Electric Distribution System Operator

Bandera Electric Cooperative • Boerne, TX

4d

About The Position

Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC) is seeking an Electric Distribution System Operator for its Energy Operations team. The role coordinates and directs electric distribution outage restorations, including issuing clearances and switching orders to field personnel and creating, verifying, and monitoring switching and tagging orders in accordance with BEC Lockout-Tagout procedures. The operator maintains detailed logs of daily activities, emergency restorations, and distribution-system events and may assist BEC personnel with switching activities involving the LCRA System Operations Control Center.

The position supports 24/7 real-time control-system integrity and operational reliability. Under supervision, the operator uses SCADA software and equipment to monitor and control the cooperative distribution grid, communicates across departments, responds to system abnormalities, and uses operations software and system data to support safe, efficient restoration and minimize outage duration. The position requires a flexible schedule that accommodates rotating shifts.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least 6 months of related experience.
• Valid Texas Driver’s License and related insurance.
• Must pass background and drug screening.
• Must maintain a flexible schedule that allows adherence to a rotating shift.
• Knowledge of systems operations and maintenance.
• Knowledge of electric utility transmission or distribution system operations.
• Knowledge and proficiency in using systems-operations software and tools.
• Strong knowledge of safety protocols and regulations related to systems operations.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Decision-making and judgment skills.
• Highly reliable and dependable.

Nice To Haves

• Three years of college-level coursework in Electrical Distribution or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and direct electric distribution outage-restoration activities during the assigned shift.
• Issue clearances and switching orders to field personnel; create, verify, monitor, prepare, and approve switching and tagging orders in accordance with BEC Lockout-Tagout procedures and protocols.
• Support 24/7 real-time control-system integrity, operational reliability, and system availability.
• Gain the knowledge and training required to serve as switching authority when assigned by the BEC Manager of Distribution System Operations.
• Follow cooperative policies, operating instructions, procedures, and safety protocols.
• Respond to system-operation failures or abnormalities, create Service Orders, and assign them to the appropriate team for corrective action.
• Track, document, and assign errors found in the OMS mapping software.
• Communicate daily with Member Relations, Engineering, Operations, and Technical Systems.
• Perform troubleshooting, problem analysis, and resolution; analyze and validate data to maintain system integrity and support power restoration.
• Develop, approve, analyze, and generate daily reports.
• Under supervision, use SCADA software and equipment to monitor the distribution grid and open, close, or change normal configurations of SCADA-controlled devices.
• Validate crew work locations against the closest upline protective device and place protective devices on hot-line tag or non-reclose settings as appropriate to reduce potential adverse effects from faults.
• Use one-line diagrams and system maps to create and issue switching procedures.
• Use available software and data—including meter pings and reads, SCADA alarms, fault magnitude, probable fault-location generation, lightning-strike data, crew assignments, and transformer loading—to minimize outage durations and affected members.
• Initiate Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR) as directed by management or in response to 4CP probability alerts.
• Monitor conditions that could negatively affect reliability and monitor two-way radio communications for BEC personnel.
• Receive outage notifications by telephone or smart application and dispatch personnel as necessary.
• Maintain outage, substation, and system records and provide them to other departments as needed.
• Calculate power equations.
• When required, assist BEC personnel with switching activities involving the LCRA System Operations Control Center.

Benefits

• Highly competitive wages.
• Generous benefit package starting on the first day, with no waiting period.
• Paid time off.
• Ten paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED