Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Reliability Engineer

Predictive Maintenance (PdM) Reliability Engineer

The APEX Power Co. Project in Hubbard, TX, is expanding to 1.6 GW and features a diverse mix of generation technologies, including Siemens, MAN/Everllence, GE, Pratt & Whitney, and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

Opportunity Summary

• Led cross-functional pre-commissioning readiness efforts, ensuring all mechanical, electrical, and control systems were installed, inspected, tested, and verified for safe and reliable startup.
• Verified installation quality and design conformance of turbines, engines, BESS, and balance-of-plant systems, ensuring all equipment met commissioning acceptance criteria and reliability design intent prior to energization.
• Oversee calibration, loop checks, and functional validation of critical instrumentation and monitoring devices to confirm accuracy and readiness for startup data acquisition and control.
• Established initial baseline equipment health conditions using PdM technologies (vibration, thermography, oil analysis, and electrical diagnostics) to define “as-commissioned” reference states prior to operation.
• Managed installation, configuration, and commissioning of condition monitoring systems, ensuring all sensors, communication paths, and data acquisition platforms were fully operational before startup.
• Lead identification, documentation, and resolution of pre-commissioning and startup anomalies using structured root cause methods, eliminating defects prior to turnover to operations.
• Developed and populated reliability and asset management foundations—including FMEA/FMECA inputs, asset hierarchies, and CMMS/EAM data—ensuring completeness and accuracy for operational handover.

Reliability Plant Engineer

• Maintained and analyzed plant equipment performance, including turbines, engines, and BESS, analyzing operational trends, condition monitoring data, efficiency, and heat rates to support optimal output and long-term reliability during commercial operations.
• Supported Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), FMEA/FMECA, and asset criticality analyses to optimize existing maintenance strategies and improve in-service asset performance.
• Generated and analyzed performance reports, KPIs, and reliability metrics (e.g., MTBF, MTTR, forced outage rates), identifying operational deviations and recommending corrective measures.
• Investigated forced outages, generation losses, and in-service operational incidents, performing root cause analyses (RCA) and implementing corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Evaluated, troubleshooted, and optimized control systems, including DCS, PLCs, and instrumentation, focusing on improving performance, reliability, and data quality during ongoing operations.
• Managed and continuously improved established condition monitoring and predictive maintenance (PdM) programs, including vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, and electrical diagnostics.
• Analyzed condition monitoring and operational data to identify degradation trends, failure precursors, and “bad actor” equipment, and implemented reliability improvement actions.
• Provided engineering support to maintenance and operations teams, coordinating resources, recommending solutions, and resolving technical and reliability-related issues during plant operation.
• Coordinated with vendors, contractors, and manufacturers for technical support, equipment maintenance, failure analysis, and reliability enhancements on in-service assets.
• Administered engineering and reliability programs including Configuration Control, FRACAS, reliability tracking systems, and capital improvement initiatives for operating facilities.
• Maintained and updated plant documentation, including procedures, work practices, as-built drawings, reliability records, and operational reports to reflect current plant configuration.
• Participated in safety, regulatory, and environmental compliance programs, ensuring engineering and reliability considerations were integrated into ongoing operational practices and risk management activities.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Standing for extended periods of time, climbing stairs and ladders, working from elevated platforms and walkways at varying heights, and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Power plant environment that may involve entering confined spaces, crawling through narrow areas, and handling hazardous materials, with exposure to fumes, extreme temperatures, and noise.
• Varying outdoor weather conditions, some duties may require the use of protective equipment, which can include hard hats, safety glasses, and eye protection, air masks/respirators, ear protection, chemical suits, flame-resistant clothing (FRC), hot gloves, high-voltage protective gear, and fall protection.
• Fitness for Duty All personnel will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program, which includes a post-offer physical examination, drug screening, and post-employment random drug screening.

Work Schedule

The PdM Reliability Engineer works a standard Monday to Friday day shift schedule, ensuring consistent plant operation and support during regular business hours. This position will occasionally necessitate extended working hours and flexible shifts as needed, including weekends and holidays, in response to schedules, workload demands, and plant conditions. Periodic callouts or “On call” status may also be required. Some travel may be involved to participate in Manager, Owner, User Group, or other offsite meetings.

Compensation

This position offers an annual base salary ranging from $141,000 to $179,300 and includes eligibility for an annual performance bonus.

Professional Expertise & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field, is required. Equivalent industry experience in power generation, engineering, or military service may be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Extensive experience as a Plant Engineer with exposure to reliability engineering functions, including root cause analysis (RCA), predictive maintenance (PdM), and condition monitoring to support equipment performance and operational reliability.
• Practical understanding of power generation systems, including turbines, reciprocating engines, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), with exposure to operational and commissioning environments.
• Familiarity with plant operations and maintenance practices, with the ability to support reliability improvement initiatives and contribute to performance optimization efforts.
• Experience supporting root cause analysis (RCA) activities, including documentation of equipment issues, structured problem-solving, and contribution to corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks, including NERC standards, environmental requirements, and plant safety programs, and their application in operational settings.
• Foundational knowledge of control systems and instrumentation, including DCS/PLC systems, with ability to support troubleshooting, validation, and reliability-related diagnostics.
• Experience with operational data systems and performance analytics tools (e.g., OSIsoft PI or similar), supporting data collection, trending, reporting, and identification of early reliability indicators.
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. driver’s license and ensure it remains in good standing at all times.