Principal Engineer - T/S
NextEra Energy Resources · Juno Beach, FL · 1 mo ago
EngineeringFull-time
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the engineering design of high-voltage transmission lines (typically 69 kV–500 kV), including routing, structure selection, and conductor specification.
- Oversee structural loading, sag & tension analysis, and line optimization using industry-standard tools (e.g., PLS-CADD, PLS-TOWER).
- Provide expertise in gen-tie line design connecting gas-fired generation facilities to the grid, including switchyard interface considerations including any impact of islanding/behind the meter impacts if islanding occurs across the transmission lines and/or to interconnected facilities if the islanded entity is partially grid tied.
- Review and approve engineering calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure compliance with codes and standards (NESC, IEEE, ASCE, utility-specific criteria).
- Write, conform and adapt Engineer of Record (EOR), Engineering Consultant, Early Stage Engineering, Construction, Engineer/Procure/Construct (EPC) and Owner furnished equipment specifications and other technical contract documents as needed for each project to put contracts in place (self-performed in areas of expertise, seeks appropriate in-house guidance in areas outside of immediate expertise, and where needed uses 3rd party engineering consultants).
- Reviews Engineer of Record (EOR), Engineering Consultant, Early-Stage Engineering, Contractor, Engineer/Procure/Construct (EPC) and Owner furnished equipment deliverables for contract compliance, adequacy, and completeness (self-performed in areas of expertise, seeks appropriate in-house guidance in areas outside of immediate expertise, and where needed uses third party engineering consultants when necessary).
- Working with company purchasing department to ensure that purchase orders adequately define the specified requirements and contracts are put in place.
- Generation Interconnection (Gen-Tie): Design and coordinate transmission interconnection solutions for gas plant generation projects. Collaborate with generation developers, EPC contractors, and utilities to ensure seamless integration into the grid. Support interconnection studies, including load flow, short circuit, and stability coordination with planning teams. Ensure compliance with ISO/RTO requirements (e.g., PJM, ERCOT, MISO, SERC regions depending on location).
- Project Management & Execution: Serve as technical lead across multiple projects, ensuring schedule, budget, and quality objectives are met. Coordinate with external engineering consultants and internal electrical, civil, structural, substation, and environmental SME teams for integrated project delivery. Review contractor/vendor designs and manage engineering deliverables through all project phases (conceptual, preliminary, detailed design, construction support). Provide construction support, including field issue resolution and design modifications.
- Regulatory & Compliance: Ensure all designs meet federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. Interface with permitting agencies and support environmental reviews. Maintain adherence to safety standards and utility best practices.
- Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a technical advisor to clients, including utilities, independent power producers (IPPs), and developers. Participate in client meetings, technical presentations, and proposal development. Mentor junior engineers and contribute to organizational knowledge development.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, or related field.
- Active Professional Engineer (PE) license (multi-state licensure preferred or ability to obtain via comity).
- 6 –15+ years of experience in transmission line engineering.
- Demonstrated experience with generation interconnection (gen-tie) projects, particularly for gas-fired power plants.
- Proficiency in transmission line design tools (e.g., PLS-CADD suite).
- Strong knowledge of ASCE 48, NESC, IEEE, ASCE 74, and utility design standards.
- Experience working with major utilities or EOR firms.
- Familiarity with ISO/RTO interconnection processes.
- Experience in substation interface design for generation tie-ins.
- Project management experience (PMP certification is a plus).
- Advanced degree (Master’s) in engineering or related field.
- Demonstrated experience with generation interconnection (gen-tie) projects, for Wind, Solar, Battery Energy, and data center is a PLUS.