Senior Engineer

Job Description

Puget Sound Energy’s Generation Electrical & Controls (GEC) department is looking for an Electrical Engineer with experience in Industrial Processes and Controls, or in closely related fields, to join our team.  

GEC is a centralized group providing electrical engineering support for all PSE owned generating facilities including hydro, gas turbine, wind, solar and battery storage.  This support includes professional engineering services in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of these facilities. 

The successful candidate will prepare complex engineering plans, designs, drawings, specifications, standards, evaluations, and studies utilizing specialized analytical skills.  The candidate should possess knowledge of, or must be able to learn, plant electrical and mechanical systems related to power generation and storage. They must be able to communicate successfully with personnel possessing a wide variety of technical backgrounds, and be able to ensure compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements and ensure that problem solutions are tailored to PSE’s business environment. In addition, they will need to provide quick, professional responses to assist generating plant staff with troubleshooting operational problems on complex plant control systems as well as a variety of power generation equipment.  

The ideal candidate would have significant power plant controls experience.  Tasks for this position include but are not limited to the following: 
1.    Troubleshoot operational issues related to generator control systems, instrumentation, PLCs, DCSs, and various power generation equipment. 
2.    Propose recommendations for control system upgrades, component replacements and design improvements.
3.    Manage projects from inception to project close-out including:
a.    create the project scope, budget and schedule
b.    support construction and installation phases
c.    lead commissioning and initial start-up
d.    ensure successful implementation and accurate documentation
4.    Prepare specifications and request-for-proposals as well as evaluate proposals from vendors. 
5.    Evaluate the condition of critical electrical components; specify new and replacement components as required.  
6.    Design and/or modify HMIs, PLC, DCS and Turbine Control System logic using various programming methods, including ladder logic, structured text and function block “languages”.
7.    Design instrumentation and actuator systems, including creating or modifying P&IDs, loop drawings, schematics and wiring diagrams.
8.    Mentor and train other engineers and technicians. 
9.    Support emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather or other system failures.

The work will consist of a mix of field and office responsibilities.  The field work typically ranges from 40-60 percent of the total depending upon assignments and takes place at the various PSE generating plant locations- most within a three-hour drive from PSE's corporate offices. Some overnight stays will be necessary when working at our most distant locations.  This is a hybrid work position with some flexibility in selecting an office location.

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

• Interprets and/or modifies available guidelines for application to existing problems or processes.
• Prepares complex designs, standards, studies and analyses.
• Provides a detailed design review of internal or external technical documents.
• Prepares cost estimates and project evaluations without direct supervision.
• Plans and develops project budgets with appropriate documentation.
• Ensures compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements.
• Identifies potential areas of weakness with assigned work, and initiate 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.
• Ensures that problem solutions are tailored to PSE’s business environment.
• 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 job duties at various PSE generating plants and requires employees operate a vehicle up to five hours per day while maintaining a clean driving record free of moving violations.
• Traverse at least one mile per day over uneven ground, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• In order to access equipment, must climb and descend stairs, ladders, and temporary scaffolding, with or without reasonable accommodation.

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

•    Experience working in thermal, hydro, wind, or solar generation plants.
•    Experience with Low and Medium Voltage electrical systems.
•    Generator and Transformer maintenance and inspection experience.
•    Experience with Low Voltage electrical studies including Arc Flash and low voltage protection coordination. 
•    Generator and Transformer Protective Relay experience, both electrical design and settings, as well as related NERC compliance.
•    Experience with Generator Excitation systems, particularly Basler DECS 400, 450 and 250N and GE EX2100s.
•    Control system experience with specific knowledge in turbine control systems – Allen Bradley PLC based hydro governors and GE MarkVIe turbine controls.
•    Possession of, or ability to acquire, a Professional Engineering license.
•    Experience working on complex engineering projects.
•    Bonus: Industrial Controls along with SEL RTAC experience; Industrial Networking and NERC compliance experience a plus.

Additional Information