Principal Engineer, (Rotating Equipment)

Vistra Corp•Franklin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Project Engineer responsible for steam turbine and generator projects at a fossil power plant. This position will be responsible for leading, planning, and executing steam turbine and generator projects at a fossil power plant. This role requires overseeing all phases of project development, from conceptual design through commissioning, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with safety and environmental standards. The Project Engineer will coordinate cross-functional teams, manage contractor relationships, and serve as the primary point of contact to deliver reliable, efficient, and cost-effective turbine and generator system upgrades or replacements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial) or closely related field.
Minimum 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in fossil power plant projects, with emphasis on steam turbines, generators, and related auxiliary systems.
Demonstrated experience in project management, capital projects, and/or O&M-driven initiatives.
Strong knowledge of industry standards (ASME, IEEE) and relevant safety/regulatory requirements.
Knowledge of project controls, scheduling (e.g., Primavera P6), cost management, and risk assessment.
Strong technical knowledge of steam turbine and generator operation, maintenance, controls, and related auxiliaries.
Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear business implications for leadership and stakeholders.
Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and collaboration skills; ability to influence across a matrix organization.
Data-driven decision making, problem solving, and a proactive continuous improvement mindset.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s degree is a plus.
Professional Engineer (PE) license is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of steam turbine and generator projects from concept through commissioning.
Develop and manage project scope, schedule, budget, risks, and change control.
Coordinate with Plant Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, Procurement, and Contracts to ensure alignment and timely decisions.
Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements; drive a strong safety culture on all project activities.
Communicate progress, issues, and outcomes clearly to stakeholders and leadership; prepare executive-level reports as needed.
Lead/vendor management, including selection, procurement, contract administration, and performance oversight.
Support reliability, availability, and efficiency improvements for turbine/generator assets.
Provide technical guidance on steam turbine and generator modifications, retrofits, and reliability improvements.
Support root cause analysis and problem solving for plant reliability concerns related to turbine/generator systems.
Perform evaluations to support plant modifications and optimization efforts.
Evaluate and implement design changes, instrumentation and control upgrades, and performance improvements.
Collaborate with Plant Engineering and Operations to ensure robust, maintainable solutions.
Assist development of project business cases, including cost estimates, risk-adjusted ROI, and schedule impacts.
Support budget preparation, forecasting, and financial tracking for major turbine and generator projects.
Analyze value propositions and cost-benefit tradeoffs for proposed modifications or capital investments.
Coordinate with Finance, Procurement, and Project Controls to maintain alignment with corporate standards.
Lead cross-functional project teams (Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) to deliver projects on time and on budget.
Develop work breakdown structures (WBS), detailed schedules, and resource plans; monitor progress and adjust as needed.
Oversee procurement activities, bid evaluations, and contractor/vendor management; ensure alignment with project scope.
Plan and coordinate commissioning, performance testing, and turnover to operations; ensure smooth handover with complete documentation.
Assign project leadership roles and responsibilities for turbine/generator projects as required by the portfolio.
Ensure clear accountability for safety, quality, schedule, cost, and scope across all assignments.
Provide mentoring and development opportunities for junior engineers and project staff.