Utility Network Model Engineer, Grid Modernization (Travel Required)

Position Overview

The Network Model Engineer is a technical subject matter expert responsible for the design, development, validation, and ongoing governance of the electrical network model supporting Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) implementations across North America. This role is central to successful ADMS deployments and ongoing system reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development and governance of the electrical network model supporting ADMS OMS solutions.
• Collaborate with GIS teams, control room operations, engineering, and IT teams to ensure model reflects real-world network conditions, and define modeling standards, naming conventions, and best practices aligned with utility operations.
• Facilitate design workshops to align data, processes, and expectations across teams and projects.
• Establish model ownership, long-term maintenance strategies, and drive continuous improvement of model accuracy, processes, and supporting tools.
• Define mapping rules and transformation logic between GIS and ADMS OMS platforms.
• Ensure alignment between GIS source data and ADMS OMS network model, including connectivity, phasing, impedance model and asset attributes.
• Define modelling rules for power assets for distribution and transmission substations, including impedance model and asset attributes.
• Define SCADA model, including mapping of field devices, telemetry points, and control signals to ensure accurate real-time representation of the network in ADMS OMS.
• Oversee model build, updates, and version control across the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate model builds across environments (development, QA, production, OTS) and ensure consistency.
• Support model builds for greenfield and brownfield ADMS implementations.
• Establish and enforce data quality rules and validation processes for ADMS OMS model.
• Ensure network models support key functions such as outage management, switching management, Load Flow, FLISR, VVO, and other advanced applications.
• Troubleshoot model-related issues impacting system performance.
• Develop and execute test cases for model accuracy during official testing phases (FAT, SAT, SIT, UAT), and regression testing.
• Identify data gaps, inconsistencies, and engineering modeling errors.
• Support cutover readiness assessments and model certification activities.
• Support development of model maintenance processes and operational change management.
• Aid in defining model update workflows between asset repositories such as GIS, SAP and Aspen for example, and the ADMS environments.
• Contribute to development of standard operating procedures for control room model usage.
• Support training of utility staff on model validation, updates, and governance.

Continuous Improvement & Industry Leadership

• Maintain current knowledge of ADMS functionality and releases, Utility data standards (CIM, MultiSpeak, IEC standards), DER integration modeling requirements and Grid modernization best practices.
• Provide thought leadership within the Grid Modernization practice related to network modeling and digital twin capabilities.

Skills and Experience

• 5+ years' experience in ADMS/OMS/DERMS/EMS in a utility, vendor, or consulting environment, including at least one full implementation, cutover, or major upgrade.
• ADMS/OMS/ DERMS/EMS platforms: Hands-on modeling on one or more of GE Vernova / Alstom (e-terraSource, Display Builder, Substation Editor, PowerOn / GridOS), Schneider Electric (EcoStruxure), Siemens Spectrum Power, Oracle / OSI (monarch, NMS), ABB / Hitachi Energy, or equivalent.
• End-to-end model maintenance: Substation and feeder connectivity, device parameters, customer data, landbase data, one-line / schematic / geo map displays, symbology and catalog data.
• GIS integration: ESRI, GE Smallworld.
• Data standards: CIM (IEC 61968 / 61970) and MultiSpeak for model exchange and system integration.
• Power systems fundamentals: Distribution power flow, short-circuit analysis, protection coordination, and how the model drives ADMS applications.
• SCADA modeling: Telemetry data build and configuration; familiarity with DNP3, IEC 60870-5-101/104, ICCP, and IEC 61850; telemetry data commissioning.
• Preferrable: Scripting & data - Python, PowerShell for model validation, bulk edits, and automation; SQL for querying model and historian databases.
• Consulting presence: Runs model design workshops and implementation, leads the network model build, validation, testing, defect submittal and incorporates well defined practices and improvements tied to model management activities.
• Written communication: Produces design documents, modeling standards, processes, procedures, runbooks, test plans, and other types of documentation.
• Cross-functional translation: Bridges GIS, distribution planning, protection, operations, engineering, data analysts, IT / OT stakeholder communication, collaboration and dependencies.
• Data quality discipline: Disciplined approach to version control, peer review, and auditability.