Senior Associate, Transmission or Distribution

Synapse Energy Economics, Inc.; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO: 35 days

Hybrid work environment

401(k) with safe harbor

Discretionary annual bonus

ESOP

Life and disability insurance

Job summary

Synapse Energy Economics, Inc. in Cambridge, MA is seeking a Transmission & Distribution Engineer with robust quantitative skills and utility experience.

The role centers on evaluating T&D issues for resource plans and projects, supporting energy efficiency, renewables, and rate analyses through technical and economic work. Ideal candidates will review T&D solutions, create models, and communicate results to clients and regulators while collaborating with senior and junior staff on

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering with emphasis on power systems.
• 5+ years of relevant industry work experience or 2+ years with a Doctorate.
• Strong desire to work on public-interest energy planning.
• Proficiency to review and analyze technical information and policies.
• Knowledge of distribution/transmission concepts and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate transmission and distribution issues for resource plans and projects.
• Provide technical and economic analyses for energy efficiency, renewables, and rates.
• Review distribution and transmission solutions to improve reliability and integration of renewables.
• Develop and maintain spreadsheet models to analyze investments.
• Summarize complex concepts for clients, regulators, and public audiences.

Skills

Electrical power systems

Excel proficiency

Quantitative analysis

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Power flow modeling software

Job description

Are you passionate about energy, economics and the environment and ready to harness your skills to galvanize positive change in these topic areas on behalf of public interest entities? If so, Synapse Energy Economics may have a place for you. We are a research and consulting firm specializing in economic and policy research, modeling, and analysis to provide solutions to issues faced by the electric industry. We draft public reports and analysis, and represent our clients by providing oral and written testimony as expert witnesses in Public Utility Commission dockets. Our work supports a broad range of public‑interest clients, including consumer advocates, environmental organizations, regulatory commissions, and state and federal agencies. Synapse places great value on the culture of our office; we are a high‑energy, forward‑thinking, collaborative group with a real passion for public interest and sustainability.

Synapse Energy Economics is seeking a Transmission and Distribution Engineer with robust quantitative skills and industry experience with utility distribution and transmission. The preferred candidate will have extensive familiarity with electric transmission or distribution system engineering and operations, and a demonstrated commitment to public interest issues such as sustainability, environmental justice, and consumer protection.

Job Responsibilities

The T&D Engineer will evaluate transmission and distribution issues associated with resource plans and/or projects from utilities or developers in conjunction with the economic and policy analysis at Synapse. The ideal candidate will also provide technical analysis to supplement our project work involving energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, electricity rates, electric vehicles, environmental regulations, and electricity markets.

• Serve as a technical resource to review distribution and transmission technical solutions and modernization initiatives to improve reliability, operations, and integration of renewable resources for the electric sector.
• Perform technical and economic analyses that incorporate the effect of transmission and distribution investments, including, for example, estimation of avoided T&D costs associated with distributed energy resources.
• Clearly and succinctly summarize complex technical concepts to clients, regulators, and public audiences through papers, presentations, testimony, and meetings.
• Defend analysis and refute opposing viewpoints and analysis.
• Work in team environment with both senior and junior staff members.
• Create, maintain, and utilize spreadsheet models and/or software tools to analyze transmission and distribution investments and plans.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, preferably with an emphasis on electric power systems.
• 5+ years of relevant industry work experience with a Master's or Bachelor's Degree, or 2+ years
  of relevant industry work experience with a Doctorate.
• A strong desire to work on behalf of public interest clients in improving energy planning and policy.
• Proficiency to review, evaluate, and analyze technical information, policies, and reports.
• Broad perspective of the utility business and thorough knowledge of concepts and systems related to transmission and distribution.
• Thorough knowledge of fundamental engineering/economic principles and concepts.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable policies, rules, regulations, and codes related to electric distribution.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to develop persuasive arguments for testimony and reports based on analysis of quantitative and qualitative evidence.
• Ability to work and communicate well in teams.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize critical tasks and conflicting requirements.

You don't have to satisfy every requirement or meet every qualification listed above. If your skills are transferable or you are near the number of years of experience we seek, please apply.

If you have much more experience than the minimum qualifications above, you will be considered for a Principal Associate position in the Transmission and/or Distribution topic area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or Doctorate.
• State, federal, provincial electric utility regulatory experience.
• Power flow modeling software experience.
• Experience commissioning distribution automation and substation equipment, and/or experience with distribution system planning including assessment of hosting capacity for solar PV or other distributed generation on distribution systems.
• Licensed Electrical Professional Engineer (PE).
• Consulting experience.

Working at Synapse

Synapse prides itself on its flexible and collaborative working environment. Many staff work in‑person in our Cambridge, Massachusetts office, while others are hybrid or fully virtual across the country. Synapse currently supports a hybrid work environment so our staff can find the right mix of support, collaboration, and flexibility. While we prefer employees located locally so we can nurture this environment, we will consider remote candidates where such an arrangement is compatible with our clients’ work.

Synapse offers numerous benefits to its employees:

• Generous PTO (35 days)
• Flexible work hours and holidays, and the ability to choose a schedule that works for you
• Medical, dental, and life insurance
• Work‑life balance benefit: at the end of the year, salaried employees are compensated for every hour worked over their standard full‑time work schedule
• Eligible for a discrentionary annual bonus, subject to company performance.
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP): a tax‑deferred retirement plan that offers employees a chance to be partial owners of Synapse.
• 401K plan; Synapse makes a safe harbor contribution of 3% salary
• Short‑and long‑term disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Collaboration: everybody contributes, asks questions, proposes solutions, and works on interesting research and analysis
• Cambridge, MA office space with sit‑stand desks, lots of meeting space, indoor bike parking, and plenty of nitro cold‑brew and kombucha on tap

Senior Associate base salary range is $84,000-$126,000 annually, based on a full‑time schedule. Our base salary range does not include profit‑sharing bonuses. Actual salaries will vary based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. Synapse offers competitive market salaries, based on our primary market of nonprofits and government agencies. Our salaries reflect our work for these public interest clients.

Synapse currently supports a hybrid work environment so our staff can find the right mix of support, collaboration, and flexibility. While we prefer employees located locally so we can nurture this environment, we will consider remote candidates where such arrangement is compatible with our clients’ work.

We are unable to sponsor work visas for this position. Authorization to work in the United States is required to be considered.

Synapse is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a culturally diverse company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified candidates including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and individuals from theLGBTQIA+ community.