with cross-functional teams to understand requirements, present alternatives, recommendations, and communicate with company leaders.
• Knowledge and application of principles in the area of engineering specialty(s).
• Knowledge of transmission and distribution system operations and protective schemes.
• Knowledge of asset management, asset health, and asset performance.

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Principal Engineer: in addition to Senior Engineer, the requirements of the Principal Engineer are:

• A minimum of 12 years of utility experience in transmission, substation, or distribution operations or a combination thereof.
• Expert knowledge and application of principles in the area of engineering specialty(s)
   

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without an accommodation.

Preferences

Additional Information

Req Id: 111346 
Company Code: PacifiCorp 
Primary Location: Portland, Oregon    
Department: Rocky Mountain Power 
Schedule: Full-Time
Personnel Subarea: Exempt
Hiring Range: $76,200 - $156,500  
This position is eligible for an annual discretionary performance incentive bonus of up to 12% of salary.  

Benefits: Health care, retirement, paid time off, tuition assistance, paid short-term and long-term disability, paid bereavement leave. For more information, please visit: https://careers.pacificorp.com/content/New-Benefits-Page/?locale=en_US 

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without an accommodation.

At PacifiCorp, we celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion. PacifiCorp is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law.

Unless otherwise required by law, all offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening including for marijuana. While marijuana is legal in several states, including Oregon, a positive test for positions in Oregon may disqualify a candidate. The company complies with the laws of Washington and California and only obtains and considers positive tests for marijuana in safety-sensitive positions or those covered by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.