Senior Engineer

The Planet Group; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Planet Group seeks a Senior Engineer to lead complex engineering projects and provide technical leadership in Detroit. The role requires hands-on problem solving, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration across engineering, operations, and field personnel.

You will plan and execute engineering activities, develop analyses and models, and drive continuous improvement while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance in the electric utility domain.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology.
• Minimum 4 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Electric utility industry experience.
• Experience performing power flow studies.
• Hands-on experience with EMS (Energy Management System).
• Experience with power system analysis tools such as PSSE and TARA.
• Ability to analyze system models and provide operational feedback from real-time measurements.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and lead engineering projects with complex technical and operational challenges.
• Develop studies, analyses, and recommendations to improve system performance and reliability.
• Apply advanced engineering principles to evaluate processes and implement solutions.
• Lead and coordinate activities involving field personnel, technicians, engineers, contractors, and stakeholders.
• Analyze engineering data and develop models to support improvements and long-term planning.
• Provide technical leadership during project planning, execution, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
• Identify root causes, recommend corrective actions, and ensure safety and standards compliance.
• Prepare engineering reports and presentations for management and project teams.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to optimize engineering processes and performance.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Leadership

Project management

Analytical thinking

Team mentoring

Decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Master’s Degree in Engineering or related discipline

Tools

PSSE

TARA

OSI EMS

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineer to lead complex engineering projects and provide technical expertise supporting critical operational initiatives. This position is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing engineering activities that require advanced technical knowledge, sound judgment, and practical field experience. The successful candidate will independently resolve complex engineering challenges while providing technical leadership to engineers, technicians, and field personnel.

This role requires a proactive engineer who can evaluate system performance, develop innovative solutions, and support continuous improvement efforts while collaborating across multiple departments.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and lead engineering projects involving complex technical and operational challenges.
• Develop engineering studies, technical analyses, and recommendations to improve system performance, reliability, and efficiency.
• Apply advanced engineering principles to evaluate existing processes and implement practical solutions.
• Lead and coordinate engineering activities involving field personnel, technicians, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders.
• Analyze engineering data and develop models to support operational improvements and long‑term planning.
• Provide technical leadership during project planning, execution, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities.
• Evaluate engineering issues, identify root causes, and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare engineering reports, technical documentation, and presentations for management and project teams.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to optimize engineering processes and system performance.
• Ensure engineering work complies with applicable company standards, industry regulations, and safety requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology
• Minimum of 4 years of relevant engineering experience
• Electric utility industry experience
• Experience performing power flow studies
• Hands‑on experience with Energy Management Systems (EMS), specifically:
• N-1 operating conditions
• Experience with power system analysis tools such as:
• PSSE
• TARA
• Ability to analyze system models and provide operational feedback based on real‑time system measurements

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Engineering or a related discipline
• Experience maintaining State Estimator technical applications
• Experience with the OSI EMS platform
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Word
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Utility operations, transmission operations, or control center experience is a plus

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of engineering principles, analytical methods, and problem‑solving techniques.
• Experience performing engineering studies, system modeling, and technical analysis.
• Ability to interpret technical data and develop recommendations that improve operational performance.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and Word.
• Experience with engineering software and power system modeling tools is highly desirable.

Soft Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build collaborative relationships across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
• Proven leadership skills with experience mentoring engineers, technicians, and field personnel.
• Highly organized with strong project management and time management capabilities.
• Critical thinker with strong analytical and decision‑making abilities.
• Self‑motivated and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.