Electrical Engineer, Transmission Planning (Staff, Senior, or Principal)

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow? A position at Xcel Energy could be just what you’re looking for.

The job summary below and responsibilities reflect the senior engineer level role. The successfully chosen candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with their skills and experience as different skills and/or experience will be required at the staff and principal engineer levels.

Position Summary

Applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, a type of facility or equipment, or a program function. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects and interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long- term perspective, for desired results. May assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments. Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects.

Key Role Elements

Specific elements vary depending on job level

Perform Comprehensive Power System Planning Studies, including:

- Steady-State Load Flow Analysis under normal and contingency conditions (N-1, N-1-1, and extreme events) to identify system limitations and develop mitigation strategies.

- Short-Circuit and Protection Coordination Studies to ensure appropriate equipment ratings, relay coordination, and breaker duty compliance, including assessments for system modifications and new interconnections.

- Dynamic Performance Assessments, including Transient Stability and Small-Signal Stability Studies to evaluate rotor angle stability, voltage recovery, and oscillatory damping performance under a wide range of system disturbances.

- Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) Analysis for evaluating control interactions and fast dynamic phenomena associated with large power electronic loads (e.g., data centers), inverter-based resources (IBRs), and FACTS devices, leveraging PSCAD/EMTDC.

- Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) Studies aligned with NERC TPL-007 standards to assess geomagnetic disturbance impacts on transformers and bulk electric system reliability.

Support Regulatory Compliance and Model Validation Activities:

- Perform NERC TPL-001-5.1 compliance assessments, including extreme event analyses such as CIP-014 physical security risk assessments, wide-area event simulations, and black start restoration studies.

- Support dynamic model validation efforts per WECC and NERC MOD standards, ensuring fidelity of generator, inverter, and composite load models for stability studies.

Conduct Advanced Inverter-Based Resource (IBR) Integration Studies:

- Assess grid-forming/grid-following inverter technologies and their impact on system strength, transient behavior, and control interactions.

- Apply IEEE 2800 requirements for IBR performance, including ride-through, reactive power support, and fast frequency response capabilities.

- Address challenges of high renewable penetration and develop mitigation strategies to maintain bulk power system reliability.

Support Western Interconnection and Regional Planning:

- Coordinate with WestConnect Planning Management Committee, WECC Reliability Subcommittees, and interconnection working groups to support transmission expansion planning, regional policy compliance, and reliability initiatives.

- Engage in regional and subregional transmission planning processes, contributing to multi-utility studies and cross-border resource integration scenarios.

Perform Resource Interconnection and Transmission Service Studies:

- Execute System Impact Studies (SIS) and Facility Studies consistent with FERC Order 2023 and regional tariffs.

- Evaluate interconnection requests for conventional generation, IBRs, storage, hybrid resources, and emerging technologies such as microgrids and aggregated DERs under FERC 2222 frameworks.

- Recommend necessary transmission reinforcements, upgrades, or operational solutions to accommodate new resources and loads.

Evaluate Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs):

- Analyze and model Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), Advanced Power Flow Controllers (APFC), and Topology Optimization (TTO) to maximize transmission efficiency and capacity without traditional infrastructure expansion.

- Support cost-benefit assessments and pilot project implementations for GETs in collaboration with operations and asset management teams.

Automation and Digitalization:

- Develop and maintain Python-based automation tools to streamline study execution, scenario management, and results post-processing for PSSE, PSLF, TARA, TSAT, PSCAD simulations.

- Advance digital workflows to reduce engineering effort, improve repeatability, and enable high-volume interconnection and compliance studies.

Reporting, Regulatory Filings, and Knowledge Dissemination:

- Author and deliver technical reports, regulatory filings, and executive summaries for internal leadership and external regulatory agencies.

- Present findings at regional stakeholder meetings, industry conferences (e.g., IEEE PES, CIGRÉ), and technical workshops to communicate planning approaches and emerging challenges.

Industry Engagement and Representation:

- Represent Xcel Energy in NERC working groups, IEEE technical committees, WECC Model Validation Working Group, WestConnect Planning forums, and other industry task forces focused on dynamic performance, renewable integration, and bulk power system reliability.

Mentorship and Technical Leadership:

- Mentor engineers, interns, and analysts on advanced simulation methodologies, IBR modeling, EMT techniques, and emerging grid technologies.

- Provide technical leadership to internal teams, fostering expertise development in grid dynamics, automation, and planning best practices.

- Lead internal technical workshops and contribute to the development of best-in-class planning documentation and standards.

- Support development of capital budgets, conceptual transmission projects, and economic analyses in joint planning contexts

Essential Responsibilities

- Applies extensive technical expertise and has an understanding of the basic principles of other related disciplines. Fully demonstrates the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level by applying technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to lead projects of moderate to large size, scope and complexity.

- Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards. Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.)

- Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory. Provides field engineering oversight and direction for activities such as support, testing, installation, inspections, commissioning etc.

- Coordinates/leads multiple projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement, installation and commissioning). May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor.

- Represents the organization as the prime technical contact in the bid/evaluation processes including preparation of bid documents, completion of technical evaluations for proposals and providing recommendations for selection. Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination with internal and external organizations.

- Effectively and with precision resolves difficult technical/business matters both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors with all formats of communication.

- May assign tasks to and/or direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and other support staff including coordination and review of work assignments. Provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies.

- Leads activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.

Staff Engineer Level (Salary Range: $81,000 -106,267)

Minimum Requirements

- Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred.

- 2+year's relevant engineering experience. Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.

- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.

- EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred.

Senior Engineer Level (Salary Range: $97,000-$129,267)

Minimum Requirements

- Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred.

- 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.

- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.

- Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need.

Principal Engineer (Salary Range: $112,000-$156,600)

Minimum Requirements

- Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred.

- 9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE.

- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.

Preferred Experience & Skills

- Master's degree or higher in electrical engineering from an ABET accredited institution

- Electric power transmission planning engineering experience

- PE certification

As a leading combination electricity and natural gas energy company, Xcel Energy offers a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity and 1.9 million natural gas customers across eight Western and Midwestern states. At Xcel Energy, we strive to be the preferred and trusted provider of the energy our customers need. If you’re ready to be a part of something big, we invite you to join our team.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Individuals with a disability who need an accommodation to apply please contact us at recruiting@xcelenergy.com.

Non-BargainingThe anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $81,000.00 to $156,600.00 per yearThis position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, Health Care Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 02/17/26

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