Lead Dam Safety Engineer, (Senior, Principal or Consultant)

Xcel Energy•Minneapolis, MN

2d•$97,000 - $187,733

About The Position

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow? A position at Xcel Energy could be just what you’re looking for. The job summary below and responsibilities reflect the senior engineer level role. The successfully chosen candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with their skills and experience as different skills and/or experience will be required at the principal or consultant engineer levels. This position can be offices out of our Minneapolis, MN or Eau Claire, WI offices. The candidate must have the ability to travel to various hydroelectric facilities as needed throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado. As a Lead Dam Safety Engineer, the candidate will provide oversight of the company’s dam safety program and be responsible for supporting the safety and performance of the company’s dams and related project works. Duties include participation in program audits; coordination and communication with senior engineering and operations leadership; serving as a key technical contact with regulatory agencies; providing technical training; and coordinating with other company dam safety engineers. Additional responsibilities include dam safety inspections, dam performance reviews, risk evaluations, emergency action planning, and technical report preparation and review. The candidate will serve as a technical advisor on major projects, including plans and specifications review, bidding and procurement support, and construction activities, to ensure dam safety throughout the project lifecycle. The role requires the application of established technical standards, principles, theories, and concepts to lead and support problem‑solving efforts related to dams and hydroelectric facilities. The candidate will work closely with internal departments, including Hydro Operations, Performance Optimization, and Energy Supply Projects, and interface with federal and state regulatory agencies Position Summary Applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, a type of facility or equipment, or a program function. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects and interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long- term perspective, for desired results. May 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. Essential Responsibilities 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. Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards. Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.) Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory. 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). May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor. 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.

Requirements

Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, civil or structural engineering degree preferred.
Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Ability to travel to various hydroelectric facilities as needed throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Colorado.
Senior Engineer Level: 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.
Principal Engineer: 9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE but will depend on the business need.
Consultant Engineer: 14+ years relevant engineering experience PE (Professional Engineer) registration required

Nice To Haves

Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need.
Highly preferred, meet the requirements of Chief Dam Safety Engineer in accordance with 18 CFR Part 12.

Responsibilities

Provide oversight of the company’s dam safety program and be responsible for supporting the safety and performance of the company’s dams and related project works.
Participation in program audits
Coordination and communication with senior engineering and operations leadership
Serving as a key technical contact with regulatory agencies
Providing technical training
Coordinating with other company dam safety engineers
Dam safety inspections
Dam performance reviews
Risk evaluations
Emergency action planning
Technical report preparation and review
Serve as a technical advisor on major projects, including plans and specifications review, bidding and procurement support, and construction activities, to ensure dam safety throughout the project lifecycle.
Apply technical standards, principles, theories, and concepts to lead and support problem‑solving efforts related to dams and hydroelectric facilities.
Work closely with internal departments, including Hydro Operations, Performance Optimization, and Energy Supply Projects, and interface with federal and state regulatory agencies
Apply 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.
Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards.
Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.)
Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory.
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).
May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor.
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.