Power Control Systems Engineer I/II/III

Position Status

POWER CONTROL SYSTEMS ENGINER I/II/III - RFT

Who Can Apply

MEA Employees & the General Public

Posting Date

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Department

Technical Services

Annually

Grade 9 $82,056 Min DOE

Grade 11 $96,116 Min DOE

Grade 13 $109,761 Min DOE

Grade

9/11/13

Union Representation

N/A

Hours of Work

8AM-5PM

Work Location

Palmer, AK

PURPOSE

Responsible for performing duties related to Power Controls Systems, SCADA, Automatic Generation Control (AGC), Transaction Management System (TMS), Inter Control-center Communications Protocol (ICCP), Inadvertent Accounting (IA), and Planner to directly assist Association Dispatchers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION

The Power Control Systems Engineer I performs the below functions in a learning capacity.

The Power Control Systems Engineer II performs the below functions comfortably with some supervisory oversight.

The Power Control Systems Engineer III performs and master all below functions.

1. Display building and updates, power systems control database updates (Project support and Generation support), SCADA power systems calculation updates (project support and generation support), Association ICCP and Automatic Generation Control updates (project support as well as connected utilities support), applicable control system domains, and direct support of Association Dispatch.

2.  Support Dispatch and Relay Technicians with substation commissioning and power system controls and point checkout in the Association SCADA System.

3.  Retrieve historical data from the power system controls historian for analysis and reporting functions in support of Dispatch, Operations, and Engineering.

4. Develop and maintain guidelines, upgrade techniques, maintenance, support, and operational processes, for the support of databases and software applications related to the Associations SCADA and power controls system.

5.   May participate in the development of processes, procedures, and training materials with the ability to train, instruct and educate groups and individuals in a team environment.

6. May participate in, lead and/or organize projects as they relate to the SCADA and power controls system as a whole including working with the Information Technology (IT), Operations, and Engineering groups. Perform SCADA and Power Control System Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and periodic tests to insure the functionality, usability, and integrity of the power control and SCADA system.

7. Build and maintain business relations with neighboring utilities and assist with cross-company SCADA and power controls system related projects, data requests, and system disturbance analysis.

8. Perform analysis, evaluate designs, and apply Association standards for the transmission, generation and distribution system including Independent Power Producers (IPP) connected generation and transmission facilities to the Association system, for safe reliable and efficient operations for the Association.

9. Coordinate Application Software Upgrades, HMI Upgrades, by developing and applying advanced control technologies to control system applications and utilizing the Associations change management process.

a. Develop requirements for SCADA and power systems control calculations and coordinate testing to insure functionality.

b. Provide SCADA and power system control support for generation, transmission, and distribution systems and support power plant control systems operations.

c.  Conduct factory acceptance testing to demonstrate and validate controls functionality.

d.  Define and continuously improve methodologies for developing and testing control systems.

e.  Coordinate design and implementation of control networks using the latest network technologies.

f. Keep current on cyber security considerations, threats, industry best practices, and work with IT to maintain the cyber security of all Association SCADA, DCS and power control systems.

10. Project manager as needed or identified.  May prepare and deliver presentations in the course of work.

11. Review and analyze work requests.  Work with user representatives, associates, consultants, and vendors to investigate and translate requests into project requirements, and further, into definitions and specifications for program and system modification/development.

12. Participate in system analysis and system management work as it pertains to power control and SCADA systems.

13. Maintain a working knowledge of all systems as it pertains to the Associations power control and SCADA systems.

14. Promote a safety culture in which safety is a value. This culture is based on joint and individual engagement, ownership, and accountability regarding job safety and responsibility to perform work safely and adhere to safe work practices.

15. Perform the essential functions of the position in a safe and efficient manner.

The above items are not intended to be all inclusive of the essential functions or requirements of this type of work as they are subject to change based on operating necessity.  The employee may perform other related business duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Power Control Systems Engineer I

Qualified candidates are required to have:

- A bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or equivalent relevant experience.

- A valid driver's license and a driving record, which is acceptable by the Associations Driving Policy and insurable by the Association and the Associations insurance carrier at standard group rates.

• Electric utility or computer system installation and troubleshooting experience is preferred.

Power Control Systems Engineer II

Qualified candidates are required to have:

-A bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or equivalent relevant experience.

- At least three (3) years of SCADA experience at an electric utility.

- A valid driver's license and a driving record, which is acceptable by the Associations Driving Policy and insurable by the Association and the Associations insurance carrier at standard group rates.

• Electric utility or computer system installation and troubleshooting experience is preferred.

Power Control Systems Engineer III

Qualified candidates are required to have:

- bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, or equivalent relevant experience.

- At least five (5) years of SCADA experience in electric utilities involving collecting user requirements, system design, system execution/implementation and final acceptance, startup and formal commissioning.

- A valid driver's license and a driving record, which is acceptable by the Associations Driving Policy and insurable by the Association and the Associations insurance carrier at standard group rates.

Preference may be given to those candidates whose prior experience demonstrates:

-Control Systems experience in electrical generation, substation, transmission and/or distribution facilities or related areas.

-  Control Systems Communications experience in electrical generation, substation, transmission and/or distribution facilities or related areas.

-  Extensive electric utility system installation and troubleshooting experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

·         Support a culture of safety excellence through active involvement in safety improvement and promote a sense of shared responsibility for safety.

·         Knowledge of protective relaying and power system protection design and interface of devices used in these applications to SCADA systems.

·         Knowledge in tagging conventions, data logging, trending and reporting, Boolean logic, ladder logic, symbol conventions, etc., is desired.

·         Knowledge of communications protocols i.e., TCP/IP, MODBUS, MODBUS TCP, DNP3, ICCP, etc.

·         Knowledge in communications architecture i.e., ethernet, fiber optic, subnets, firewall, router, switch, Real-Time Automation Controller (RTAC), etc.

·         Knowledge of HMI and SCADA logic and programming with software packages, and programmable logic controller (PLC) hardware from large commercial vendors (such as OSI (Open Systems International software)).

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