Power Quality Engineer

FirstEnergy•Akron, OH

18d

About The Position

FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., is hiring a Power Quality Engineer. The selected candidate may be offered a position within the same job family at a lower level than posted, based on interview results and the candidate’s skills, work history, experience, and other relevant qualifications. The engineer researches power quality monitoring technologies and industry practices, manages transmission-system power quality projects, coordinates investigations and mitigation with internal and external stakeholders, and performs engineering studies to address system issues and customer concerns. The role develops procedures and standards, supports deployment and maintenance of monitoring systems, analyzes utility monitoring data, and evaluates the power quality impacts of interconnections, customer loads, generation projects, and transmission modifications. The engineer also prepares technical reports and customer communications, provides technical support, and maintains a strong commitment to safety. At Engineer IV level, the employee is expected to perform these responsibilities with greater proficiency and independence. The Engineer IV also provides technical leadership, mentors junior engineers, and leads complex company-wide power quality initiatives.

Requirements

At Engineer III level, a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited school is required.
At Engineer III level, at least 3 years of professional engineering experience is required.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently on technical studies, investigations, reports, and projects.
Ability to analyze electrical system performance and evaluate complex engineering problems.
Demonstrated ability to manage diverse projects and prioritize competing responsibilities.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across multiple organizations and locations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access.
Ability to deliver quality work within established schedules and deadlines.
Self-motivated, customer-focused, and results-oriented.
Desire to continue learning, expand technical expertise, and drive continuous improvement.
At Engineer IV level, at least 5 years of engineering experience is required.
At Engineer IV level, demonstrated expertise in power quality analysis, monitoring systems, and mitigation techniques.
At Engineer IV level, ability to lead large multidisciplinary technical initiatives and cross-functional teams.
At Engineer IV level, ability to work with minimal supervision while managing multiple complex assignments.
At Engineer IV level, advanced technical understanding of power system performance and customer power quality concerns.
At Engineer IV level, proven experience providing technical leadership, customer consultation, and mentoring engineers.
At Engineer IV level, ability to influence company standards, practices, and strategic direction related to power quality programs.

Nice To Haves

Previous electric utility experience.
Familiarity with IEEE power quality standards, including IEEE 519, IEEE 1453, IEEE 1159, IEEE 2800, and related standards.
Experience with power quality monitoring equipment, digital fault recorders, PMUs, disturbance analyzers, or power system monitoring devices.
Familiarity with harmonics, flicker, voltage unbalance, oscillations, electromagnetic transients, and power system disturbance analysis.
Experience with SynchroPhasor applications, oscillation analysis, and wide-area monitoring systems (WAMS).
Experience evaluating customer, generation, inverter-based resource (IBR), or large-load interconnections.
Knowledge of transmission and distribution system operations.
Experience using power system modeling and analysis software such as PSLF, PSSE, PSCAD, EMTP, CYME, ETAP, or similar applications.
Familiarity with utility SCADA, EMS, historian systems, and data analytics platforms.
Understanding of instrument transformers, substation equipment, protection systems, and communications technologies.
Familiarity with communications protocols such as DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, TCP/IP, and related technologies.
Knowledge of NERC, PJM, ANSI, IEEE, and other utility industry standards and practices.
Experience performing root-cause investigations and preparing technical reports for customers and regulators.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

Research and evaluate emerging power quality monitoring technologies, software applications, and industry best practices; develop recommendations for implementation and support.
Manage diverse projects, processes, and programs affecting transmission-system power quality performance with minimal supervision.
Coordinate power quality investigations, mitigation efforts, and corrective actions with internal stakeholders, customers, consultants, equipment manufacturers, and regulatory organizations.
Perform engineering studies and analyses to identify, evaluate, and resolve transmission-system power quality issues, customer complaints, system disturbances, and emerging concerns, including flicker, harmonics, voltage unbalance, oscillations, sags, swells, transients, and interruptions.
Develop and maintain power quality procedures, standards, and practices while ensuring compliance with applicable IEEE, NERC, FERC, PJM, and state regulatory requirements.
Provide technical leadership for deployment, configuration, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of power quality monitoring systems and associated infrastructure.
Analyze data from power quality monitors, synchrophasor (PMU) systems, digital fault recorders, and other utility data sources to identify trends, quantify system performance, and support root-cause investigations.
Serve as the company’s subject matter expert on power quality standards, monitoring methodologies, and system performance assessments; engage with industry organizations, standards committees, utilities, and customers.
Review transmission interconnections, customer load additions, generation projects, transmission project scopes, and system modifications to assess potential power quality impacts and recommend mitigation solutions.
Prepare technical reports, engineering studies, presentations, customer communications, and mitigation recommendations.
Meet customer needs by providing professional, timely, and technically sound support.
Demonstrate a solid commitment to all aspects of safety.
At Engineer IV level, provide technical leadership, mentor junior engineers, and lead complex company-wide power quality initiatives.