Power Plant Maintenance Engineer II

NovaSource Power Services; Chandler (AZ); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

NovaSource Power Services is seeking an experienced Electrical or Protection Maintenance Engineer to join our global team. You will provide electrical and protection engineering expertise to our fleet of solar, BESS and substation assets, reporting to the Maintenance Engineering Manager.

Responsibilities include root cause analysis, protection relay settings, testing reviews, site support with Field Service Technicians, and planning value-added service projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of High voltage substation engineering experience.
• Extensive experience with SEL protection relays (SEL-351, SEL-735, SEL-487E, SEL-387, SEL-311L).
• Experience with RTAC equipment (SEL-3530).
• Experience with GE Relays (GE-L90, GE-N60).
• Experience with main power transformers and bushings.
• Experience with DGA and bushing monitoring systems (BMS).

Responsibilities

• Respond to daily requests for Maintenance Engineering support for the global fleet of power plants.
• Conduct root cause analysis on breaker mis-operations and analyze relay event data.
• Study substation single lines and wiring diagrams and communicate recommendations to Field Service Technicians.
• Review testing results of equipment such as bushings and breakers and implement protection settings updates.
• Retrieve and analyze site drawings, protection relay event trip data, and sequence of events data.
• Support customers and Owners with technical communications and travel as required.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Protection systems

Root cause analysis

Communication

Office 365 proficiency

Tools

SEL Synchrowave

RTAC Quickset

Power Electronics Power Supervisor

SMA Remote Tool

Fluence DAS

Tesla Microscope

Job description

NovaSource Power Services is the world’s #1-ranked solar operations and maintenance (O&M) provider and insight-driven total asset optimization partner for renewables asset owners ready to fuel smart growth. With over 20 years of operating experience and a presence on 5 continents, NovaSource has the global reach and strategic capabilities to achieve our clients’ renewables goals around the world.

NovaSource’s comprehensive approach to total asset optimization in addition to O&M services includes value engineering, performance analysis, strategic supply chain management, and advanced monitoring systems. The company operates in key global markets managing over 30GW of solar power plants. NovaSource’s expertise extends beyond solar and includes battery energy storage systems (BESS), offering a complete suite of services for the evolving renewable energy landscape.

Summary of Role

We are seeking an experienced Electrical or Protection Maintenance Engineer at NovaSource Power Services. NovaSource Power Services is an independent Solar Operations and Maintenance provider currently servicing over30 GW of Solar, BESS and Substation assets worldwide. NovaSource Power Services strives to be the number one O&M provider within its key target markets within 5 years, and have 30% of its revenue from value-added services, of which Maintenance Engineering will play a key role.

This role will report to the Maintenance Engineering Manager and will be responsible for providing Electrical and Protection Engineering expertise to the global fleet.

Currently, the engineering team provides three main functions for the business:

• Continuous engineering support for global assets
• Executing value added service projects such as repowering projects and protection system updates.
• Builds and maintains critical infrastructure to support and monitor assets.

Responsibilities

• Respond to daily requests for Maintenance Engineering support for the global fleet of power plants. Examples:
• Conducting root cause analysis on breaker mis-operations. Example tasks include:
• Analyzing relay event trip and sequential event recorder (SER) files
• Studying substation single lines and wiring diagrams
• Communicating with and providing recommendations to Field Service Technicians
• Providing recommendations for and reviewing the results of testing of equipment such as bushings, breakers, and more
• Investigating and troubleshooting system alarms remotely with Field Service Technicians. Examples include:
• Relay alarms or failures
• Transformer dissolved gas analysis (DGA) alarms
• Transformer bushing monitoring system alarms
• Reviewing Preventative Maintenance Testing Reports and providing recommendations based on results.
• Retrieve and analyze site record drawings which include single line diagrams, cable schedules, and more.
• Retrieve and analyze protection relay event trip and sequence of event data for breaker mis-operation analysis.
• Retrieve, analyze, and implement protection system settings, updates and logs.
• Communicate daily with Field Service Technicians to gather information or provide recommendations.
• Communicate with Customers, Owners and Regulatory Agencies as needed.
• Communicate daily with other Maintenance Engineering team members and other internal Engineering Teams using email, chat, or phone.
• Participate in a weekly team meeting to discuss open topics, review problems and plan value added services.
• Quote, plan, and execute value added service projects such as:
• Sizing and replacing inverters or transformers.
• Sizing and replacing cables.
• System modeling.
• Build and maintain rapport with Field Service Personnel and Customers / Owners.
• Create medium and high voltage engineering drawings for value added service projects.
• 15% travel locally or internationally for site visits, team meetings, or training.
• Use Microsoft Office 365 suite of tools to manage emails, documents, schedules, and more.
• Utilize various OEM specific software, including but not limited to SEL Synchrowave / Quickset (RTAC Quickset), Power Electronics Power Supervisor, SMA Remote Tool, Fluence DAS, Tesla Microscope.

General Qualifications

• Communicate effectively in both verbal and written format in English.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
• Accomplished user of Microsoft Office 365
• Ability to work within multiple countries Electrical Standards, ANSI, IEEE, IEC, NETA
• Basic understanding of SCADA/HMI systems
• Basic understanding of power plant controllers, inverters, BESS, capacitor banks and solar tracking systems
• Basic knowledge of approved cyber security practices

High Voltage Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of High voltage substation Engineering experience
• Extensive experience with SEL protection relays e.g SEL-351, SEL-735, SEL-487E, SEL-387, SEL-311L
• Extensive experience with substation RTAC equipment e.g SEL-3530
• Experience with GE Relays GE-L90, GE-N60
• Experience with ABB protection relays is a plus.
• Experience with main power transformers and bushings
• Experience with dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and bushing monitoring systems (BMS)

Medium Voltage Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience within the Solar and BESS Renewable Energy industry
• Experience with string and central solar inverters
• Experience with Battery Energy Storage Systems.
• Experience with BESS Power Conversion Systems
• Experience with Medium Voltage Transformers (MVT)
• Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 8am - 5pm
• On Call rotation for Emergency Hotline coverage
• Chandler office – Hybrid / Remote Options for qualifying candidates
• Periodic travel to sites, meetings or training as required

Office Physical Requirements

All positions, when in our offices, require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. In order to best service our customers, internal and external, all such personnel must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. NovaSource is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required, in compliance with all federal laws and the state in which the candidate resides.

US: Diversity Statement – Equal Employment Opportunity

It is NovaSource’s policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. NovaSource disapproves of, and will not tolerate, unlawful discrimination against any applicant or employee because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, age, religion, disability, family care status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal laws.