Principal Engineer - Production Cost Modeling

Qualus; Carson City (NV); Remote; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

A leading power solutions firm is seeking a fully remote Production Cost Modeling Engineer to support system operation simulations. The candidate will utilize advanced analytical tools like GridView to inform investment decisions and enhance understanding of power systems. A Master's or Ph.D. in relevant fields and over 10 years of experience in the power industry are required. This role offers benefits including medical, dental, and a 401(k) match, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Qualifications

• More than 10 years of experience in the power industry and modeling.
• Expertise in resource adequacy and production cost analysis.
• Experience in grid planning or wholesale electricity market operations.

Responsibilities

• Utilize analytical tools to assist with investment decisions.
• Simulate operation of power systems on an hourly basis.
• Develop and validate hypotheses regarding power system economics.
• Create and implement PCM study scenarios for major findings.
• Contribute expertise to enhance power system understanding.

Skills

Power system studies

Production cost modeling

GridView

Transmission planning

Regulatory engagement

Education

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

Master of Science in Mathematics

Master of Arts in Economics

Ph.D. in Economics

Tools

PSSE

PSLF

PSLF

Job description

Power your future with Qualus as a fully remote Production Cost Modeling Engineer for our Resource Integration Advisory group with a primary focus on building, running, and analyzing production cost models (e.g., GridView) to simulate system operations for various power market scenarios. This role requires modeling, simulating and analyzing optimum electric power operations under constrained transmission conditions. The results will help market participants with forecasting the economic ramifications of their planned infrastructure and resource development as they make such investment decisions. The studies would allow forecasting system dispatch and transmission congestion leading to forward locational marginal prices (LMPs) among many other critical data impacting the economics of power system operation. This position is completely remote.

Responsibilities

• Utilize advanced analytical tools, including Production Cost Models (“PCM”s) such as GridView, to assist with generation, storage and transmission capacity investment decisions. The analysis should be based on well-founded assumptions about future electricity demand, fuel prices, technology costs, performance, and regulatory frameworks, among others.
• Simulate the detailed operation of power systems on an hourly to sub-hourly basis using PCM. Assess resource adequacy and reliability, analyze the impacts of capacity changes on system operations, evaluate transmission congestion and locational marginal prices, and provide comprehensive analyses of daily emission patterns.
• Develop and validate hypotheses regarding the economics of power system operations. Focus on maximizing societal net benefits through effective supply-and-demand balance and minimizing total system costs associated with infrastructure and new resource investments.
• Strategically create and implement all necessary PCM study scenarios, supporting various reasonable hypotheses, and prepare detailed study reports that showcase major findings.
• Execute additional power system studies as needed, contributing your expertise to enhance power system understanding and reliability.

Qualifications

• Hold a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in power system studies; a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering with a similar focus is preferred.
• Hold a Master of Science in Mathematics or a Master of Arts in Economics emphasizing electric power; a Ph.D. in Economics with a related focus is highly preferred.
• More than 10 years of robust experience in the power industry, system studies, modeling, resource and transmission planning using tools such as PSSE and PSLF.
• More than 10 years of robust experience in resource adequacy and production cost analysis using production cost modeling tools such as GridView.
• At least 5 years of experience in grid planning or wholesale electricity market operations within CAISO/WECC or other major RTOs and ISOs, along with significant experience in developing energy market policies with ability to interpret complex market data and engage effectively in regulatory and stakeholder discussions.

Benefits & Compensation

Qualus benefits offered include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays, for those who qualify.

The expected compensation range for this position is based upon several factors, including but not limited to education, qualifications, prior relevant work experience and work location.

Company Overview

Qualus is a leading pure‑play power solutions firm and innovator at the forefront of power infrastructure transformation, with differentiated capabilities across grid modernization, resiliency, security, and sustainability. The firm partners with utilities, commercial, industrial, data center, and government clients, and renewable and energy storage developers, offering comprehensive solutions through boutique and integrated advisory, planning, engineering, digital solutions, program management, and specialized field services. Qualus also provides software and technology enabled services and develops breakthrough solutions for critical power industry challenges such as distributed and variable resource integration, emergency management, and secure data exchange. The firm has over 1,800 professionals, with offices throughout the U.S. and Canada.

EEO

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on any grounds protected by applicable human rights legislation across Canada and the US.