Engineer II - Generation Electrical & Controls

Puget Sound Energy; Dayton (WA); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Puget Sound Energy seeks an Engineer II for Generation Electrical & Controls to support wind and solar projects, instrumentation, PLCs, DCS, and SCADA systems. You will help design improvements, manage project budgets and schedules, and mentor junior staff.

Ideal candidates have strong power plant controls experience and the ability to communicate across technical and non-technical teams. This is a hybrid role based in Washington State with both field and office work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Power generation, controls, or electrical maintenance experience preferred.
• Ability to communicate across teams and document solutions clearly.

Responsibilities

• Support commissioning and troubleshoot issues related to wind and solar generation, instrumentation, PLCs, DCSs, SCADA, and related equipment.
• Propose upgrades and design improvements for control systems.
• Manage projects from inception to close-out, including scope, budget, and schedule.
• Lead commissioning, start-up, and ensure proper documentation and maintenance planning.

Skills

Industrial controls

Protective relaying

Electrical maintenance

Asset management

Plant electrical systems

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PLCs

SCADA

DCS

HMI design

Job description

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 Generation & Natural Gas Storage team is looking for qualified candidates to fill an open Engineer II - Generation Electrical & Controls 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’s Generation Electrical & Controls (GEC) department is looking for an Electrical Engineer with experience in Industrial Processes and Controls, Protective Relaying, electrical maintenance, asset management 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 review and verify 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

• Support commissioning and troubleshoot operational issues related to wind and solar generation (primary function), instrumentation, PLCs, DCSs, SCADA, and various power generation equipment.
• Propose recommendations for control system upgrades, component replacements and design improvements.
• Manage projects from inception to project close-out including:
• create the project scope, budget and schedule
• support construction and installation phases
• lead commissioning and initial start-up
• ensure successful implementation and accurate documentation
• development of maintenance plans and plant procedures
• Prepare specifications and request-for-proposals as well as evaluate proposals from vendors.
• Evaluate the condition of critical electrical components; specify new and replacement components as required.
• Design and/or modify HMIs, PLC, and DCS logic using various programming methods, including ladder logic, structured text and function block “languages”.
• Creating or modifying P&IDs, loop drawings, schematics and wiring diagrams.
• Mentor and train other engineers and technicians.
• Support emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather or other system failures.
• Validate NERC compliance and develop/execute action plans to close compliance gaps.
• Perform Arc Flash studies and develop reports.

The work will consist of a mix of field and office responsibilities in central and southeast Washington State as well as the Billings, Montana area, primarily in support of various wind and solar projects. The field work typically ranges from 40-60 percent of the total depending upon assignments and takes place at the various PSE generating locations. Some overnight stays may be necessary when working at 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.
• Reviews and verifies 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 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 sites and requires employees operate a vehicle up to eight 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 wind turbine generators, stairs, ladders, and temporary scaffolding, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor