Senior Engineer- Wildfire Risk Management

Job Description

The Wildfire Risk Management team is looking for a Senior Engineer to lead the technical development and maturity of our Wildfire Risk Management Program. This includes providing professional engineering services and support in the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and analysis of PSE’s facilities and assets in order to reduce wildfire risks to and from PSE’s electrical infrastructure.  

The successful applicant will have experience working with wildfire risk models and the capacity to continue to mature PSE’s current models, identify, develop and implement new risk models, and develop and implement a risk-spend efficiency methodology to apply to PSE’s risk-mitigation efforts. Further, the Sr. Engineer will oversee the development of a portfolio of wildfire risk management projects as well as, facilitating, coordinating and supporting their execution by matrixed teams of SME’s throughout the company.  

Additionally, this position will support the continued development of PSE’s engineering workforce by sharing knowledge with others and supporting emergency response operations when needed. This position will uphold the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE’s operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities and promote and support a culture of total safety.  

This job is considered “safety sensitive” as defined in RCW 49.44.240 and is subject to pre-employment drug screening that includes screening for the presence of marijuana and marijuana metabolites. 

Job Responsibilities

• Serves as SME on wildfire risk modeling relative to utility operations and fire behavior. 
• Ensures that wildfire mitigation measures are tailored to PSE’s system  
• Develops short and long term plans for grid hardening including measures for fault reduction and fault protection, based on risk-spend efficiency 
• Provides technical support to grant application and execution teams related to wildfire risk reduction strategies 
• Provides technical subject matter expertise to the Wildfire Risk Management team as well as to teams across the organization that are responsible for wildfire risk mitigation.   
• Prepares complex studies and analyses. 
• Provides a detailed review of internal or external technical documents. 
• Prepares cost estimates and project evaluations without direct supervision. 
• Plans and develops project budgets with appropriate documentation. 
• Demonstrates commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct.   
• Ensures duties are performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations. 
• Ensures compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements. 
• Identifies potential areas of weakness with assigned work and initiates corrective action. 
• Documents and shares work with others to strengthen the depth and breadth of skills within PSE’s engineering workforce. 
• Communicates solutions to personnel possessing a wide variety of educational and employment backgrounds, including in public forums in both verbal and written forms. 
• Supports emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures. 
• May lead or coordinate the work of junior engineers, engineering assistants, field technicians, and others who assist on specific projects. (This includes contractor/consultants.)  
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree or PE license in electrical, mechanical, civil or other appropriate engineering field.
• Substantial experience in planning, design, specification preparation, technical field work, project cost estimating and scheduling (typically achieved after 8 or more years practice as a degreed engineer). Years of acquired experience is provided as a guide and alone does not constitute readiness for job level as individual’s skill acquisition rates can vary significantly.
• Demonstrated organization, documentation, prioritization, and project management skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in electrical engineering 
• Significant experience working in the electric utility industry, preferably in Wildfire Mitigation related to risk modeling, risk spend efficiency, effectiveness of wildfire risk reduction measures and their effectiveness relative to PSE’s or similar system and operating environment. 
• Experience successfully providing technical leadership and working in a highly matrixed reporting structure.  
• Possession of a Professional Engineering license. 
• Knowledge of engineering economics and utility accounting practices.  
• Experience working on complex engineering projects.  

Additional Information