Senior Electric Utility Engineer

City of Santa Clara; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 214,000 - 273,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Santa Clara's Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is seeking two Senior Electric Utility Engineers to advance substation engineering and system expansion projects. These roles demand robust project management, teamwork, and clear communication to support major construction initiatives within a public utility framework.

Candidates should have a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, California PE eligibility, and substantial utility engineering experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering with 3 years of electric utility engineering experience (or 4 years with alternative degrees).
• Master’s Degree may substitute for one year of experience.
• Registration as a professional engineer in California may substitute for accreditation equivalency.

Responsibilities

• Lead substation engineering and standards development to support the Utility’s mission.
• Support System Expansion Capital Projects and four major expansion projects moving toward bid and construction.
• Assist with outage management, contracts management, material procurement and tracking, and easement acquisition.

Skills

Electric utility engineering

Project management

Oral and written communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineer (California)

Engineering degree substitutions for experience

Job description

The Positions

Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is seeking dynamic and innovative Senior Electric Utility Engineer candidates to immediately fill two (2) vacancies in the Customer Development and Project Management divisions, with potential future vacancies in these or other divisions. The ideal candidates will have electric utility engineering experience; excellent project management skills; strong oral and written communication skills; experience working in a team environment on major construction projects.

For the Engineering Division

This position will lead substation engineering and standards development that support the mission of the Utility. This individual should be an experienced, self-starter who can thrive in both an autonomous and team environment. This position requires hands‑on working knowledge of substation design and construction, and standards development. A working knowledge of protection and control systems, communication systems, project management, and Compliance is desirable. The candidate should have extensive knowledge of substation engineering concepts, principles, and practices to resolve complex problems with only general direction. This position supports day‑to‑day utility operations and Compliance.

For System Expansion Division

This position will support System Expansion Capital Projects and have the opportunity to work on complex and exciting large capital system expansion improvement projects in a dynamic, team‑oriented environment. This position will be working on four large system expansion projects moving forward to bid and construction, totaling an estimated cost of $440 million. This position requires hands‑on work during construction of 3 receiving station projects and one 2.25‑mile 115kV transmission line project. The position may also assist with outage management, construction and contracts management, material procurement and tracking, and easement acquisition. As such, the ideal candidate will have large substation or receiving station project experience and be able to work in a fast‑paced environment with competing priorities. The candidate will show proven problem‑solving skills and excellent communication.

The Department

As a community owned, not for profit municipal electric utility, Silicon Valley Power (SVP) has provided dependable electric service for over 125 years. SVP is the only full service, vertically integrated publicly owned utility in Silicon Valley owning generation, transmission and distribution assets. As a Public Electric Utility, Santa Clara’s Silicon Valley Power is not driven by profits, as reflected in its significantly lower utility rates when compared to other private sector utilities. Silicon Valley Power is community and policy driven, which is reflected in the many green policies that it promotes, reduced rates and its strategic plan. Silicon Valley Power is one of few public electric utilities in California with an upward trajectory of growth. Today, SVP owns, operates and participates in more than 1,200 MW of electric generating resources and serves a peak load of approximately 700 MW. SVP's expansion plan will double our system capacity over the next ten years. This includes over 30 strategic initiatives in four distinct areas: Utility Performance Excellence, Customer Engagement and Satisfaction, Progress and Innovation Focus, and Community and Environmental Stewardship. High‑profile customers include large corporations such as Intel, Applied Materials, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and NVIDIA.

Incumbents in these positions may be assigned to work in the operations, generation, transmission, planning, distribution, or substation groups of the Electric Utility Department as the need is determined.

Additional Information

The annual salary range for this position is$213,927.24 - $272,964.60. This position will be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.

Education and Experience

Graduation from an accredited college or university with: a) Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and three (3) years experience in electric utility engineering work or b) a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and four (4) years experience doing electric utility engineering work or ten (10) years experience doing electric utility engineering work and satisfactory completion of a qualifying written examination. A Master’s Degree in electrical, mechanical or civil engineering from an accredited college may be substituted for one year of experience (proof of receipt of an Engineer In Training certificate may be substituted for the qualifying written examination). Candidates from a non accredited college or university must demonstrate equivalency. Registration as a professional electrical, mechanical or civil engineer in the State of California may be substituted for accreditation equivalency.

License

Possession of a valid California Driver's license.

Special Conditions

May work unusual hours in emergency situations, or while acting as duty supervisor outside regular working hours, or at other than regular job site.

Scope of Examination for Qualifying Examination (if necessary)

Fundamentals of engineering and science. Mathematics including algebra, geometry, complex numbers, trigonometry, calculus; electrical theory (alternating and direct current), statics, dynamics, thermodynamics and economic analysis.

Permanent City Employees Preference Points

Current permanent employee candidates who receive a passing score on the examination will have an additional five (5) points added to their final score.

Candidates must attain a passing score on each phase of the examination process to qualify for the Eligible List. A department interview may be required prior to appointment.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at [phone] or [e-mail].