Power Quality Engineer

FirstEnergy•Akron, OH

17d

About The Position

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. The selected candidate may be offered a position within the same job family at a level lower than posted, based on interview results and the candidate’s skills, work history, experience, and other relevant qualifications. The Power Quality Engineer manages projects and programs affecting transmission-system power quality, investigates and resolves power quality issues, and coordinates mitigation and corrective actions with internal and external stakeholders. The role researches monitoring technologies and industry practices, conducts engineering studies, supports monitoring-system deployment and maintenance, analyzes utility monitoring data, and develops procedures and technical reports. The engineer also evaluates proposed interconnections, customer loads, generation projects, transmission scopes, and system modifications for potential power quality impacts. At the Engineer IV level, the employee performs these responsibilities with greater proficiency and independence, provides technical leadership, mentors junior engineers, and leads complex company-wide power quality initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited school is required for Engineer III.
Minimum of 3 years of professional engineering experience for Engineer III.
Minimum of 5 years of engineering experience for Engineer IV.
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.
For Engineer IV: demonstrated expertise in power quality analysis, monitoring systems, and mitigation techniques.
For Engineer IV: ability to lead large multidisciplinary technical initiatives and cross-functional teams, work with minimal supervision, and manage multiple complex assignments.
For Engineer IV: advanced understanding of power system performance and customer power quality concerns; proven technical leadership, customer consultation, and engineer mentoring experience; 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 DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, TCP/IP, and related communications 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.
For Engineer IV: Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.

Responsibilities

Research and evaluate emerging power quality monitoring technologies, software applications, and industry best practices; develop implementation and support recommendations.
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, 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, 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, and engage with industry organizations, standards committees, utilities, and customers.
Review transmission interconnections, customer load additions, generation projects, transmission project scopes, and system modifications for potential power quality impacts; recommend mitigation solutions where necessary.
Prepare technical reports, engineering studies, presentations, customer communications, and mitigation recommendations.
Provide customers with 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.