Principal Engineer - Power Uprate projects

Westinghouse Electric Company; Madison (PA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Westinghouse Electric Company seeks a Power Uprate Principal Engineer for a contract position to lead technical evaluations for Power Uprate projects. Responsibilities include feasibility studies, system evaluations, and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards in electrical engineering.

The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in power generation and hold a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, demonstrating expertise in ETAP and electrical analyses. This remote position requires US citizenship.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in power generation or heavy industry.
• Demonstrated experience in performing power system studies and electrical calculations.
• Expertise in arc flash, protection coordination, and short circuit analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering efforts for Power Uprate projects.
• Perform detailed electrical power system calculations.
• Develop and maintain ETAP models for plant electrical systems.

Skills

Power system modeling

Electrical engineering analysis

Leadership in technical projects

ETAP software

Safety compliance

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Tools

ETAP

SKM

PowerWorld

Job description

Power Uprate Principal Engineer – Contract Position

Lead the technical evaluation, design, and implementation of plant Power Uprate projects to safely increase generation capacity and improve operational efficiency. Serve as a subject matter expert in system performance and electrical engineering analysis, including advanced power system modeling, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, safety standards, and project goals. Work fully remote from the United States and must be a US citizen or permanent resident. Report to the Manager of Operation Plants Electrical Engineering.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead engineering efforts for plant Power Uprate projects, including feasibility studies, system evaluations, and detailed design.
• Be the primary technical authority on Power Uprate strategies, methodologies, and system impacts.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to engineering staff in electrical system analysis and modeling.

Electrical Engineering Analysis & Modeling

• Perform and oversee detailed electrical power system calculations, including load flow, short circuit and fault current calculations, arc flash hazard analysis, motor starting and dynamic system analysis, and protective device coordination studies.
• Evaluate electrical system capacity and limitations to support Power Uprate conditions, assessing impacts on switchgear ratings, transformers, transmission interconnections, and auxiliary power systems.
• Ensure calculations meet applicable codes and standards (IEEE, NFPA 70E, NEC, NERC, etc.).

ETAP / Power System Software Utilization

• Develop, maintain, and validate ETAP models (or equivalent power system software) for plant electrical systems.
• Use ETAP to simulate Power Uprate scenarios and analyze system performance under normal, contingency, and transient conditions.
• Ensure model accuracy through field data validation, system walkdowns, and configuration control.
• Create and review ETAP‑based reports supporting engineering decisions, regulatory submittals, and design changes.
• Provide technical leadership in improving and standardizing ETAP modeling practices across the organization.

Project Execution

• Develop and review engineering calculations, analyses, and design modifications associated with Power Uprate implementation.
• Support project planning, scheduling, and risk management activities.
• Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet scope requirements, maintaining auditable engineering calculations and documentation.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance, transmission planning, and design engineering.
• Support outage planning and execution for electrical system modifications.
• Work with vendors, consultants, and external engineering firms on specialized studies.

System and Equipment Analysis

• Evaluate plant systems (thermal, electrical, mechanical, instrumentation & control) for Power Uprate capability and constraints.
• Identify required upgrades or modifications to support increased output.
• Perform or oversee system performance modeling and integration analyses across departments.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure all Power Uprate activities comply with applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., NRC, FERC, NERC, IEEE standards).
• Prepare and support licensing submittals, technical reports, and responses to regulatory inquiries.

Risk & Safety Management

• Identify technical risks associated with Power Uprate and electrical system modifications and develop mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with electrical safety standards, including arc flash and protection studies.
• Promote a strong safety culture and engineering rigor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in power generation, utilities, or heavy industry.
• Demonstrated experience performing power system studies and electrical calculations.
• Hands‑on experience with ETAP (or equivalent tools such as SKM, PSCAD, PowerWorld, etc.).
• Strong knowledge of plant electrical distribution systems and grid interconnections.
• Leadership experience in complex technical projects.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred or ability to obtain.
• Experience supporting plant Power Uprates or major capacity modifications.
• Expertise in arc flash, protection coordination, and short circuit analysis.
• Familiarity with nuclear or large fossil/hydro generation environments.
• Experience with regulatory requirements affecting electrical systems (NERC compliance, licensing).
• Advanced analytical skills in power system modeling and simulation.
• Expertise in ETAP or similar electrical analysis platforms.
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills.
• Lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are committed to transparency and equity in all our people practices. Equal Opportunity Employer including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities.