Principal Distribution Planning Engineer

Date: Jun 18, 2025

Job ID: 5556

Location:

Bellevue, WA, US, 98004 Bothell, WA, US, 98011 Kent, WA, US, 98032

Remote and Hybrid Work Opportunities: Hybrid (WA Based)

Puget Sound Energy is looking to grow our community with top talented individuals like you! With our rapidly growing, award winning energy efficiency programs, our pathway to an exciting and innovative future is now.

PSE's Planning team is looking for qualified candidates to fill an open Principal Distribution Planning Engineer position!

Specific details regarding the work arrangements for this position will be discussed in further detail during the interview process.

Job Description

Puget Sound Energy is on a journey to deliver on our clean energy goals with a major milestone occurring by 2030. In order to support a decarbonized energy system, PSE is seeking a Principal Distribution Planning Engineer to join our team.

The territories that PSE serves is growing as is our need to evaluate distribution system improvements to meet these demands. The evaluation of our distribution system improvements will include both technical and economic considerations to meet both system and customer needs. Through this evaluation, the principal distribution planning engineer will need to determine benefits and impacts of solution alternatives, including traditional grid infrastructure and Non-Wire Alternatives (NWA).

As a leader in this space, it is expected that the successful candidate provide technical direction on complex customer and system projects to multiple interested parties. To be successful, this role will need to run complex power flow models to better understand the impact of the changing electric grid. This will include the development of local and grid level system forecasts to understand and support future customer needs. A successful candidate will serve as a technical leader for PSE while coordinating with industry leaders across the country.

There will also be opportunities to plan the distribution system for the grid of the future, including Distributed Energy Resources (DER), Electric Vehicles (EV), and other new technologies to ensure PSE maintains a safe, reliable, and effective distribution system.

Job Responsibilities

Prepares complex engineering plans, designs, evaluations and studies utilizing specialized distribution planning analytical skills.
Responsible for solving unique problems using advanced analytical techniques.
Communicates solutions to personnel possessing a wide variety of educational and employment backgrounds, including in public forums in both verbal and written forms.
Ensures compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements.
Identifies potential areas of weakness with team’s work, and initiates corrective action.
Documents and shares work with others to strengthen the depth and breadth of skills within PSE’s engineering workforce.
Provides technical leadership to others in the department and throughout the company.
Ensures that problem solutions are tailored to PSE’s business environment.
Maintains knowledge of industry developments and best practices and their application at PSE to further business objectives.
Engages with utility professionals and subject matter experts to collaborate on planning practices
Coordinate and review the work of engineers, engineering assistants, field technicians, and others who assist in specific assignments (including contractors/consultants).
Plans and schedules engineering resources to meet department needs.
Develops and executes department strategy to support overall business objectives.
Supports emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor of Science degree or PE license in electrical, mechanical, civil or other appropriate engineering field.
Extensive experience in planning, design, specification preparation, maintenance, project cost estimating and scheduling (typically achieved after 10 or more years practice as a degreed engineer).
Advanced technical and scientific expertise.
Experience leading engineering projects.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to work effectively and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external customers.

Desired Qualifications

Experience working within the utility industry.
Possession of a Professional Engineering License.
Knowledge of engineering economics and utility accounting practices.
Experience working on complex engineering projects.
Familiarity with power flow software (Synergi or similar).
Experience developing and applying load forecast scenarios.
Knowledge of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Electric Vehicles (EV) and impact to the distribution grid.

Additional Information

At PSE we value and respect our employees and provide them opportunities to excel. We offer a competitive compensation and rewards package.

The pay range for this position is $120,400.00 - $200,400.00, and this position is eligible for annual goals based incentive bonuses.

PSE offers a suite of benefits to our employees. Employees are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance. There are additional voluntary options of supplemental life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent daycare, and an Employee assistance program (EAP). For long term savings, PSE offers a 401(k) investment option and a cash balance retirement plan. Employees will also receive Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays throughout the calendar year. Detailed benefit overviews can be found on our Career page - Why Work For Us (pse.com).

Families and businesses depend on PSE to provide the energy they need to pursue their dreams. Our steadfast commitment to serving Washington communities with safe, dependable and efficient energy started in 1873. Today we're building the Northwest's energy future through efforts like our award winning energy efficiency programs and our leadership in renewable energy.

Puget Sound Energy is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status or presence of a disability that with or without reasonable accommodation does not prevent performance of the essential functions of the job, or any other category prohibited by local, state or federal law.

Should you have a disability that requires assistance and/or reasonable accommodation with the job application process, please contact the Human Resources Staffing department at jobs@pse.com or 425-462-3017.