Planning Engineer Lead

About the role

ERCOT, a diverse and dynamic work environment, provides a platform for employees to collaborate on building the future of the Texas power grid and wholesale market. We encourage you to join our talented, dedicated workforce to develop world-class solutions for today and tomorrow’s energy challenges while learning new skills and growing your career. ERCOT is committed to fostering inclusion at all levels of our company, recognizing that diversity and inclusion drive innovation and success.

Job Duties

• Serves as the recognized technical expert for the department within and outside the organization
• Provides on-the-job training, mentoring or oversight of the work of other engineers/analysts as required
• Responds to executive and management inquiries and special reporting requests
• Collaborate with other ERCOT departments to select and implement system changes as needed
• Communicate results of analyses to appropriate stakeholders, including maintaining regular communication with the management team, providing relevant information to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements
• Examines, analyzes, and determines efficiency improvements for departmental and organizational processes and procedures
• Serves as the departmental representative on cross-functional teams, proactively providing technical, business, and policy guidance
• Serves as quality assurance and best practices resource within and outside of the department
• Buils strong professional relationships both internally and externally. Networks with key contacts within and outside the electric utility industry
• Led the work of projects and audits as assigned by management
• May prepare reports and presentations to stakeholder bodies, the ERCOT Board of Directors and regulatory agencies, including preparing testimony

Additional Job Duties

• Designs and performs steady-state and dynamic contingency analyses using power flow models (PSSE, VSAT, TSAT, or Powerworld) under the direction of a senior level engineer or management
• Designs and performs production cost modeling (UPLAN) studies to accomplish economic transmission planning under the direction of a senior level engineer or management
• Helps develop improvements to transmission planning and market forecasting processes
• Assists in providing input and analyses from the planning perspective on market/protocol design issues
• Assists in providing market simulation/forecasting and transmission planning analyses to support other activities
• Structures appropriate planning studies and sensitivity analyses to determine the need for improvements and evaluate proposed projects, including technical and financial analyses
• Participates in multifunctional teams to obtain input, address comments, and perform studies
• Aids in developing tools, processes and procedures that enhance system reliability and departmental/organizational efficiencies
• Participates with other ERCOT departments to select and implement system changes as needed

Requirements

• Engineer Lead: Minimum 8 years experience as a power system engineer within the electric utility industry
• Experience within the electric utility industry preferred (both levels)
• Preferred Experience: Experience performing large-scale dynamic stability analyses using power system simulation tools (PSSE, TSAT, Powerworld); Experience with EMT simulation tools (PSCAD), especially for large-scale system analysis; Experience evaluating and updating power system dynamic models; Experience programming and developing simulation automation tools (Python); Experience assessing and mitigating sub-synchronous resonance issues; Experience assisting in the development of improvements to transmission planning processes and familiarity with NERC reliability standards
• Education: Bachelor's Degree: Electrical Engineering or related field (Required) or a combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge to a major in such fields is required
• Certification: PE Professional Engineer (Preferred)

Work Location

This position is Hybrid. Employees will be required to be on-site in Taylor, TX at least 2-3 days per week, or more, as needed based on the business needs as determined by management. On-site schedules are flexible or may be rotated based on business needs as determined by the Manager. Remote work is required to be performed from your Texas residence. Employees may opt to work on-site more than required or 100% of the time.