Engineer Principal - Wildfire Mitigation (New Albany, OH / Corpus Christi, TX)

Job Posting End Date

09-16-2025

Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.

Job Summary

The Wildfire Mitigation Engineer plays a critical role in reducing wildfire risk across utility infrastructure by managing technical programs focused on vegetation management, equipment inspections, and engineering standards. This position ensures that transmission and distribution assets are designed, maintained, and operated to minimize ignition potential and enhance system resilience.

Job Description

More Specific to This Opportunity:

Vegetation Management Oversight

- Implement and manage vegetation management programs to maintain defensible space and ensure compliance with fire safety regulations and utility standards.

Infrastructure Inspection & Maintenance

- Lead inspection and maintenance initiatives for utility assets located in high fire-risk areas, ensuring timely identification and mitigation of potential ignition sources.

Engineering Standards Development

- Support the creation, implementation, and enforcement of engineering standards aimed at wildfire resilience, including system hardening measures, relay settings, fuse replacement strategies, and deployment of covered conductors.

Cross-functional Coordination

- Collaborate with field operations, asset management, regulatory affairs, and wildfire mitigation teams to align technical practices with strategic mitigation goals.

Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement

- Track key performance indicators related to asset reliability and wildfire risk reduction. Provide technical insights to support continuous improvement efforts.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Technical Expertise: Exhibits advanced level proficiency plus advanced knowledge of a specialized technical area that enables the engineer to serve as a resource for the company in an area such as system production, underground systems, extensive control systems, thermo-hydraulic control systems, distribution standards, fossil or nuclear plant operations, etc.

Leadership & Guidance: Influences the direction of thinking throughout the organizational unit as a recognized authority in an area of expertise. Leads, facilitates and coordinates work activities of others within work group, team, department, corporate entity, or those external to the company and assumes the role of project or function manager for assigned tasks.

Planning & Organization Ability: Develops, recommends, and implements plans that include all scheduling, resource, and cost information and control required to address complex engineering problems that require the input and efforts of a wide array of entities both internal and external to the company.

Problem Solving & Initiative: Identifies, clarifies, resolves, and initiates solutions to complex problems that require multi-functional, or organizational, interfacing and/or multi-disciplined analytical techniques. Develops opportunities and new ideas and approaches that have system-wide impact.

Communication: Leads in the preparation and presentation of complex technical subjects, clearly, concisely, and persuasively, bringing in ancillary issues before senior management, professional organizations, regulatory bodies, etc. Projects credibility and competence on technical issues and has highly developed presentation skills.

Interpersonal Skills: Builds teams and networks that extend through AEP, and other companies, professional organizations, regulatory agencies, and academia. Networks throughout AEP, other companies, professional organizations, and regulatory agencies.

Decision Making: Possesses the experience and knowledge to make some technical decisions based on calculated risks without management review. Makes decisions affecting long range plans and goals based on analysis of highly uncertain input and outcomes. Visualizes long-term results. Makes decisions where differences of opinion are likely to exist. Makes decisions that have an impact across organizational boundaries.

Business Awareness & Characteristics: Demonstrates vision in identifying business opportunities for the organizational unit. Understands how strategies and decisions impact the relationship with our customers and suppliers.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Has typically acquired 8 or more years of related engineering experience along with a Bachelor's degree in engineering in a program accredited by ABET; or 6 years of related engineering experience along with a Master's or PhD in engineering from a program accredited by ABET. Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in any U.S. state or Puerto Rico is preferred for this position unless approval to waive this requirement is given by the organization's EVP.*ABET - Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

Acceptable alternative is:

(1) a Bachelor's degree in engineering (non-ABET) plus a Master's degree or PhD in engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor's program. Confirmation is preferred to ensure the PE obtained in Puerto Rico aligns with NCEES standards.

*VP or above may waive the requirement for a degree from a university with an Non ABET accredited program

Preferred Qualifications:

- Transmission and Distribution engineering experience

- Strong understanding of wildfire risk mitigation strategies and utility operations.

- Experience with vegetation management, asset inspection programs, and system hardening technologies.

- Excellent communication and collaboration skills across technical and operational teams.

- Familiarity with regulatory requirements related to wildfire mitigation (e.g., CPUC, NERC, state-level legislation).

- Experience with GIS, asset management systems, and reliability analytics.

- Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus.

WHAT YOU'LL GET

Base Salary: approximately $113K - $146K

In addition to base salary, AEP offers competitive Total Rewards including: discretionary annual incentive, 401(k), pension, health insurance, vacation, educational assistance, etc.

WHO WE ARE

At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER (on-site)

$113K - $146K / Year

#AEPCareers

#LI-ONSITE

Compensation Data

Compensation Grade:

SP20-009

Compensation Range:

$112,869.00-146,730.50 USD

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

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It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.