System Operations Strategist

About the role

The position is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The position may close at any time once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates has been established.

Responsibilities

• Work independently, and exercise sound judgment in providing operational, technical, and training support related to power generation, interchange, electric system switching, system outage restoration and river flow considerations.
• Perform work consistent with established procedures, policies, and operational best practices and appliable reliability and safety requirements.
• Serve as subject matter expert for assigned System Operations processes, procedures, tools and operational practices.
• Provide technical guidance to System Operations staff and support coordinator with internal business units and external entities.
• Review System Operations procedures and identify opportunities to improve clarity, consistency, usability, and align with operational best practices.
• Recommend procedure updates to address gaps and support safety, reliable and compliant operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable FERC, WECC and NERC requirements governing Grant PUD's requirements by identifying potential compliance concerns escalating issues to management, and assisting with corrective actions, evidence control and documentation.
• Lead or support task training for SSOs and System Operations Trainees.
• Develop and deliver training materials, simulation scenarios, vendor training coordination, and other instructional resources consistent with Grant PUD Operations Training Program, including materials eligible for NERC Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) where applicable.
• Career Development: Participate in all aspects of our safety program, including but not limited to: Following all safety policies and procedures. Alerting supervisors and coworkers to unsafe or hazardous working conditions. Reporting any safety incidents or close calls within 24 hours to your supervisor. Accepting feedback from supervisors and coworkers regarding your own safety performance.
• Coordinate operational activities with internal groups including Control Systems Engineering, Power Delivery Engineering, Power Delivery Construction and Maintenance, and Power Production.
• Career Development: Coordinate with external entities, the Reliability Coordinator, neighboring Balancing Authorities, and Transmission Operators to support safe, reliable, and efficient system operations.
• Maintain knowledge of recent and near-term power and non-power hydraulic constraints and operating objectives to the operation of the projects.
• Perform transmission and distribution power flow studies, transient studies as needed, operational planning analysis, outage studies and other real-time or near-term assessments.
• Communicate study results, risks and recommendations to stakeholders to support informed decisions regarding safe, reliable, and efficient power delivery.
• Perform technical data analysis, including event analysis and operational trending to support NERC compliance and reliable operations.
• Assist in monitoring and interpreting FERC rulings, NERC/WECC Reliability Standards relevant to Systems Operations.
• Support compliance evidence collection documentation audit preparation and regulatory review activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, computer science, Engineering, or Electrical Engineering OR 2 additional years of relevant experience in lieu of degree.
• Five (5) years of experience in electric system operations, power delivery operations, system operator training, NERC compliance, or closely related electric utility operations experience.
• Ability to attain the NERC RC or BIT Certification within 18 months.

Preferred Qualifications

• NERC RC or BIT Certification.
• Experience with Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) model (analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation).
• Formal Train-the-Trainer certification or equivalent experience, with proven ability to coach subject matter experts and deliver effective technical instruction.

Other Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission standards, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) standards and regulations; power system engineering topics including production, power flow, and device operations; Wanapum and Priest Rapids hydro coordination and power transactions; concepts, principles, theories, and methods surrounding electrical engineering industry standards and best practices.
• Skills in problem solving; training development and delivery; report creation and submittal; independently adapting, interpreting, and applying written guidelines, precedents, and standardized work practices to a variety of unprecedented and problematic situations; written and oral interpersonal communication; workflow and time management; utilizing MS office products; specialized software such as Power World, Synergi, etc., and other software tools and applications; and performing Real-time assessments and studies such as Operational Planning Analysis, outage studies, etc.