AMI Ops Analyst I-II (New Orleans, Louisiana, United States)

Entergy•New Orleans, LA

37d•Onsite

About The Position

The Advanced Grid Operations Analyst (AGOA) is responsible for monitoring advanced grid equipment and ensuring secure connectivity, configuration and device performance. Examples of advanced grid devices include advanced meters, smart streetlights, intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) such as recloser or capacitor bank controls, and integrated distributed energy resources (DERs) such as batteries or utility-controlled customer loads like smart thermostats. AGOAs will monitor and analyze event and alarm data and provide the first tier response from a control center environment. Working closely with network and data integrity analysts, Advanced Grid Ops Analysts will determine if any issues with device performance are local to a specific device or due to broader problems with telecom networks or IT systems. Incident tickets will be routed to the appropriate group to resolve-i.e. telecom field resources, OpCO servicemen, IT support, etc. AGOAs are also responsible for planning and implementing configuration changes to devices over the network-typically for a large population of devices. Configuration changes can include device firmware, programming, or settings changes. For example, Advanced Grid Ops Analysts will be supporting resources in the AMI Operations Center (also known as "AMOC") responsible for day-to-day monitoring and maintenance of revenue meter reliability in an AMI operational environment. During both deployment and steady-state, individuals in this role will ensure that meter reads are consistently communicated between the devices (meters) and the head-end system, and that any issues or incidents preventing communication or data are triaged and addressed in a timely manner. The Advance Grid Ops Analyst will manage connected-grid devices and the software platforms that are integrated with them. Tasks include: Daily analysis of device events and alarms in order to identify trends and address the most critical issues requiring resolution Implementation of processes and procedures to ensure that devices are operating and communicating data securely Remote device analysis and incident response coordination Responsibility for decision to deploy field resources to replace inoperable equipment and determination of appropriate resources and prioritization Device service management and device configuration management-including developing implementation plans for deployment of programs or firmware to a high volume of devices Significant collaboration with telecom and IT operations resources to coordinate incident response-i.e. "is it the network, the system or the device?" Utilization of analytics and data computation tools in order to perform high volume service and event management-i.e. Spotfire, Tableau, Cognos, Excel, Informatica, etc.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in a technical or business related field required or equivalent work experience.
Advanced Grid Ops Analyst I - 0-2 years of professional experience
Advanced Grid Ops Analyst II - 2-4 years of professional experience
Professional experience in a control/operations environment preferred-i.e. telecom, energy or utilities operations
Analytical skill set with advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
General knowledge of database-related concepts and internet-of-things (IoT) concepts.
Competency performing data entry and system monitoring.
Ability to trouble-shoot and solve problems by analyzing data from multiple sources and timelines.
Ability to handle potentially sensitive customer and operational information and interact with data that impacts customer bills.
Ability to develop reports and dashboards using enterprise analytics tools.
Ability to develop new processes and procedures to optimize performance and adapt to changing business expectations.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree. Bachelor's degree in business, database management, management information systems preferred.
ITIL Certification Preferred

Responsibilities

Support the resolution of incident and problem management between operations center (i.e. AMOC) and field services teams, monitor field service requests and give direction on troubleshooting-related work orders.
Assist in the analysis of device communication routes and reliability; troubleshoot unreachable devices and issue device configuration files remotely.
Monitor device management systems-i.e. AMI head-end system-for events and alarms, triage actionable activities.
Conduct investigation of relevant device events and alarms, ensure that device-related incidents are resolved in a timely and consistent manner; provide technical support after-hours or on holidays if required.
Capture incident and problem management learnings as knowledge management use cases for training and archival purposes.
Adhere to standard Service Management (problem, incident, and knowledge management) processes.
Develop and implement plans for changing device configuration across a large volume of devices-i.e. 1 million meters. Manage risks, issues, and schedule during the execution of device change control activities.
Leverage data analytics to develop and optimize reports and dashboards for executing newly created or modified procedures.
Test new process, procedure and technology releases to ensure seamless business operations during the execution of initiatives that impact the steady-state-i.e. major projects, software releases, vendor product upgrades, etc. Participate in change management planning and execution activities in support of these initiatives.
Collaborate with peers in data integrity, network, IT and lab engineering roles to develop solutions and execution plans for complex issues-i.e. security threat diagnosis, network performance optimization, persistent problems with a device platform, etc.
Track device events and alarms over pre-determined time frames to identify trends, conduct complex modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis to identify operational efficiencies.
Develop relevant operational reports to demonstrate trends in device and network events and incidents and assist in the proactive identification and resolution of incidents, with the goal of maintaining reliable device-i.e. advanced meter-communication at all times.