POLICY ADVISOR - Engineering

State of Illinois•Springfield, IL

21h•Onsite

About The Position

Under administrative direction of the Assistant Director of Utility Research & Analytics (URAD), performs complex technical, engineering, and policy functions involving public utility issues. Develops and conducts research, analysis, and reporting on topics and issues related to public utility regulation, with a primary focus on energy issues that affect distribution, transmission, and generation infrastructure and operations.

Requirements

Requires a master’s degree in electrical engineering, systems engineering with courses in electrical engineering or power systems planning, or a closely related field
A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, systems engineering with courses in electrical engineering or power systems planning, or a closely related field combined with at least two years of relevant professional experience.
Requires the applicant to pass a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
Requires knowledge of electrical infrastructure, including operation and planning considerations for distribution and/or transmission systems, or the ability to develop this knowledge on the job.
Requires ability to conduct technical and planning analyses, with increasing independence over time, and communicate results effectively.
Requires advanced proficiency in Excel to analyze, manipulate, and summarize large datasets, including use of pivot tables, lookup functions, and scenario and sensitivity analyses to support technical, planning, and policy decision-making.
Requires proficiency in Microsoft Word to prepare professional reports.
Requires superior oral and written English communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences, and the ability to professionally interact and collaborate with persons within and outside the agency, including with various stakeholder groups.
Requires the ability to attend stakeholder meetings and other work-related events, which may require occasional travel.

Nice To Haves

Prefers utility regulation, power systems planning, distribution and/or transmission planning and analysis, integrated resource planning support, or utility energy analysis experience.

Responsibilities

Conducts reviews and research of public utility issues and policies including in-depth analyses of various data submitted to the Commission by public utilities and/or residing in databases available to the agency.
Assists in identifying relevant public utility policies and issues to be researched, planning the design of data collection and data analysis, and conducting thorough quantitative analyses using electronic spreadsheets and computer software tools that include statistical software and databases.
Prepares and presents comprehensive professional reports that effectively communicate the results of research and data analyses in written form and/or in oral presentations.
Provide written and/or oral testimony in ICC proceedings and assist in preparing ICC Staff briefs.
Conducts technical analyses and planning for relevant infrastructure systems, develops subject matter expertise as needed, and clearly communicates findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Assists with the review, analysis, and summarization of comments submitted by parties in Notices of Inquiries (NOIs) and in preparing URAD’s Staff NOI Reports with recommendations for next steps.
Assists in reviewing, analyzing, and summarizing legislative proposals that relate to the work of the Commission and/or to the industries regulated or overseen by the Commission.
Monitors key public utility issues at the state and national level, including those discussed in trade and academic literature, ICC orders, party filings in ICC proceedings, and ICC workshops to keep abreast of issues and trends in federal and state utility regulation that may have an impact on Commission policies and synthesizes their implications for agency decision-making.
Performs other duties, as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.

Benefits

A Pension Program
Competitive Group Insurance Benefits including Health, Life, Dental and Vision Insurance
3 Paid Personal Business Days annually
12 Paid Sick Days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)
10-25 Days of Paid Vacation time annually - (10 days in year one of employment)
13 Paid Holidays annually, 14 on even numbered years
Flexible Work Schedules (when available dependent upon position)
12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
Deferred Compensation Program - A supplemental retirement plan
Optional Pre-Tax Programs such as Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP), Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP)
Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility
Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources
5% Salary Differential for Bilingual Positions
Commuter Savings Program (Chicago only)