SENIOR UTILITIES ENGINEER (SPECIALIST)

State of California; California; Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

State of California's CPUC seeks a Senior Utilities Engineer (Specialist) to advise on electric rate cases, analyze capital expenditures and financing, and coordinate general rate case work. The role involves presenting findings to senior stakeholders and leading project teams within a regulatory framework.

The position is hybrid, limited to 12 months with potential extension, requires a PE license, and includes travel and collaboration with multiple agencies across California.

Qualifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the state.
• Experience leading a project or team.
• Experience with regulatory, economic, financial or policy analyses.
• Ability to present findings clearly to executives.

Responsibilities

• Advise high-level decision-makers on electric general rate cases.
• Lead or coordinate general rate case projects and analyses.
• Review cost of capital applications and utility financing matters.
• Prepare and present reports; interact with regulatory agencies.

Skills

Project leadership

Regulatory analysis

Policy investigation

Written findings

Education

Professional Engineer License

Job description

Energy Senior Engineer
SENIOR UTILITIES ENGINEER (SPECIALIST)

$11,437.00 - $14,315.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/30/2026

Application Methods: Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account) By Mail Drop-off

The examination is a separate process from applying for this vacancy. Please be sure to follow all instructions for each process.

Virtual interviews via web portals or phone may be offered as deemed appropriate and feasible by the hiring manager – standard in-person interviews will still be offered if conditions permit.

Under general direction of the Project and Program Supervisor, the Senior Utilities Engineer (SUE) will advise and assist high-level decision-makers such as Commissioners, Judges, and Energy Division management on electric general rate case proceedings that examine utility capital expenditure and annual operating costs forecasts. The SUE may act as a team leader and project coordinator of these general rate cases. The SUE will analyze utility general rate case and cost of capital applications, utility requests to securitize costs through issuance of bonds and non-bypassable fixed recovery charges, and other utility financing matters. The SUE will make recommendations based on independent analysis of regulatory, policy and technical issues, and review utility costs and trends pertaining to electric utility operations. The SUE will also review and recommend action on "advice letter" requests from the utility in compliance with prior Commission orders, review and provide feedback on proposed legislative bills, and/or oversee implementation of programs that result from CPUC and legislative processes.

The SUE will perform other work as necessary, such as writing and presenting reports, coordinating with other California organizations and agencies (e.g., the California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board, California Independent System Operator), and responding to outside inquiries.

Your STD 678 (application form) will be used to determine your qualifications in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for the advertised classification(s). Please clearly describe all of your experience related to public utilities and/or transportation in the areas of economics, finance, or policy in the job description field(s) of your STD 678 form, along with the years and months of service. Failure to do so may result in not qualifying for the minimum qualifications for the advertised classification(s).

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .

Working Conditions

This is a limited-term position. Position may be extended to 24 months and may become permanent based on funding. Please note: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) does not participate in the federal E-Verify program. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must also reside in the state of California. The CPUC may consider certain forms of employment sponsorship, including some visa types, on a case-by-case basis in accordance with agency policies and applicable regulations. This advertisement is listed specifically for Los Angeles(LA, SF, SAC) location. All identified locations will be considered as one candidate pool to fill one position.

• Sacramento location, please apply to JC#535730
• San Francisco location, please apply to JC#535665

Apply to only those location(s) in which you are willing to work.

This position requires travel.

This is a hybrid position that will require the selected candidate to report to their assigned headquarter office a minimum of two (2) days a week. Hybrid positions may be eligible for telework under California Government Code Section 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California. In accordance with CPUC Telework Policy, telework arrangements are subject to change and may be reevaluated at any time.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• SENIOR UTILITIES ENGINEER (SPECIALIST)

Effective July 1, 2025, CalHR launched the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025 with Pay Differential 386. PLP 2025 temporarily reduces state employee pay in exchange for leave hours to help address budget shortfalls. Salary ranges in this posting exclude the temporary reduction. For details, visit CalHR’s Personnel Leave Program (PLP) page.

# of Positions: 1

Telework: Hybrid

Job Type: 12 Month Limited Term - Full Time

Department Information

Energy Division/ Electric Costs and Retail Choice Branch/Electric General Rate Case

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities to join our team.

Please visit Energy Division's recruitment page located here: Energy-Division-Recruiting for further job opportunities.

• The position(s) require(s) a(n) Professional Engineer License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Experience leading a project or team, evaluating team members' work products, providing written findings, and briefing decision makers.
• Experience performing research and analyses on complex regulatory, economic, financial and/or policy matters, identifying issues, and recommending effective courses of action.
• Ability to analyze, summarize, and present information in a concise and clear manner.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments, prioritize, and meeting deadlines.

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

Department Website: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov

Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator

[phone]

[e-mail]

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice)TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.