Director, Meteorology (Portland, OR or Salt Lake City) #112883

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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

Oversees PacifiCorp’s meteorology strategy, technology and tools, data and policy associated with wildfire and non-wildfire forecasting and recommendations for operational actions.  Oversees project objectives and vendor contracts and relationships and leads the meteorology team doing the day-to-day forecasting and project support. Serves as the primary contact for meteorological strategy and policy inputs needed within the business. Standardizes delivery of work products, processes, and meteorology support for events such as Public Safety Power Shutoff. This may include taking the role as the lead forecaster during periods of critical fire weather conditions and providing strategic meteorological support for operational and engineering projects designed to mitigate wildfire risk. Oversees daily, weekly, and long-term seasonal weather forecasts products, advisories, and warnings concerning a number of hazardous weather conditions, such as severe weather, fire danger, high winds, flash floods, and winter storms to support T&D system operations and generation operations.  Responsible for selecting, coaching, and developing employees in the meteorology team, and responsible for management of employee salaries and employee performance.    

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the annual budget to support staffing, operational, and technology requirements for a 7/24-hour weather forecasting, real-time weather updates, and technology simulated event impacts supporting operational decisions.
• Lead a team of subject matter experts for all weather, fuels and wildfire related meteorological matters.
• Integrate a wide range of meteorological data and support development and deployment of technology to provide continuously updated weather information to better manage the impacts of weather on the electric system and identified vulnerabilities.
• Oversee the subject matter experts that analyze surface observation data, satellite imagery, NEXRAD Doppler RADAR data, and Numerical Weather Predication data, integrate historical outage and operational data, and utilize tools for modeling and simulation of wildfire impacts.
• Manage and improve processes for daily forecasting, real-time weather alerts and updates, and real-time support for storm and Public Safety Power Shutoff Events.
• Interview hire, train, coach and manage employees.
• Provide short- and long-term seasonal weather forecasts, analysis of data, and historical impacts to allow preparedness, and proactive resource availability in the case of pending severe weather.
• Work with the company’s energy supply function on short- and long-term seasonal weather forecasts to optimize hydro, wind, and solar generation asset utilization.
• Provide weather forecasting data to support power procurement transactions.   
• Oversee a team of subject matter experts responsible for on call response to request for short-range weather predication.
• Support the development of analytical tools for various operational organizations and fire mitigation planning.
• Continually maintain and enhance policies, procedures and tools for monitoring the company’s weather network and associated alerting.
• Improve all real-time and operational forecasts through process improvements via new technologies and advancements and in coordination with other utility best practices.
• Work closely with engineering and operational organizations to integrate weather information into fire risk mitigation and community resilience projects.
• Collaborate with local, state, and federal government agencies (i.e. National Weather Service, CalFire, Oregon Department of Forestry, Utah DNR-FFSL, etc.), universities, and other research groups to advance the science of Meteorology and develop new technologies and communication tools to promote safe, reliable operation of the electric distribution and transmission systems and renewable generation assets.
• Responsible to ensure all company owned weather stations are sited, integrated into work processes, remain fully functional and are maintained as required.
• Responsible to ensure that a fleet of portable weather stations are maintained and can be sited during storm or Public Safety Power Shutoff events to enhance coverage and metrics available for decision making.  
• Represent the company, and act as the primary point of contact as required
• with local, state and federal agencies, the private sector, volunteer organizations and the public for all weather-related matters.
• Oversee the preparation and dissemination of daily operational weather reports and evolution of process improvement and changes to tools and models to increase forecasting accuracy and lead times.  
   

Requirements

• A minimum of five years’ direct people management experience.
• Ability to learn and direct the teams use of theoretical meteorology, including the dynamics of the atmosphere, mesoscale meteorology, and the application of computer methods of numerical weather analysis and predication.
• Knowledge of fire weather concepts and fire weather forecasting techniques.
• Knowledge of meteorological processes, climatology, forecasting techniques, and weather modal analysis.
• Ability to manage time effectively, perform under pressure, and meet deadlines in a fairly fast paced environment.
• Management skills including the ability to establish objectives, execute policy, and lead the development or implementation of a system, program, or process.
• High degree of independent initiative, discretion and sound judgment as well as the ability to integrate company priorities in emergency situations.
• Ability to review, analyze and recommend improvements to systems, processes and measures of performance.
• Ability to assess issues from multiple organizational and functional perspectives and discern an ideal proposal with more optimal results when appropriate.
• Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively, to recognize actual and potential danger and communicate as required.
• Ability to translate highly technical meteorological concepts into non-technical terms.
• Communication and interpersonal skills to influence and motivate others, and use oral and written skills to communicate objectives and action plans. 
• Excellent leadership skills, strong organizational abilities to oversee multiple and complex issues, and experience presenting complex topics to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to handle daily communication of expectations, mentor others, provide feedback and work collaboratively with other departments.
• Demonstrated proficiency in data management skills, as well as general understanding of GIS techniques.
• Must be proficient in the use of applications and tools (e.g. Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc.).
• 24/7 availability to support emergency operations and disasters.

Preferences

• Bachelor’s Degree in Atmospheric Science, Environmental Sciences or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and related experience. 
• A minimum of ten years of operational forecasting experience in a utility environment.
• Advanced degree. 
• Certified Consulting Meteorologist Certificate.
• Knowledge of the company’s strategic plan, regulatory and political environment, as well as the company’s policies, procedures, and practices, and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
   

Additional Information

Req Id: 112883 
Company Code: PacifiCorp
Primary Location: Portland / Salt Lake City     
Department: Power Delivery 
Schedule: FT 
Personnel Subarea: Exempt
Hiring Range: $153,200 - $180,300  
This position is eligible for an annual discretionary performance incentive bonus of up to 20.00% 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.