Power System Principal Engineer (DER)

Job Description:

Power System Principal Engineer (DER)

Description

Minimum Qualifications
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering, or in a field related to the job, eight (8) years of experience in engineering, acquired either before and/or after licensing as a professional engineer.

Licenses or Certifications:

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Texas; or if currently licensed in another state, the ability to obtain a Texas PE license within one (1) year of employment.

Notes to Applicants
Austin Energy’s Distributed Energy Resource ( DER ) Integration program is responsible for the integration and strategic implementation of innovative DER technologies within the utility’s distribution system.

The DER Integration team is seeking a seasoned Principal Engineer with subject matter expertise in key areas, including: microgrids, standalone solar and energy storage, residential and commercial solar plus storage, Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems ( DERMS ), DER system protection, and other DERs, including non-inverter-based generation.

This position requires an engineer capable of diving deep into real-world DER engineering and design challenges; providing mentorship and supervision to a small, agile team of engineers; possessing strong analytical skills and being a proven problem solver in both team and independent settings. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who works independently with minimal direction and a collaborator who can lead effectively in a team environment.

Working with Austin Energy provides a number of health and welfare benefits such as low-cost medical, dental, vision, paid leave time, a highly competitive retirement plan, career development opportunities and more. Please click HERE for more information.

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION :

• The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Please be sure to detail on the application all current and previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
• The Employment Record should be complete with job titles, employment dates, job duties, functions, and responsibilities for each position held. Starting salary will be based on overall relevant experience from your application.
• Resumés will not be accepted and statements such as “see resumé” will not be accepted. You may use “N/A” for fields that are not applicable
• Please note that Austin Energy may close the job posting at any time after 7 days from the date of the initial advertisement.
  • Once the job posting has closed, applications cannot be changed.
  
  
  

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT :

• This position is classified as EXEMPT (Salaried). Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime compensation.

IF YOU ARE SELECTED AS A TOP CANDIDATE :

• Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED , undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) will be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization/institution.
• If you are identified as a top candidate and are in the military or a veteran, you will need to provide a copy of your DD-214 prior to confirming a start date.
• This position requires a criminal background investigation.

WORK SCHEDULE :

• This position has been designated as an Essential Employee position. In the event of a City-designated emergency, Essential Employees provide services that impact the public health, safety, utility services, and welfare of members of the Austin community and other employees and ensure the continuity of essential operations. In such an emergency, Essential Employees may be called back in, may be required to modify their schedule, may be assigned to a City-designated work site, or may be retained onsite to assist with operations and recovery.
  • Work hours may include after hours, holidays, and weekends.
  • Shifts may change according to departmental needs.
  • Employees may be required to work additional hours outside of the regular work schedule.

TRAVEL :

• If you are selected for this position, and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

Pay Range
$52.25 - $67.93

Hours
Monday through Friday.
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - 40 Hour Work Week (Hybrid)

Additional work hours may be required to support the 24-hour Utility operations, which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, inclement weather and emergency closures.
Job Close Date 12/08/2024 Type of Posting External Department Austin Energy Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Technical Location 2500 Montopolis Dr. (SCC), Austin, TX 78741 Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Experience:

• Experience with Distributed Energy Resources ( DER )
• Experience with control systems or electric utility grid operations
• Experience supporting contract management, budgetary, and project management work
• Experience coordinating work with vendors and internally across several work groups.
• Experience performing Distributed Energy Resource impact studies.
• Experience performing Hosting Capacity analysis.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting circuit maps, electrical drawings, control diagrams and charts for electrical facilities
• Experience with IEEE , UL and NEC Codes and Standards.
• Experience reading protection and control drawings such as one-line drawings, three-line drawings, AC/DC schematic drawings and wiring design.
• Experience in applying power system protection principles, relaying schemes, and protective device coordination.
• Supervisory experience.
• Ability to travel to multiple work sites

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Develops technical specifications and standards by applying knowledge of the principles and practices of engineering discipline, including the methods, materials, equipment and techniques used. Plans, researches, designs, and implements engineering studies and projects and/or program areas by applying advance technical knowledge of engineering discipline. Manages and negotiates contracts by reviewing monthly progress reports, verifying final quantities and costs, compiling requisite documentation, reviewing change orders, and auditing as-built records. Acts as a liaison among consultants, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, fabricators or suppliers and City. Negotiates problems of changes, errors or deficiencies and ensures compliance with project specifications and requirements. Manages and monitors engineering projects for compliance. Reviews, analyzes, and interprets plans, specifications, contracts and other related documents. Develops and monitors project budgets and assists in developing, managing and submitting proposed budget forecast planning for short- and long-term city planning. Monitor projects for regulatory compliance and maintains knowledge of the latest developments in the utility industry, to meet North American Electric Reliability Council ( NERC ), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ), Electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ) and Texas Public Utility Commission (TX PUC ) standards and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

• May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, and guidance to others.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of engineering design principles applicable to electric utility operations such as, generation, transmission, distribution and other related fields.
• Knowledge of utility standards and regulatory requirements, to meet North American Electric Reliability Council ( NERC ), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ( FERC ), Electric Reliability Council of Texas ( ERCOT ) and Texas Public Utility Commission (TX PUC ) compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of engineering standards, codes, practices, procedures, materials, and equipment used in the design, construction, and operation of the electric utility systems.
• Knowledge of established engineering principles and methods.
• Knowledge of preparation of cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements within the Local, State and Federal ordinances and laws.
• Knowledge of City of Austin purchasing and contract policies and procedures.
• Skill in oral and written technical and/or general communication including preparation of written reports.
• Skill in negotiations and handling conflict resolution.
• Ability to perform more complex engineering calculations and to analyze engineering problems.

Criminal Background Investigation This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation. EEO/ADA
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* This position requires graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering, or in a field related to the job, eight (8) years of experience in engineering, acquired either before and/or after licensing as a professional engineer. Do you meet these minimum qualifications?

• Yes
• No

* Are you currently a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Texas; or if currently licensed in another state, have the ability to obtain a Texas PE license within one (1) year of employment.

• Yes, I currently hold a State of Texas Professional Engineer license.
• Yes, I am licensed in another state and I have the ability to obtain licensing within one year of employment.
• I do not have Professional Engineer license.

* Please provide your PE license number and state of registration:
(Open Ended Question)
* This position is classified as an “essential” position. The candidate must be able to work during emergencies or bad weather if they are scheduled to work and, in some cases, when they are not scheduled. Shifts may change according to departmental needs and work hours may include after hours, holidays, and weekends. Are you able to meet these schedule requirements?

• Yes
• No

* This position requires a criminal background investigation (CBI). By selecting the following, you are acknowledging that you understand if you are selected as a top candidate for this position, you will need a successful CBI to be hired.

• I acknowledge and understand this position requires a Criminal Background Investigation.

* Do you have the ability to travel to multiple sites as part of the regular job duties?

• Yes
• No

* Have you ever mentored or guided less experienced engineers?

• Yes
• No

* Have you been involved in contract management, budgeting, or project management tasks?

• Yes
• No

* Are you experienced in coordinating projects with vendors and managing cross-functional team collaborations?

• Yes
• No

* Have you conducted Distributed Energy Resource impact studies?

• Yes
• No

* Do you have experience performing Hosting Capacity analyses?

• Yes
• No

* Do you have experience reviewing and interpreting circuit maps, electrical drawings, control diagrams, and charts for electrical facilities?

• Yes
• No

* Are you familiar with IEEE, UL, and NEC Codes and Standards relevant to the electrical engineering field?

• Yes
• No

* Describe your experience with distributed energy resources (DER).
(Open Ended Question)
* Describe your experience with electrical drawings, including protection and control, one-line, three-line, AC/DC schematic drawings, and wiring designs.
(Open Ended Question)


Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Optional Documents