Principal Power Generation Engineer

About the role

Serve as a technical subject matter expert and compliance lead for inverter-based resource (IBR) performance, disturbance analysis, and emerging NERC PRC reliability standards affecting NextEra Energy Power Generation Division (PGD) wind, solar, and battery energy storage assets. This role supports the evaluation of ride-through performance, event investigations, and implementation of PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030 requirements, while leading the development of scalable analytical processes, automation tools, and AI-assisted solutions to improve event assessment, engineering decision-making, and fleet reliability.

IBR Performance Analysis & Technical Leadership

• Serve as a subject matter expert for inverter-based resource (IBR) performance, disturbance analysis, protection systems, and NERC standards including PRC-002, PRC-004, PRC-005, PRC-019, PRC-024, PRC-028, PRC-029, and PRC-030.
• Evaluate ride-through performance using DFR records, COMTRADE files, inverter event logs, disturbance monitoring systems, and operational data.
• Validate protection system, relay, inverter, and plant controller settings to support reliable operation and conformance with applicable NERC reliability requirements.
• Support technical investigations of generation performance events, protection system events, and misoperations, including identification of causes and development of corrective actions.
• Provide engineering guidance to operations, controls, reliability, and compliance organizations regarding IBR performance, disturbance response, and protection system performance.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of disturbance monitoring and data acquisition capabilities for inverter-based resources.

Automation & Digital Innovation

• Develop analytical tools, dashboards, and automated workflows supporting event investigations and engineering assessments.
• Lead initiatives to automate the collection, organization, retrieval, and analysis of DFR, inverter, historian, event log, and disturbance monitoring data.
• Collaborate with engineering, data science, and software development teams to deploy AI-assisted and data-driven analytical solutions that improve investigation efficiency, consistency, and engineering decision-making.
• Support development of future-state capabilities for centralized event data management and automated performance evaluations.

Fleet Integration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead audits, compliance reviews, and technical assessments involving IBR performance and reliability standards.
• Collaborate with renewable engineering SMEs, operations personnel, controls engineers, and compliance teams on fleet-wide event analysis initiatives.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to evaluate emerging industry practices and reliability requirements for inverter-based resources.

Continuous Improvement

• Monitor industry developments related to inverter-based resources, disturbance monitoring, grid performance, and emerging NERC reliability standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance reliability, operational performance, and engineering effectiveness across the renewable fleet.

Qualifications

• PE preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in power systems engineering, protection engineering, power quality analysis, or NERC reliability compliance for generation assets.
• Knowledge of NERC PRC reliability standards applicable to generation and inverter-based resources.
• Experience analyzing disturbance events using COMTRADE files, DFR records, oscillography, inverter event logs, relay event records, or power system monitoring data.
• Experience developing engineering processes, analytical tools, automation solutions, or data-driven investigations.
• Working knowledge of Python, Power BI, MS Copilot, AI-assisted development tools, or similar analytics platforms.
• Familiarity with power system modeling, simulation, and engineering analysis tools such as ASPEN, CAPE, PSS®E, PSLF, PSCAD, or equivalent platforms.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited engineering program or PE licensure in lieu of an ABET-accredited degree.
• 6+ years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a high degree of creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding extensive engineering programs and activities.
• Manage one or more programs of complex diversity and scope which are of critical importance to overall company objectives.
• Act as a subject matter expert.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.