Transmission Planning Engineer, or Staff, or Senior Engineer

This position can be hired at the Entry, Staff, or Senior level, depending on the candidate's overall experience, qualifications, and interview. The role will be based in Denver, Colorado on a hybrid (3 days per week in the office) work schedule.

About the Role

Transmission Planning Engineers at Xcel Energy perform comprehensive power system planning studies, support regulatory compliance, conduct advanced inverter-based resource integration studies, and evaluate grid-enhancing technologies. The role involves collaboration with regional planning organizations, mentorship, and industry engagement to ensure bulk power system reliability.

Responsibilities

• Perform Comprehensive Power System Planning Studies, including:
  • Steady-State Load Flow Analysis under normal and contingency conditions (N-1, N-1-1, and extreme events) to identify system limitations and develop mitigation strategies.
  • Short-Circuit and Protection Coordination Studies to ensure appropriate equipment ratings, relay coordination, and breaker duty compliance, including assessments for system modifications and new interconnections.
  • Dynamic Performance Assessments, including Transient Stability and Small-Signal Stability Studies to evaluate rotor angle stability, voltage recovery, and oscillatory damping performance under a wide range of system disturbances.
  • Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) Analysis for evaluating control interactions and fast dynamic phenomena associated with large power electronic loads (e.g., data centers), inverter-based resources (IBRs), and FACTS devices, leveraging PSCAD/EMTDC.
  • Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) Studies aligned with NERC TPL-007 standards to assess geomagnetic disturbance impacts on transformers and bulk electric system reliability.
• Support Regulatory Compliance And Model Validation Activities:
  • Perform NERC TPL-001-5.1 compliance assessments, including extreme event analyses such as CIP-014 physical security risk assessments, wide-area event simulations, and black start restoration studies.
  • Support dynamic model validation efforts per WECC and NERC MOD standards, ensuring fidelity of generator, inverter, and composite load models for stability studies.
• Conduct Advanced Inverter-Based Resource (IBR) Integration Studies:
  • Assess grid-forming/grid-following inverter technologies and their impact on system strength, transient behavior, and control interactions.
  • Apply IEEE 2800 requirements for IBR performance, including ride-through, reactive power support, and fast frequency response capabilities.
  • Address challenges of high renewable penetration and develop mitigation strategies to maintain bulk power system reliability.
• Support Western Interconnection And Regional Planning:
  • Coordinate with WestConnect Planning Management Committee, WECC Reliability Subcommittees, and interconnection working groups to support transmission expansion planning, regional policy compliance, and reliability initiatives.
  • Engage in regional and subregional transmission planning processes, contributing to multi-utility studies and cross-border resource integration scenarios.
• Perform Resource Interconnection And Transmission Service Studies:
  • Execute System Impact Studies (SIS) and Facility Studies consistent with FERC Order 2023 and regional tariffs.
  • Evaluate interconnection requests for conventional generation, IBRs, storage, hybrid resources, and emerging technologies such as microgrids and aggregated DERs under FERC 2222 frameworks.
  • Recommend necessary transmission reinforcements, upgrades, or operational solutions to accommodate new resources and loads.
• Evaluate Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs):
  • Analyze and model Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), Advanced Power Flow Controllers (APFC), and Topology Optimization (TTO) to maximize transmission efficiency and capacity without traditional infrastructure expansion.
  • Support cost-benefit assessments and pilot project implementations for GETs in collaboration with operations and asset management teams.
• Automation And Digitalization:
  • Develop and maintain Python-based automation tools to streamline study execution, scenario management, and results post-processing for PSSE, PSLF, TARA, TSAT, PSCAD simulations.
  • Advance digital workflows to reduce engineering effort, improve repeatability, and enable high-volume interconnection and compliance studies.
• Reporting, Regulatory Filings, And Knowledge Dissemination:
  • Author and deliver technical reports, regulatory filings, and executive summaries for internal leadership and external regulatory agencies.
  • Present findings at regional stakeholder meetings, industry conferences (e.g., IEEE PES, CIGRÉ), and technical workshops to communicate planning approaches and emerging challenges.
• Industry Engagement And Representation:
  • Represent Xcel Energy in NERC working groups, IEEE technical committees, WECC Model Validation Working Group, WestConnect Planning forums, and other industry task forces focused on dynamic performance, renewable integration, and bulk power system reliability.
• Mentorship And Technical Leadership:
  • Mentor engineers, interns, and analysts on advanced simulation methodologies, IBR modeling, EMT techniques, and emerging grid technologies.
  • Provide technical leadership to internal teams, fostering expertise development in grid dynamics, automation, and planning best practices.
  • Lead internal technical workshops and contribute to the development of best-in-class planning documentation and standards.
  • Support development of capital budgets, conceptual transmission projects, and economic analyses in joint planning contexts.

Entry-Level Transmission Planning Engineer

This is an entry-level position designed to develop technical expertise in transmission planning and power systems simulations. The Engineer performs work involving conventional plans, investigations, studies, or modeling equipment with relatively few complex features. Activities are of limited scope and require knowledge of principles and techniques commonly employed in power systems engineering. The role involves working under the guidance of more senior engineers, learning planning and modeling tools, and contributing to large system studies. As proficiency is gained, the engineer may work on portions of larger projects.

Essential Responsibilities

• Under the direction of a higher-level engineer or supervisor:
  • Perform model development, modeling reviews, design, and analysis of Xcel Energy assets using PSSE, PSLF, TARA, DSA Tools, or similar software.
  • Develop study documentation and may assist with the development of procedures.
  • Coordinate the work of interns and technicians.
  • Explore or implement new processes to improve the Integrated System Planning department's ability to perform its tasks.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and/or Physics from an ABET-accredited curriculum (or recognized equivalency).
• 0+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) preferred.
• Graduate degree in the above fields preferred.
• Course experience in Introduction to Power Systems (or similar course) preferred.
• Internship experience within the power industry.

Pay

Annual Base Salary: $70,000 - $88,666

Staff Transmission Planning Engineer

Working under general direction, the Staff Transmission Planning Engineer demonstrates a complete understanding and wide application of power systems engineering technical principles, theories, and concepts. The role involves independently determining and developing approaches to solutions, with completed work reviewed for adequacy in meeting objectives. The engineer may lead small/medium projects or implement critical projects under the direction of a higher-level engineer. Frequent inter-organizational and outside customer contact is expected.

Essential Responsibilities

• Scope and/or perform power system simulations to evaluate reliability. Work is checked by a higher-level engineer or manager.
• Develop study documentation and may assist with the development of procedures.
• Support and maintain compliance with NERC and FERC standards through evidence development.
• Construct information and data to be exchanged with other Integrated System Planning groups and external entities.
• Power systems studies engineer:
  • Coordinate model development activities to ensure all metrics of RTO/RE and internal criteria are met.
• Transmission planning engineer:
  • Develop simple scopes of work to guide long-range transmission system plans.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering and/or Physics from an ABET-accredited curriculum (or recognized equivalency).
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience.
• Experience with at least one power system transmission analysis tool, such as PSSE, TARA, EMS, ASPEN, CAPE, PROMOD, PLEXOS, PowerWorld, PSCAD, or other similar analysis software.
• Demonstrates broad knowledge and proficiency in power systems studies or transmission planning, knowledge of related specialties, and general knowledge of other related disciplines.
• EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred.
• Graduate degree in the above fields preferred.

Pay

Annual Base Salary: $81,800 - $106,266

Senior Transmission Planning Engineer

The Senior Transmission Planning Engineer applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. The role involves performing as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, carrying out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. The engineer represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects, interacting with senior external personnel on significant technical matters. Work is performed with considerable latitude in determining technical objectives.

Essential Responsibilities

• Apply extensive technical expertise to develop new/improved techniques, procedures, equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods.
• Represent the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects.
• Interact with senior external personnel on significant technical matters, often requiring coordination between organizations.
• Assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel, and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments.
• Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects.

Pay

Annual Base Salary: $97,000 - $129,266