Engineer IV - Lakeland Electric

City of Lakeland; Lakeland (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Lakeland seeks a Senior Engineer/Project Manager to lead complex electrical power facility projects, directing teams and coordinating across departments.

Responsibilities include planning, design, cost estimation, scheduling, and ensuring compliance with NERC standards and regulatory requirements. The role requires independent judgment and strong technical decision-making in a challenging municipal setting.

Qualifications

• Master of Science in Engineering required or BS with 6+ years of engineering experience.
• Professional Engineer license preferred.
• Strong knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing projects.

Responsibilities

• Prepare the scope of work for projects and provide project management and quality control.
• Prepare specifications, engineering plans, diagrams, schematics, required equipment/materials, and cost estimates.
• Provide project management and quality control oversight for projects and studies.
• Lead engineers and technicians on multi-disciplinary projects and studies.
• Coordinate with regulatory agencies and contractors, and oversee major construction projects.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Project management

NERC compliance

Team leadership

Education

Master of Science in Engineering

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

General Description Of ClassThis is a highly responsible engineering position responsible for performing difficult and complex engineering design, operation, and construction tasks associated with the planning and designing of various projects and studies needed to support electric power facilities. Duties will involve directing engineering and task forces engaged in major facility projects and assuming the Project Manager or Senior Engineer role. Independent judgment and action in planning work details and making technical decisions are required. Work is under the general direction of a supervisor and is evaluated upon completion.

General Description Of ClassThis is a highly responsible engineering position responsible for performing difficult and complex engineering design, operation, and construction tasks associated with the planning and designing of various projects and studies needed to support electric power facilities. Duties will involve directing engineering and task forces engaged in major facility projects and assuming the Project Manager or Senior Engineer role. Independent judgment and action in planning work details and making technical decisions are required. Work is under the general direction of a supervisor and is evaluated upon completion.

Note: This posting is "Continuous" and can close at ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

Essential Functions

• Prepares the scope of work for a given project, including project management and quality control work to be done by other parties associated with the project.
• Prepares specifications, engineering plans, diagrams, schematics, required equipment/materials, and cost estimates for required aspects of projects and studies.
• Provides project management and quality control oversight associated with projects and studies.
• May lead personnel from other divisions and City departments on cross-departmental projects and studies.
• Leads other engineers and technicians on multi-disciplinary projects and studies.
• Oversees contract maintenance and repair projects.
• Investigates and analyzes operation and maintenance problems to determine solutions.
• Prepares feasibility studies and makes recommendations to improve the performance of systems and equipment.
• Estimates the construction cost, including materials, labor, and project management.
• Reviews and ensures compliance with project schedules and budgets.
• Acts as a representative/liaison with regulatory agencies and other utility and industry organizations.
• Oversees the design and/or implementation of significant modifications or improvements to electric power facilities.
• Provides construction management and contract interface with construction crews, as needed, for major construction projects.
• Develops and produces presentations on projects for department management.
• Maintains the filing and records system from project initiation to project closeout.
• Prepares complex forecasts, studies, technical reports, and related tasks.
• Prepares cost estimates for equipment, materials, labor, and preliminary design work to support the budgeting process.
• Provides direction for lower-level engineering, technical, and trades personnel.
• Directs others in operating and testing equipment and controls, survey work, and non-destructive testing programs.
• Assists various departments within the organization with energy production.
• Studies and/or implements significant modifications or improvements to the electric power system.
• Operates various computer-aided engineering design and analysis programs or tools and produces work orders or studies to support projects.
• Schedules employee work assignments, develops employee performance appraisals, and manages administrative issues for a small work group.
• Supervises various engineers, technicians, and trades personnel in the various phases of project management.
• Directs contractor personnel and coordinates closely with other City personnel on construction projects.
• Trains or coordinates cross-training for Engineers I through III.
• Seeks or may be directed to cross-train to meet evolving business needs.
• Functions as team leader, assigning, instructing, and checking the work of others.
• Acts as a NERC Compliance Standard Coordinator and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) in an appropriate area of expertise to support Lakeland Electric’s compliance with the National Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Reliability Standards Requirements and Florida Municipal Power Pool (FMPP) Requirements.
• May be required to attend meetings at locations other than the primary work location.
• May be required to participate in and/or facilitate training to support departmental or City initiatives and requirements.
• May be required to work alternate hours as necessary for the efficient operation of the department.
• Position is designated as Mission Critical.
• Monitors the overall health of all of our critical assets at all of our generating facilities including control systems, turbines, generators, engines, HRSG’s, chemistry, etc.
• Provides construction management support, field inspections, quality control, and contract interface with construction crews, as needed, for construction or outage projects.
• Develops and prepares cost estimates for equipment, materials, labor, and preliminary design work, supporting the budgeting process and project management.
• Participates in the development of design standards and materials lists.
• Performs field inspections to define project needs, including engineering assessments, design, permits, and verifies final as-built drawings for completed projects.
• Monitors daily work for change management needs. Champions the change management process to ensure the safe, reliable operation and maintenance of the plant from a document and process standpoint.
• Supports daily maintenance activities and supports craft or operations departments as needed, including investigation, verification, and troubleshooting efforts.
• Prepares, directs, and assists with the preparation of environmental permits.
• Prepares bid packages for construction and requests for proposals for outside consulting services.
• Maintains sufficient CCNA contracts or professional engineering services for immediate support should the need arise.
• Ensures long term maintenance or service agreements are maintained for continuous plant support. Champions assigned contracts and leads organization in understanding terms and division of responsibility.
• Provides technical leadership in discussions and negotiations with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), contractors, and engineering consultants to ensure technical requirements are clearly defined and that vendors are held accountable for performance, quality, schedule and contractual obligations.
• Makes recommendations for work that may improve system performance.
• Ensures compliance with local and national planning standards.
• Develops and confirms that the documentation required in the standards is current.
• Maintains relationships with applicable user groups.

Qualifications (education, Training And Experience)

• Master of Science degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering.
• Four years of experience in engineering work within one or more of the specialty areas listed below (See Engineering Disciplines and Specialty Areas).

OR

• Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering.
• Six years of experience in engineering work within one or more of the specialty areas listed below (See Engineering Disciplines and Specialty Areas).

Engineering Disciplines/Specialty Areas

• Disciplines
• Specialty Areas
• Sub-Specialty Area

• General Engineering
• Structural
• Air
• Water/Wastewater
• Water
• Civil
• Water Systems
• Wastewater
• Combustion
• Waste & Contamination
• Electrical
• Soils/Geotechnical
• Regulatory
• Project Management
• Modeling (Hydraulic)
• Mechanical
• Fluids
• Reliability
• Materials
• O & M
• Environmental
• Hydraulics
• Electric Generation
• Vibration
• Electric Distribution
• Chemical
• Construction
• Electric Transmission
• Electronics
• Instrumentation and Controls
• Industrial & Systems
• Instrumentation and Controls
• Substation
• Distribution
• Relay
• Control Systems
• Distribution Systems
• Transmission
• Computer
• Substations
• Bulk Power Systems Operation
• Aerospace
• Energy Management Systems
• Software
• Metallurgical/Materials
• Computer
• Power
• Nuclear
• Power Plant Generation
• Reliability
• Controls & Relays
• Power Quality
• Relay
• Renewable Energy
• Fluids
• Thermodynamics
• Power
• HVAC
• Heat Transfer
• Planning
• Regulations
• Petroleum/Fuels
• Pumps
• Materials
• Systems Engineering

Special Requirements

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must possess and maintain a valid telephone number.
• Professional Engineering (PE) License from the Florida State Board of Professional Engineers preferred.
• May be required to pass and maintain quality for:
  • Respiratory Protection Physical
  • Pulmonary Function
  • Qualitative and Quantitative Fit Test(s)

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

KNOWLEDGE

• NERC Reliability Standards Compliance requirements.
• Fundamental and applied engineering sciences, principles, and practices.
• Design and test codes, sources of technical information, and safety requirements related to electric power facilities.
• Permitting requirements for City, County, and State agencies.
• Project expenditures and budgetary cost controls.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, consultants, utilities, City employees, and the public.
• The process of establishing contracts for the procurement of goods and services.
• NFPA 70E.
• Arc flash safety.
• Low-voltage and high-voltage switchgear.
• Generator operation.
• Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) and Power System Stabilizer (PSS) operations.
• Automatic Generation Control (AGC) controls.
• NERC process requirements (MOD, PRC, VAR, etc.).
• Electric motors.
• Reading electrical one-line diagrams, schematics, wiring, and physical layout drawings.
• AGC controls.
• NERC process requirements (Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), Modeling, Data, and Analysis (MOD), Protection and Control (PRC), Voltage and Reactive Power (VAR), etc.).
• FMPP compliance and other programs.
• Distributed Control Systems (DCS).
• Foxboro Configuration Essentials, Foxboro System. Administration, Siemens SPPA-T3000 Engineering, and Siemens S7.
• Steam and electric plant instrumentation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Reading electrical one-line diagrams, logic diagrams, schematics, wiring and physical layout drawings.
• Troubleshoot and correct controls issues.
• The process of purging and cleaning natural gas pipelines.
• The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) requirements.
• Daily maintenance of the Energy Production landfill.
• The Coal Combustion Residue (CCR) requirements.
• Dealing with a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG)/Boiler, cooling tower, and wastewater chemistry.
• Clarification chemistry.
• Boiler chemistry (including high-pressure boilers).
• Cooling water chemistry.

Skills

• Using engineering and mathematical references, tables, charts, and computer equipment is required in professional engineering work.
• Evaluating the cost-benefit of modifications and designs.
• Capable of making simple drawings using AutoCAD or similar programs.

Abilities

• Instruct others using various portable test equipment, meters, and survey instruments, and perform engineering and surveying calculations.
• Read, understand, and interpret plans, specifications, technical reports, and engineering drawings.
• Instruct others in performing routine technical computations, making estimates, compiling statistical information, and performing analysis.
• Understanding, following, and/or transmitting complex oral and written instructions.
• Self-starter, self-motivated, detail-oriented, team player, and able to carry out assignments independently with only general oversight.
• Managing multiple projects simultaneously and proficiently while maintaining schedule flexibility as needed.
• Plan and direct the work of subordinate engineers and technicians.
• Direct project development and installation of equipment.
• Read, understand, interpret, and implement processes and procedures to comply with NERC Reliability Standards.
• Rotating equipment, such as pumps and motors.
• Understands and interprets oil analyses.
• Vibration and alignment of rotating equipment (combustion turbine generator, steam turbine generator, pumps, motors, etc.).
• Mechanical failure modes in support of root cause analysis.
• Combustion turbines, such as GE 7EA, Siemens 501G, and Siemens 501D5A.
• Steam turbines, such as GE D8 and Siemens BB33-65.
• Electric generator stators and rotors, air compressors, and air dryers.
• Valves, such as fuel gas valves and steam valves (understands globe valves, gate valves, ball valves, etc.).
• Understands Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) and physical layout drawings.
• Read and write control logic.
• Understand and update documentation.
• Oversee water pipeline design and maintenance, above and below ground.
• Oversee natural gas pipeline design and maintenance.
• Oversee the daily operation of the Produced Water Treatment Systems (PWTS).

Working Environment/Physical Requirements

• May require some physical work that involves walking, balancing, climbing ladders/stairs, climbing through manways, crawling, stooping, kneeling, stretching, reaching, pushing, pulling, crouching, bending, or standing sometimes, exerting up to 40 pounds of force regularly, lifting up to 50 pounds, routine keyboard operations, and operation of a City vehicle.
• May include fieldwork at various job sites, in an office, at a power plant, and/or in an outdoor environment.
• Risks exposure to extreme noise levels, dust, pollen, bright/dim light, extreme heat or cold, wet or humid conditions, fumes, noxious odors, extreme heights, and chemical, biological, electrical, and mechanical hazards.
• Working in an industrial environment with a risk of exposure to heights and confined spaces.
• Risks frequent exposure to the general hazards of the industrial working environment and construction sites.
• Normal visual acuity, field of vision, hearing, speaking, color perception, sense of smell, depth perception, and texture perception.

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or qualifications. Management reserves the right to modify or assign additional responsibilities as needed.

All City of Lakeland positions are subject to testing (e.g. written, oral, performance, computerized, interview and/or any combination). Candidates selected for testing will be notified via email or telephone. Please check your email and telephone messages regularly, including "junk" folders. Test times and locations to be announced.

THE CITY OF LAKELAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/EQUAL ACCESS EMPLOYER AND A DRUG FREE WORKPLACE.

City of Lakeland

2026 Summary Sheet

Annual Leave

Annual leave is accumulated bi-weekly and based upon years of service as follows: Annual leave may be taken as earned by employees hired after January 1, 1989. Employees hired prior to that date use annual leave within the calendar year following the year the leave is earned. All employees may carry over up to a maximum of twenty (20) days at the end of the calendar year. Regular part-time employees who work at least twenty (20) hours per week accrue annual leave at the rate of four (4) hours per month.*

Sick Leave

Sick rate is accrued biweekly based upon years of service and standard hour classification. Eligible for use as soon as earned. Regular part-time employees who work at least twenty (20) hours per week accrue sick leave at the rate of four (4) hours per month.

• NOTE: REGULAR employees with a working day other than eight (8) hours, please contact your supervisor regarding these policies.

Sick Leave Pool

Allows employees to receive sick leave benefits in cases involving catastrophic or long-term illnesses or injuries after all personal leave time has been depleted. Regular full-time employees contribute eight (8) hours and Regular part-time employees contribute four (4) hours on an annual basis. Employees must have completed one full year of service on or before December 31st of the calendar year enrollment; and have accumulated at least forty (40) hours of sick time (twenty (20) hours for Regular part-time employees). Participation in this program is voluntary.

For more information contact Amanda Kaiser at 834-8768

Family & Medical Leave

Federal legislation guarantees up to twelve (12) weeks per year off work under certain circumstances outlined in the policy manual. The employees must have been employed by the City for at least twelve (12) months and have at least 1,250 hours of service during the 12-month period before the requested leave. The City will continue its group life and health insurance for an employee on leave at the same level and under the same conditions that existed while the employee was working.

For more information contact Dawn Justice at 834-6038.

Pension Plan

Provision for retirement income requiring mandatory participation for full-time regular employees.

Defined Benefit Plan

Plan C Employee 4.52%
Employer 15.54%

Defined Contribution Plan

Executives, New Hires aged 52 and older, and Fire/Police Recruits

Employee 8.5% or 11% per election upon hire

Employer 15.54%

Deferred Compensation 457 Plan

A voluntary plan that is invested in mutual funds. The Employees' Pension Board performs the due diligence on the mutual funds. Employees may reallocate their account at any time.

Maximum contribution for 2026 is $24,500; employees age 50 or older can also add a "catch‑up" amount of $8,000; employees age 60-63 can also add a "catch‑up" amount of $11,250.

Additionally, a match of up to 5% of salary is offered by the City in Plan C.

Holidays

Twelve (12) holidays, includes one (1) personal floating holiday to be used at any time after three (3) months of employment and prior to the end of the calendar year.

Funeral Leave

Up to three (3) days off with pay due to death of an immediate family member (as defined in the policy manual). Up to four (4) hours off with pay may be obtained through supervisor approval to attend local funeral services of persons other than immediate family.

Jury/Witness Duty

Employees required to serve on jury duty will be relieved of responsibility for their regular work shift or portion thereof and receive full pay while serving. All fees received for such service may be retained by the employee. Employees subpoenaed to any civil or criminal court proceeding, which employee is not personally or monetarily interested, shall be paid as if engaged in regular work activities.

Military Leave

Allows for up to 240 hours in any one calendar year for annual military training without loss of pay or benefits for any employee in some type of reserve status for the United States Armed Forces. (see policy manual for additional information).

Maternity Leave

Refer to Family & Medical Leave for those employees who qualify. Others may take up to three (3) months leave of absence available upon approval of the Department Head. Employees may opt to utilize any combination of paid (sick or annual leave) or unpaid leave.

Leave of Absence Without Pay

Written requests are subject to approval by Department Head and City Manager or designee for less than ninety (90) days. Requests for more than ninety (90) days also require Civil Service Board approval for employees in a Civil Service classification.

Longevity Pay

Tuition Reimbursement

Program provides employees up to $2,500 per fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) for reimbursement of tuition of approved college, university, vocational, or correspondence classes upon completion with a grade of "C" or better in credit courses only. Full reimbursement is given for courses and fees, upon approval. The program does not include reimbursement for cost of books, supplies or other related expenses.

For more information, contact Melissa Yelnick at 834-6844.

Suggestion Awards

A program designed to provide a consistent and organized method for employees to submit and be rewarded for constructive ideas for improvement. Maximum award is $1,000.

For additional information, contact Employee Engagement and Development at 834-6837.

Direct Deposit of Paycheck

(refer to handout in new employee folder)

An account must be established with the institution of your choice prior to signing up for direct deposit.

Uniforms/Equipment

Uniforms issued at no cost to employees for those job classifications which require them. Equipment is issued to employees at either no cost or discounted cost depending on job classification.

Parking

Free while at work.

Break Periods

Employees may be permitted two (2), fifteen (15) minute breaks during the workday. The time shall be at the discretion of the supervisor.

For Information on Health Insurance, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance please contact Benefits at 834-6797.

For Information on Retirement Benefits, contact the Retirement Services at 834-8765 or 834-8797.

For Information on Firefighter and Police Officer Retirement Benefits, contact Foster & Foster at 239-333-4872.