Senior Plant Engineer — Reliability & Performance Leader

SouthWestern Electric Power Co; Texas; On-site; USD 88,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

SouthWestern Electric Power Co. seeks a Plant Engineer to provide technical leadership and support for safe, reliable, and efficient plant operation.

You will lead performance monitoring, troubleshoot equipment, manage changes, and work with operations, maintenance, vendors, and regulatory agencies. The role emphasizes project execution, capital support, and adherence to regulatory codes such as NERC, with opportunities for career advancement across grade levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering ABET-accredited with 2+ years related engineering experience, or military equivalent.
• Master's degree in engineering from ABET-accredited program may qualify for entry at this level.
• Alternative: bachelor's in engineering (non-ABET) plus master's or PhD from ABET program; or bachelor's in engineering technology.
• VP or above may waive the degree requirement from non-ABET program.
• Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, equipment reliability, and plant performance improvement.

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

Troubleshooting

Root cause analysis

Equipment reliability

Control systems

Instrumentation

Performance monitoring

Project management

Data analysis

Microsoft Office

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Master's degree in engineering

Engineering technology degree

Job description

SouthWestern Electric Power Co. seeks a Plant Engineer to provide technical leadership and support for safe, reliable, and efficient plant operation.

You will lead performance monitoring, troubleshoot equipment, manage changes, and work with operations, maintenance, vendors, and regulatory agencies. The role emphasizes project execution, capital support, and adherence to regulatory codes such as NERC, with opportunities for career advancement across grade levels.