Power System Engineer (Distribution Planning) (Austin Energy)

City of Austin

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

The City of Austin is a vibrant community dedicated to shaping one of the nation's most dynamic and innovative cities, grounded in principles of Empathy, Ethics, Excellence, Engagement, and Equity. Joining the City of Austin offers a purposeful career, contributing to the community, and being part of a forward-thinking organization that values its employees. This role is part of the Distribution Planning group within Austin Energy and is responsible for conducting advanced power system analyses of the Austin Energy distribution network. The position involves performing a variety of engineering studies, including Cable Rating, Power Factor Correction, Dual Feed, Load Flow, Hosting Capacity, and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Impact studies, among others. The insights from these studies will support cost-effective project recommendations to ensure the Austin Energy distribution infrastructure remains reliable, safe, and capable of meeting current and future customer demands. The engineer will collaborate closely with internal teams across engineering, operations, construction, and land use to ensure recommendations are technically sound and feasible. Under minimal supervision, the Power System Engineer designs and assists in the design of electric utility system facilities, including generation, electric substations, overhead and underground transmission and distribution lines, network systems, protection systems, supervisory control systems (SCADA), market operation and settlement systems, street lighting, and other electric system facilities. This position is specifically within the Power Production and Electrical Services Delivery department of Austin Energy.

Requirements

Knowledge of engineering design principles applicable to electric utility operations such as, generation, transmission, distribution, market operations and other related fields.
Knowledge of advanced mathematical techniques such as trigonometry, calculus, and coordinate geometry.
Knowledge of engineering standards, codes, practices, procedures, materials, and equipment used in the design, construction, and operation of the electric utility systems.
Knowledge of established engineering principles and methods.
Knowledge of preparation of cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports.
Ability to perform more complex engineering calculations and to analyze engineering problems.
Knowledge of regulatory requirements within the local and state ordinances and laws.
Skill in oral and written technical and/or general communication including preparation of written reports.
Skill in negotiations and handling conflict resolution.
Knowledge of City of Austin purchasing and contract policies and procedures.
Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering, plus five (5) years of experience related to engineering.

Nice To Haves

Experience performing electric power system studies such as Load Flow, Power Factor Correction, Load Forecasting, Dual Feed, Cable Rating, and Voltage Optimization studies.
Experience performing cable rating (ampacity) studies using ETAP or comparable engineering analysis software.
Experience with Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and their operational and planning impacts on electric distribution system.
Experience with modeling and simulation software such as CYME, ETAP, Synergi, Milsoft, or equivalent platforms.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineering, operations, field personnel, and design staff
Excellent communication and technical writing skills, with the ability to convey complex analysis and recommendations for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Willingness and ability to travel to multiple work locations as required.

Responsibilities

Prepares standards, equipment specifications, design procedures, test procedures
Performs power system studies such as protective relay coordination, fault studies, load flows, service reliability, power quality, voltage stability, power system market operations and settlement studies, etc.
Prepares engineering design and develops drawings and other documents for generation, transmission, distribution, substations and SCADA/EMS.
Prepares circuit maps, control diagrams, charts, data bases, and plans for different electrical facilities.
Provide assistance to all classes of customers, developers, and to other City Departments on technical matters relevant to electric utility services.
Provide technical and financial inputs for projects in electric utility planning and budget process.
Investigate and analyze engineering design problems; develop appropriate solutions; draft reports and make presentations.
Prepares safety procedures for electric facilities.
Assist in efforts to keep up with the latest developments in the utility industry, to meet North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and Texas Public Utility Commission (TX PUC) standards and regulatory requirements.
Work closely with field personnel to support project energization.
May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Benefits

Generous leave
Work-life balance programs
Extensive benefits
Retirement Security (City of Austin Employees' Retirement System)
Sustainable Transportation Options (public transit and bike-friendly infrastructure)
Wellness programs
On-site fitness centers
Mental health support
Professional development
Leadership opportunities
Low-cost medical
Dental
Vision
Paid leave time
Highly competitive retirement plan
Career development opportunities