Associate Principal Electrical Studies Engineer

Westwood Professional Services; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwood Professional Services seeks an experienced electrical engineer in Plano, TX to design and optimize utility-scale renewable plants, including wind, solar, and storage. You will perform comprehensive electrical studies and ensure interconnection with the grid while mentoring junior engineers.

You will build detailed models for short-circuit, load flow, harmonics, insulation coordination, protection coordination, and loss analyses using tools like DIgSILENT PowerFactory and ETAP,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (ABET-accredited).
• PE or equivalent license required.
• 7 years in electrical plant design and power systems studies.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize utility-scale renewable plants (wind, solar, storage).
• Perform comprehensive electrical studies and interconnection testing.
• Mentor junior studies engineers and collaborate with clients.

Skills

Power systems analysis

Python scripting

Team mentoring

Client coordination

Electrical design

Education

ABET-accredited electrical engineering degree

Professional Engineer license

Tools

DIgSILENT PowerFactory

ETAP

PSCAD

PSSE

PSLF

CAPE

CYMCAP

SEL-AcSelerator

Job description

Description

Participate in design and optimization of utility-scale renewable plants, including wind, solar, and battery storage facilities. Perform comprehensive electrical system studies, ensure compliance with interconnection requirements and seamless integration of renewable assets into the power grid, and mentor and guide junior studies engineers. Work with lead design engineers and clients to develop electrical models and studies to support the project design process. Develop detailed system models that accurately represent the plant in design and perform a variety of studies, including short circuit and effective grounding, load flow and reactive power, harmonics, insulation coordination, power and energy loss, concentric neutral induced voltage, arc flash, grounding, lightning risk assessments, and transient studies for switching and overvoltage. Produce written reports conveying study results within the project schedule. Coordinate with internal project leads and project managers, as well as external clients, owners, and related engineers (such as independent and owner’s engineers).

Job Type

Full-time

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with coursework in power systems or electric power engineering earned from an ABET-accredited institution.
• Must have a Professional Engineer (PE) or equivalent license.
• Seven (7) years of professional engineering experience in electrical plant design and operation and electrical power systems modeling and studies.
• Five (5) years of experience in utility-scale renewable power plant electrical design, modeling, and analysis, which may have been gained as a part of or in addition to the professional engineering experience.
• Additional experience must include:
• Protection and control in utility and renewable systems.
• Providing independent review and feedback on electrical power systems studies for renewable power plant designs.
• Solar photovoltaic, wind, and battery storage project design, including the electrical aspects of these designs.
• Power systems analysis and electrical systems studies and related concepts including for load flow and reactive power, short circuit and effective grounding, insulation coordination, power and energy loss, harmonic, voltage flicker, transient overvoltage (TOV), transient recovery voltage (TRV), capacitor switching, transformer inrush, protection coordination, and transient stability studies.
• DIgSILENT PowerFactory as a primary modeling tool – specifically for performance of detailed system modeling, load flow and reactive power analysis, short circuit and effective grounding analysis, harmonic and voltage flicker analysis, and protective device coordination.
• Modeling and analysis with ETAP, PSCAD, ASPEN, CAPE, and CYMCAP.
• Dynamic plant and control-system modeling in PSSE and PSLF.
• Applicable standards in IEEE, ICEA, NFPA, OSHA, NEC, and IEC.
• Grid interconnection requirements and performance of reactive power studies to demonstrate facility compliance with local and federal requirements.
• relay protection setting and setting software (SEL-AcSelerator, GE-Enervesta)
• NERC standard, PRC-001, PRC-019, PRC-024, PRC-025?,PRC-029
• Programming language using C/C++/Python scripts for automation.
• Model Quality Test by following regional utility standards such as ERCOT, MISO.
• Must have current authorization to be employed in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.