Hydroelectric Power Plant Operations Engineer Jobs

OUC - The Reliable One is presently seeking a Combined Cycle Power Generation Engineer to join the Engineering & Operations team.

We are looking for a technically strong, results‑driven professional to provide engineering and project management support for Power Plant Operations and Maintenance (O&M) ensuring safe, efficient, reliable generation while leading plant modification and improvement projects.

In this role, you will be responsible for developing technical specifications and project scopes; managing plant modification and capital improvement projects from concept through completion; reviewing O&M data, test results, and equipment trends to ensure optimal performance; supervising OUC craft labor and contractors; supporting Purchasing with RFPs, bid evaluations, and vendor negotiations; and preparing financial justifications and budget proposals for management and the Capital Review Committee. You will also troubleshoot plant systems, oversee safety compliance including LOTO and permit requirements, review drawings and process documentation, and ensure adherence to industry standards and NERC/CIP requirements.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university
• Minimum of four (4) years of engineering experience specifically supporting combined cycle gas turbine power plants (CCGT), including operations, maintenance, performance analysis, and project execution on HRSG, gas turbines, and steam turbines.
• Valid driver’s license
• Degree in Chemical Engineering is preferred
• Registered Professional Engineer (preferred)
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (preferred)
• Waste water and process water experience (preferred)
• Experience designing or optimizing chemical injection systems used in water treatment processes at power plants (preferred)

Salary Range: $105,747.33 - $158,619.79 annually – commensurate with experience

The salary range listed reflects the full pay grade (minimum to maximum) for this role. In alignment with OUC’s compensation practices, starting salaries typically fall within the first half of the range (minimum to midpoint). Any exceptions to this practice require additional review and approval.

Location: Stanton Energy Center

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. This organization does not offer or sponsor employment visas for internship or full-time positions.

Provide technical support for Power Plant Operations and Maintenance (O&M). Review O&M data to ensure proper, safe, efficient and reliable generation. Manage projects including plant modifications and improvements while directing OUC labor and contractors.

• Develop and write technical specifications and scope for plant projects, maintain project budgets, assist Purchasing with Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and provide engineering evaluation for bid documents.
• Provide technical support for O&M; review plant data to ensure accurate, safe and efficient generation.
• Supervise plant modifications, improvements, and OUC craft labor and contractors during all project phases.
• Write and develop technical specifications for plant projects.
• Assist Purchasing with RFPs, bid documents, vendor evaluations and negotiations.
• Prepare justification of plant projects based on criteria such as safety, environmental, changes in technology, economic analysis, and efficiency improvements.
• Review and implement plans, drawings, specifications, safety procedures and Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO) requirements, schedules, update equipment manuals, review and maintain inventory levels, billing and invoices and contractual performance and manage contracts regarding technical and commercial aspects.
• Inspect fluid analysis test results, Non-Destructive Examination tests, vibration tests, emissions, boiler and scrubber chemistry, etc. to ensure best practices are current on equipment conditions.
• Troubleshoot plant processes to identify root cause and repair process.
• Generate budget proposals and justifications for management and the Capital Review Committee when necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Working knowledge of all, but not limited to the following:
• The safe and efficient operation and maintenance of various power generation systems including, but not limited to:
• Mechanical systems (i.e. boilers, steam & gas turbine-generators, large rotating equipment, pumps, fans, wet/dry ash handling systems, sludge conditioning systems, material handling systems, cooling towers, chimneys);
• Electrical systems (i.e. high voltage electrical systems, programmable logic controls, high voltage switchgear, 6.9kv motors, control & electronic circuits, excitation systems, speed controls, relay & switch logic, cathodic protection);
• Environmental systems (i.e. dry sorbent injection, selective catalytic reduction, precipitators, scrubbers, brine plants, mercury mitigation);
• Gas systems (i.e. natural gas, landfill gas, CO2, hydrogen, nitrogen);
• Chemical systems (i.e. acid, caustics, ammonia, chlorine, water treatment, potable, fire protection);
• Electro‑mechanical systems;
• Electro‑hydraulic systems;
• Industry Technical Standards (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, National Association of Corrosion Engineers, National Electric Manufacturers Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers);
• Safely and effectively use inspection/testing equipment (i.e. accelerometers, strain gauges, chemical probes, thickness/alloy analyzers, flow meters, borescopes, etc.);
• Safety Permits (i.e. LOTO, Confined Space, Hot Work);
• Equipment Operation and Maintenance Manuals; Safety notifications and bulletins;
• Contracts and agreements with suppliers;
• Prints/drawings: Structural, mechanical, electrical, process flow, piping & instrumentation diagrams, control logic;
• Operating and maintenance logs, trends, outage equipment reports and test reports;
• Process‑control systems (i.e. DCS, Allen Bradley, Modicon, etc.);
• IT Security practices;
• North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) policy understanding and application;
• Familiarity with all, but not limited to the following:
• Memorandums for justifying projects and purchases for management and Commission;
• Capital and O&M project budgets, cash flows, spreadsheets, graphs, tables, process billing/invoicing;
• Maintenance and inspection reports, recommendations for preventative maintenance, inventory adjustment forms, equipment drawings;
• Work Orders, confined space permits, hot work permits, contractor safety orientation;
• Safety Equipment (i.e. air monitors, chemical detection monitors, personal protective equipment, emergency equipment devices);
• Process Analysis Instrumentation (i.e. flow meters, temperature guns, acoustic monitor, alloy identification);
• Software Applications (i.e. JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, CMMS, AutoCAD, Solidworks, Electronic Work Order Management Program, Eclipse, Meridian, Docusphere, PLC, data loggers, Primavera, Microsoft Project);
• Related industry, organizational and departmental legal guidelines, recommendations, best practices, ordinances and laws;
• Apply algebra, calculus, geometry, statistics and trigonometry with engineering principles;
• Perform financial and economic analysis/justification (i.e. NPV, ROI, etc.);
• Ability to work stand‑by and call‑out when necessary;
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals, and compute rates, ratios, and percentages;
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and standard office equipment (telephone, computer, copier, etc.).

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university;
• Minimum of four (4) years of engineering experience to include power plant operations, industrial plant processes, and project management;
• Valid driver’s license;
• Registered Professional Engineer (preferred);
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (preferred);
• Waste water and process water experience (preferred);
• Experience designing or optimizing chemical injection systems used in water treatment processes at power plants (preferred);
• Special training to be completed upon hire:
• Plant/environment equipment operations and maintenance;
• Distributed Controls (DCS) and programmable logic controls (PLC, ladder logic);
• Environmental, plant and/or project specific;
• Continual training in industrial classes, seminars, and credits.

This job involves disagreeable working conditions where elements are occasionally present to the extent of being objectionable; regular exposure to work situations that could result in incapacitating accidents of, on occasion, loss of life. This job involves working very frequently near moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, extreme heat (non‑weather) and vibration. This job involves occasionally working in wet, humid conditions (non‑weather), high precarious places or in confined areas. This job may involve occasionally working with toxic or caustic chemicals, and the risk of electric shock. This job may involve occasionally working in outdoor conditions.

This job requires constant reading. This job may require very frequent standing, walking, sitting, typing and driving of a company vehicle. This job may require frequent lifting up to twenty (20) lbs., bending/ stooping, reaching over head and writing. This job may require occasional lifting over forty (40) lbs., pushing/ pulling/ digging, and kneeling/ crawling.

OUC–The Reliable One is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed through responsible management policies to recruit, hire, promote, train, transfer, compensate, and administer all other personnel actions without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information and any other factor prohibited under applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws, rules, and regulations.

EOE M/F/Vets/Disabled