Lead Engineer - Generator Interconnections at Southwest Power Pool in Little Rock, Arkansas

Job Description:

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities


• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance


• Relocation assistance


• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where collaborative in person work is needed.


• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP


• 
  
  
  
  
  

Overview:

The Lead Engineer, Generator Interconnections is responsible for the development and analysis of the generator interconnection functions within SPP. This requires support of multiple stakeholder working groups and the ability to work within and across departments to achieve the desired results. Key responsibilities include the development of study scopes, technical oversight of the GI process, representing SPP in industry and regulatory technical settings, coordination with the SPP membership on key issues and results, and leading a team of engineers in performing various complex engineering studies. As such, a deep understanding of the SPP transmission grid, OATT, and planning processes is required.

The Lead engineer will support and provide leadership of the overall objectives, resolution of critical issues, the development of new concepts, consideration of policy matters relevant to the planning process, and the development and vetting of new techniques with the various stakeholder groups. The Lead Engineer is responsible for coordinating many aspects of the Generator Interconnection Procedures and ensuring that the grid remains reliable.\

Essential Functions:

Engineering Concepts and Tools:

• Develop and maintain a strong level of familiarity with the SPP Transmission System and with transmission planning concepts


• Develop and maintain a strong level of expertise and proficiency with the SPP power system analysis tools, data management tools, software, and processes necessary to support the interconnection study process

Engineering Responsibilities:

• Lead complex technical processes associated with the GI study process. Delegation of technical assignments may be required


• Provide key technical leadership in a team environment and serve as a Subject Matter Expert in one or more assigned areas


• Develop, maintain, and improve engineering processes and procedures


• Develop and maintain strong project management skills, taking responsibility for the timely and accurate completion of all assigned projects

Governing Processes:

• Develop and maintain a strong level of familiarity with the content and concepts contained in the SPP Open Access Transmission Tariff, FERC & NERC governing documents, SPP Business Practices, SPP Criteria, and the SPP organizational group structure, and be able to initiate and implement revision requests


• Develop and maintain a high level of understanding of the governing and process documents specific to the evaluation of generator interconnection requests and be able to apply them and relate them to customers, stakeholder groups, and transmission owners


• Prepare and present technical testimony if needed

Stakeholder Relationships:

• Develop positive stakeholder technical, supervisory, leadership and management level relationships as necessary to accomplish SPP objectives and assigned directives


• Develop and maintain necessary relationships with internal and external technical staff and customers to collect data, collaborate on analysis, and share results of work products


• Facilitate stakeholder feedback discussions to reach a positive stakeholder consensus to the fullest extent possible


• Fulfill staff secretary role (Meeting minutes, action items, Robert’s Rules of Order, etc.) for technical working groups if called to do so

Engineering Judgment:

• Apply proficient decision-making skills for technical studies and services to adapt between standard and non-standard techniques


• Independently complete assigned technical processes, studies, and tasks with complex scope, being able to define the scope and plan and organize tasks with only general direction


• Be able to lead and manage key processes and see them completed accurately and in a timely manner

Teamwork and Leadership Skills:

• Demonstrate advanced teamwork and resource management skills to assign and manage accountability in complex projects and new process development


• Maintain full accountability in decision making, project scopes, deadlines, etc.


• Supervise a small group of technical personnel under the direction of applicable manager resources in a stakeholder driven environment

SPP Culture and Core Values:

• Embrace and promote the SPP Culture, Mission and Core Values in attitude toward stakeholder relationships, current work assignments as well as long term goals and strategic initiative of the organization


• Incorporate a fundamental working understanding of the SPP Culture Drivers, Mission and Core Values and apply this directly to all engineering assignments and any SPP related effort, not necessarily limited to engineering


• Understand and comply with SPP Policies and Procedures

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position, but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work duties and responsibilities. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other areas to cover absences, or relief to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload. 

Education Requirements:

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, this degree should:

• Be from a university that meets the requirements to sit for the Professional Engineering exam (in Arkansas, that is most typically a degree from an ABET accredited university or a graduate degree from a college that has an ABET accreditation),


• Degree should be in a calculus-based engineering field and preferred degree programs are Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering

Experience Requirements:

• 8 years’ of relevant Engineering experience; OR


• 7 years’ of relevant Engineering experience with a Master’s Degree in Electrical, Computer, Industrial, Mechanical or Systems Engineering OR


• 6 years’ of relevant Engineering experience with a Doctoral degree in Electrical, Computer, Industrial, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering

Professional Certification Requirements:

• A Professional Engineer license is required for this role; however, 12 years’ relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a Professional Engineer License

Other Requirements:

• Strong knowledge of one or more power systems analysis tools applicable to power system steady state, dynamic, production costs & economics, or database management systems


• Good working knowledge of and skills with communication and data handling software such as Microsoft Office© Word, Excel, Access


• Strong inter-personal and team building skills


• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills


• Experience with power system engineering, operations engineering, or transmission planning


• Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in related field of study

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.


• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.


• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.


• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours may be required

Travel Requirement:

This position requires minimal (0—20%) travel

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications and if after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer. SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Education

Required

• Bachelors or better

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

See job description

Apply Now