Sr Engineer II, Plant Controls

RWE•Austin, TX

9d•$155,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Plant Controls Team within RWE Americas ensures control solutions for utility-scale renewables projects (Solar, Wind, and Battery) are designed with the highest quality for the entire life cycle - from the development phase to operation. This position executes on the design, construction, commissioning, and administration of control systems within RWE Americas. In this position, the Sr Engineer II, Plant Controls, will be key in the design and execution of control solutions for new sites. You will be gathering project-specific requirements to define the services and functionalities required by the plants, determine the most suitable SCADA concept for interconnection, and ensure the right control system design for the application. In this position, you will be involved in all the different stages of the project, starting from the design stage, then guiding the implementation phase, and supporting the on-site commissioning of the solution. You will work hand-in-hand with third-party providers, assessing the most suitable options and bringing concepts into the field. As a Plant Controls engineer, you will be a key interface between Operations and Development parts of the business.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Control Engineering, a similar field of engineering, or equivalent professional experience
A minimum of 12 years of professional experience in control systems and SCADA platforms (any industry)
Excellent grasp of networking design fundamentals, including fiber/ethernet, switch, and VLAN configuration
Strong background in configuration of RTUs or other plant controllers (software development experience also a plus)
Has proven experience developing technical documentation, including exhibits, scope of works, functional descriptions, and plant control narratives
Structured and thorough in analyzing and documenting requirements and creating technical documentation for different stakeholders
Demonstrated experience in commissioning networking and plant controls
Demonstrated experience overseeing contractors delivering technical work
Required travel up to 20%
Works autonomously to deliver projects without oversight
Takes ownership of work and resolves issues; seeks guidance when direction is needed
Documents work and progress effectively
Reports upwards on project status and progress
Coordinates with technical members of adjacent teams to align on work deliverables that impact one another, seeks to understand and resolve gaps and escalates issues through appropriate channels
Effective communicator capable of working with people from different backgrounds
High Attention to detail
Excellent interpersonal skills, energetic, and a self-starter
Proactive in resolving issues
Effectively uses team collaboration tools and software
Must be open to collaboration and working in a team environment
Clear passion and motivation to work in the renewables industry

Nice To Haves

Experience within renewable energy or the power industry is highly desired, but not required

Responsibilities

Leads SCADA design, configuration, and commissioning on multiple projects and provides oversight and guidance to junior engineers
Coordinates with project managers and other engineering SME’s to ensure SCADA requirements are met, and project timelines are achieved
Reviews and provides constructive input for project contracts with financial partners and equipment manufacturers; advises and provides technical input for contract wording discussions; works towards developing standards and educating financial teams on contract requirements
Gathers technical requirements for projects based on grid codes, standards, and contracts, and ensures SCADA system capability to achieve these requirements
Generates and modifies project exhibits for contractors and vendors in alignment with SCADA standards and strategy; owns development of standard exhibits and documentation for the team
Develops and oversees the scope of work and technical requirements for control system vendors and integrators; owns the development of standard documentation for projects
Reviews contractor design documents and ensures design will meet operational needs of the SCADA system and alignment with SCADA standards
Leads, oversees, and implements the development of technical SCADA requirements, including networking design (IP addressing, VLANs), RTU configuration, and plant control strategy across multiple projects
Commissions substation equipment, switches, and plant networks for projects; works closely with junior engineers to train and build up their skillsets
Drives and pursues interpretation and understanding of operational data of Battery plants across the wider business
Owns the development of strategic goals for the SCADA team and ensures alignment with organizational objectives
Proactively works towards alignment with broader engineering teams and understands team position and contribution within the organization
Able to communicate effectively with a diverse range of business stakeholders
Owns strategic projects for the SCADA team and drives changes to standards and processes
Actively trains and educates junior engineers across all project phases