Distribution and Gas Planning Engineer (Staff, Senior, or Principal)

Xcel Energy•Minneapolis, MN

1d•$81,000 - $156,600

About The Position

The Distribution and Gas Planning Engineer role involves developing and supporting integrated strategic plans for gas and electric distribution systems. This includes identifying collaboration opportunities, evaluating future scenarios and innovative solutions, and aligning resources, forecasts, and departmental priorities. The position requires partnering across teams to incorporate regulatory requirements, internal strategic direction, cost-benefit considerations, and system constraints into cohesive planning efforts. Strategic plans will integrate traditional resources with non-traditional resources such as demand response, non-wires alternatives, non-pipes alternatives, virtual power plants, energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, energy storage, and managed charging. The role also involves communicating plans, recommendations, and process documentation to internal and external stakeholders to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement. This position will work across both the gas and electric systems. An ideal candidate will have expertise in electric system planning with a working knowledge and ability to develop expertise on the gas side and with non-traditional solutions. The job summary and responsibilities reflect the staff engineer level role, with the successfully chosen candidate being placed at a level commensurate with their skills and experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited, electrical or civil engineering degrees preferred.
Staff Engineer: 2+ year's relevant engineering experience. Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.
Staff Engineer: Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Senior Engineer: 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.
Senior Engineer: Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Principal Engineer: 9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE.
Principal Engineer: Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in electric system planning with a working knowledge and ability to develop expertise on the gas side and with non-traditional solutions.
EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred for Staff Engineer level.
Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need for Senior Engineer level.
Utility load simulation and resource modeling tools such as Encompass, LoadSEER

Responsibilities

Develop and support integrated strategic plans for gas and electric distribution systems by identifying collaboration opportunities, evaluating future scenarios and innovative solutions, and aligning resources, forecasts, and departmental priorities.
Partner across teams to incorporate regulatory requirements, internal strategic direction, cost-benefit considerations, and system constraints into cohesive planning efforts.
Integrate traditional resources with non-traditional resources including demand response, non-wires alternatives, non-pipes alternatives, virtual power plants, energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, energy storage, and managed charging into strategic plans.
Communicate plans, recommendations, and process documentation to internal and external stakeholders to support informed decision-making and continuous improvement.
Applies extensive technical expertise and has an understanding of the basic principles of other related disciplines.
Fully demonstrates the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level by applying technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to lead projects of moderate to large size, scope and complexity.
Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.)
Provides field engineering oversight and direction for activities such as support, testing, installation, inspections, commissioning etc.
Coordinates/leads multiple projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement, installation and commissioning).
Represents the organization as the prime technical contact in the bid/evaluation processes including preparation of bid documents, completion of technical evaluations for proposals and providing recommendations for selection.
Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination with internal and external organizations.
Effectively and with precision resolves difficult technical/business matters both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors with all formats of communication.
May assign tasks to and/or direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and other support staff including coordination and review of work assignments.
Provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers.
Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies.
Leads activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.