Senior Vice President, Engineering

LUMA Energy; San Juan (PR); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

LUMA Energy in Puerto Rico seeks a seasoned engineering leader to steer the full T&D lifecycle, from system planning to design delivery and grid modernization, reporting to the COO.

This role requires 18 years of progressive leadership in transmission and distribution, with deep expertise across planning, asset engineering, protection, and regulatory compliance; experience with federal funding and large capital programs is preferred.

Qualifications

• 18 years of progressive engineering leadership experience in a transmission and/or distribution utility.
• Deep technical expertise across T&D system planning, design engineering, asset engineering, and protection & control.
• Experience with capital programs, O&M, and federally funded projects in a regulated utility environment.
• Knowledge of NERC, IEEE, NEC, NESC, and utility regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Directs enterprise T&D system planning and asset engineering strategy.
• Leads engineering design delivery for capital programs and new customer connections.
• Oversees grid modernization efforts including AMI, DER integration, and volt/VAR optimization.
• Ensures regulatory and federal requirements and governance compliance.

Skills

TD system planning

Asset engineering

Protection & control

Grid modernization

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Bilingual communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Job description

At LUMA, we are proud to have people who embody the commitment to serve. We practice a “people first” culture and recognize the significant contributions our team makes to the company’s performance. LUMA is it's people, people who work hard and give their best effort so we can achieve our service goals for Puerto Rico.

Our mission is to provide you with reliable electric power and to transform the system that lights up every home, every business, every corner of Puerto Rico. At LUMA, people come first, and safety is the foundation of everything we do.

Leads the full engineering lifecycle—from system planning and asset engineering through design delivery and new customer integration—serving as the primary technical enabler for O&M, Capital Programs, and Grid Modernization, and unifying disciplines such as Planning, Asset Engineering, Design Engineering, Customer Connections, Grid Modernization & Technology, Protection & Control, Technical Standards, and Environmental & Permitting to ensure all engineering decisions support a safe, reliable, and resilient grid while providing the technical foundation needed for Operations to maintain and restore the system and for enterprise leaders to execute asset strategy and deliver capital programs. This position reports to the Chief Operations Officer (COO).

Responsibilities

• Directs enterprise T& D system planning — including the Planning Basis document, capacity studies, and interconnection assessments — ensuring all capital and O&M investment decisions rest on validated engineering criteria and technical justification that support the COEO’s 10year SAMP and 5year RIBA processes.
• Owns the enterprise asset engineering strategy — lifecycle criteria, condition assessment, RUL analysis, and risk-based prioritization across all T& D asset classes — anchoring the COEO’s asset management framework in engineering-grade data.
• Leads engineering design delivery for all capital programs, NFC and federally funded, ensuring designs are construction-ready, standards-compliant, and fully supported through construction and as-built closeout.
• Directs engineering for new customer connections and DER/rooftop solar interconnection, establishing service design standards and connection policy that balance customer commitments with system reliability and protection coordination.
• Owns protection philosophy, SCADA/distribution automation engineering, and control systems strategy, ensuring all protection and control assets are engineered, tested, and commissioned to safeguard system integrity.
• Leads grid modernization and technology engineering — AMI, DER integration, Volt/VAR optimization, and smart grid architecture — advancing LUMA’s energy transition and grid interoperability objectives.
• Establishes and governs LUMA’s Engineering Standards Library and technical governance framework — design review boards, technical authority levels, and standards deviation processes — ensuring enterprise-wide compliance with NERC/FERC, IEEE, NEC, and PREB requirements.
• Directs engineering support for environmental permitting and federal funding compliance, ensuring technical documentation and as-built records meet agency, FEMA/DOE, and audit requirements on schedule.
• Oversees engineering support to Operations — technical work instructions, major outage response, and QA/QC acceptance criteria — ensuring O&M execution meets engineering standards and the COEO’s work planning requirements.
• Advises executive leadership and board members to influence high-stakes decisions and governance.
• Leads multiple VPs or large-scale programs across departments or business areas.
• Influences executive alignment and models leadership behaviors to drive cultural transformation and stakeholder trust.
• Aligns enterprise-wide budgeting with strategic priorities to ensure financial sustainability and shareholder value.
• Oversees performance governance and ensures metrics drive long-term organizational outcomes.
• Champions and models enterprise-wide adherence to governance, compliance, and ethical standards to uphold organizational integrity and regulatory alignment.
• Leads and supports organizational strategies for the restoration of critical services and emergency preparedness to ensure business continuity and community trust.
• Embraces and leads additional strategic responsibilities as needed to advance enterprise objectives and organizational resilience.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.

Experience

• 18 years of progressive engineering leadership experience in a transmission and/or distribution utility, or in similar functional role, with responsibilities of planning and budgeting, and at least 8 years' experience in senior leadership or executive-level roles overseeing multiple business units or enterprise-level functions.
• Deep technical expertise across T& D system planning, design engineering, asset engineering, and protection & control.
• Demonstrated experience providing engineering support for capital programs, O&M organizations, and federally funded projects in a regulated utility environment.
• Proven track record managing large, multi-disciplinary engineering teams and delivering design-ready capital project packages at scale.
• Strong knowledge of applicable engineering standards and codes: NERC, IEEE, NEC, NESC, and utility regulatory requirements.
• Experience leading organizational initiatives, managing projects, and overseeing large budgets and complex operations.
• Experience with grid modernization technologies — AMI, distribution automation, SCADA, DER integration, and Volt/VAR optimization (preferred).
• Familiarity with Puerto Rico's regulatory environment, including PREB, PREPA, COR3, and PROMESA oversight structures (preferred).
• Experience supporting FEMA and DOE grant-funded capital programs, including engineering documentation requirements for federal compliance and audit readiness (preferred).
• Knowledge of asset management frameworks (ISO 55001 / IAM) and experience integrating engineering functions with asset management organizations (preferred).
• Experience with post-disaster grid recovery and reconstruction engineering in a hurricane-prone or high-risk environment (preferred).
• Graduate-level certification or coursework in power systems, asset management, or utility engineering leadership (preferred).

Additional education may substitute for the required experience when it aligns with the competencies and knowledge necessary for the role:

• Technical Authority & Engineering Rigor: Commands deep Transmission & Distribution expertise and enforces engineering standards that ensure safety, reliability, quality, and compliance.
• Cross-Functional Enablement: Strengthens COEO, Operations, and Capital Programs by providing technical leadership that accelerate execution and multiplies enterprise-wide effectiveness.
• Systems Thinking: Integrates planning, asset management, design, and protection engineering into a unified strategy aligned with LUMA’s long‑term grid modernization objectives.
• Grid Modernization Leadership: Translates emerging technologies into practical engineering solutions that improve resilience, reliability, and customer outcomes across the grid.
• Regulatory & Federal Compliance: Ensures all engineering work meets PREB, NERC, and federal technical requirements, protecting regulatory standing and eligibility for federal reimbursement.
• Talent Development & Engineering Culture: Builds a technically strong, safety‑first engineering organization by developing talent, elevating competencies, and fostering a mission‑driven culture that serves Puerto Rico’s communities.
• Bilingual Communication: Communicates effectively in both English and Spanish to support collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and enterprise-wide alignment.

Licenses/Certifications

Required

• Professional Engineer License issued by the Examining Board for Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape
• Architects of Puerto Rico. Must hold an active Puerto Rico PE license at the time of hire, or obtain one — through reciprocity or examination — within 12 months of assuming the role, and maintain it in good standing thereafter.
• Be a member of the Puerto Rico College of Engineers and Land Surveyors (CIAPR).
• Valid driver’s license

Travel Requirements

• 20%

Physical Demands

• Stationary Position: Constantly
• Pushing/ Pulling/ Reaching: Seldom
• Kneel: Seldom
• Grab: Seldom
• Bend: Seldom
• Lift/Carry over: 16 to 35 pounds

Working Conditions

• Wet or humid: Seldom
• Working near or on moving mechanical parts: Never
• Working near or on heavy machinery: Never
• Working in high places: Never
• Exposed to fumes or airborne particles: Never
• Frequency of working in outdoor weather conditions: Seldom
• Work with electricity: Never
• Loud noise conditions: Seldom

LUMA Energy is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, military status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal or local laws.