Senior Plant Engineer — Reliability & Performance

AEP; Texas; On-site; USD 88,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Career development

Job summary

AEP's Pittsburg, TX Plant Engineer Senior role focuses on safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the power plant. You will lead engineering support, monitor performance data, diagnose equipment issues, and drive reliability improvements in collaboration with operations, maintenance, vendors, and regulators.

Ideal candidates hold an ABET-accredited engineering degree with 2+ years of related experience; a master's or PhD may qualify for entry at higher levels.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited engineering degree required or equivalent.
• Master's or PhD in engineering may advance entry level.
• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills.
• Experience with control systems and performance monitoring tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support and technical execution for plant operations and maintenance by diagnosing equipment and system issues, supporting startup and shutdown activities, and implementing timely corrective actions.
• Perform structured troubleshooting and root cause analysis for equipment failures and performance issues, developing practical solutions that improve system reliability and minimize recurrence.
• Monitor and analyze plant operating data, including turbine and auxiliary system performance, to identify performance gaps and improvement opportunities impacting availability, heat rate, and efficiency.
• Support and execute reliability and condition monitoring programs (e.g., vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, controls diagnostics), ensuring accurate data interpretation and follow-through on identified issues.
• Maintain configuration control and technical documentation, including drawings, procedures, engineering records, and Management of Change documentation, ensuring accuracy and compliance with plant standards.
• Coordinate and support capital projects, modifications, and maintenance activities, working closely with vendors, contractors, and internal teams to ensure work is completed safely and in accordance with engineering requirements.
• Support compliance with regulatory and code requirements (e.g., NERC, pressure systems), including monitoring, documentation, and audit readiness activities.
• Contribute to plant performance improvement by providing data-driven insights and recommendations to plant leadership, supporting safe, reliable, and efficient operations.

Skills

Root cause analysis

Troubleshooting

Equipment reliability

Plant performance

Data analysis

Education

ABET-accredited Engineering degree

Master's or PhD in engineering

Tools

Vibration analysis

Thermography

Oil analysis

Controls diagnostics

Job description

AEP's Pittsburg, TX Plant Engineer Senior role focuses on safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the power plant. You will lead engineering support, monitor performance data, diagnose equipment issues, and drive reliability improvements in collaboration with operations, maintenance, vendors, and regulators.

Ideal candidates hold an ABET-accredited engineering degree with 2+ years of related experience; a master's or PhD may qualify for entry at higher levels.