Senior Plant Performance Engineer

ZipRecruiter; New York (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading power company is seeking a Senior Plant Performance Engineer to enhance operational performance and reliability across its energy assets. This role involves analyzing data, driving performance optimization, and collaborating with various teams to implement improvements. The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background and experience in power plant operations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in power plant operations or performance engineering.
• Strong understanding of plant thermodynamics and controls systems.

Responsibilities

• Analyze operational and performance data to identify trends and inefficiencies.
• Lead root cause analyses on underperformance or anomalies.
• Recommend strategies to improve plant reliability and efficiency.

Skills

Analytical Mindset

Communication

Presentation Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Systems

Tools

Performance Monitoring Platforms

Data Visualization Tools

Job description

Job Description

About COGS' Client:

COGS is partnering with a leading power company operating critical energy assets in key urban markets. The organization is focused on performance excellence, reliability, and continuous improvement across its fleet.

Role Overview:

We’re looking for a Senior Plant Performance Engineer with deep experience in operational performance analysis, continuous improvement, and technical troubleshooting within power - ideally from fast-start, peaking or distributed energy assets. The successful candidate will lead efforts to monitor plant health, assess operational data, and drive performance optimization. This is a hands-on engineering role with high visibility and impact across operations, maintenance, and strategy teams.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Analyze operational and performance data from fast-start units to identify trends, inefficiencies, and performance gaps.
• Lead root cause analyses on underperformance or anomalies, working closely with plant operations and controls engineers.
• Recommend and implement strategies to improve plant reliability, availability, and efficiency.
• Track and report on key performance indicators (fuel consumption, run hours, start times, etc.).
• Provide real-time performance support during dispatch events and operational excursions.
• Collaborate with OEMs and internal teams on performance testing and data calibration.
• Support outage planning and post-event evaluations with a performance lens.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings or emissions reductions through smarter operations or equipment upgrades.
• Contribute to the development of digital tools and dashboards for continuous monitoring.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Energy Systems, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in power plant operations or performance engineering, preferably with peaking assets, reciprocating engines, or aero-derivative turbines.
• Strong understanding of plant thermodynamics, controls systems, and dispatch dynamics.
• Demonstrated experience with performance monitoring platforms and data visualization tools.
• Skilled in conducting detailed root cause analyses and implementing performance improvements.
• Prior experience with utilities and power plants or similar highly regulated environments.
• Strong analytical mindset with solid communication and presentation skills.