Principal Distribution Planning Engineer

Puget Sound Energy • Bellevue, WA

191d • $120,400 - $200,400

About The Position

Puget Sound Energy is on a journey to deliver on our clean energy goals with a major milestone occurring by 2030. In order to support a decarbonized energy system, PSE is seeking a Principal Distribution Planning Engineer to join our team. The territories that PSE serves is growing as is our need to evaluate distribution system improvements to meet these demands. The evaluation of our distribution system improvements will include both technical and economic considerations to meet both system and customer needs. Through this evaluation, the principal distribution planning engineer will need to determine benefits and impacts of solution alternatives, including traditional grid infrastructure and Non-Wire Alternatives (NWA). As a leader in this space, it is expected that the successful candidate provide technical direction on complex customer and system projects to multiple interested parties. To be successful, this role will need to run complex power flow models to better understand the impact of the changing electric grid. This will include the development of local and grid level system forecasts to understand and support future customer needs. A successful candidate will serve as a technical leader for PSE while coordinating with industry leaders across the country. There will also be opportunities to plan the distribution system for the grid of the future, including Distributed Energy Resources (DER), Electric Vehicles (EV), and other new technologies to ensure PSE maintains a safe, reliable, and effective distribution system.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree or PE license in electrical, mechanical, civil or other appropriate engineering field.
• Extensive experience in planning, design, specification preparation, maintenance, project cost estimating and scheduling (typically achieved after 10 or more years practice as a degreed engineer).
• Advanced technical and scientific expertise.
• Experience leading engineering projects.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external customers.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working within the utility industry.
• Possession of a Professional Engineering License.
• Knowledge of engineering economics and utility accounting practices.
• Experience working on complex engineering projects.
• Familiarity with power flow software (Synergi or similar).
• Experience developing and applying load forecast scenarios.
• Knowledge of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Electric Vehicles (EV) and impact to the distribution grid.

Responsibilities

• Prepares complex engineering plans, designs, evaluations and studies utilizing specialized distribution planning analytical skills.
• Responsible for solving unique problems using advanced analytical techniques.
• Communicates solutions to personnel possessing a wide variety of educational and employment backgrounds, including in public forums in both verbal and written forms.
• Ensures compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements.
• Identifies potential areas of weakness with team’s work, and initiates corrective action.
• Documents and shares work with others to strengthen the depth and breadth of skills within PSE’s engineering workforce.
• Provides technical leadership to others in the department and throughout the company.
• Ensures that problem solutions are tailored to PSE’s business environment.
• Maintains knowledge of industry developments and best practices and their application at PSE to further business objectives.
• Engages with utility professionals and subject matter experts to collaborate on planning practices.
• Coordinate and review the work of engineers, engineering assistants, field technicians, and others who assist in specific assignments (including contractors/consultants).
• Plans and schedules engineering resources to meet department needs.
• Develops and executes department strategy to support overall business objectives.
• Supports emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Voluntary options of supplemental life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent daycare, and an Employee assistance program (EAP).
• 401(k) investment option and a cash balance retirement plan.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays throughout the calendar year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees