Sr. Director Operation Technology

Leads research, design, and development activities to improve NYPA’s energy services. Designs, constructs, and tests and operates equipment. Ensures that standards of quality, cost, safety, reliability, timeliness and performance are met throughout all engineering activities.

Engineering, design, implementation and day to day operations of supervisory control systems (SCADA/EMS) and machine control systems (PLC/DCS/HMI/RTU) in support of NYPA G&T assets. Design special applications software to assist in the real time efficient optimization of generation resources.

Responsibilities

- Understand, communicate, execute tasks (e.g. provide input, review, coordinate, etc.), and/or implement specific elements of the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA’s) Asset Management System as defined in Business Unit Policies and Procedures established to support NYPA’s Asset Management Policy CP XX-X and NERC Reliability Standards Compliance program as defined in Utility Operations Business Unit Policies and Procedures established to support Corporate Policies CP 10-4 and CP 2-9. Provide leadership, motivation and collaboration which are critical for successful asset management and NERC Reliability Standards Compliance.

- Evaluate existing and newly proposed OT Systems, perform engineering evaluations to ensure resilience and compliance. Provide overall direction, supervision, and administration of the NYPA-wide real-time site support staff and critical infrastructure.

- Direct and administer a group of system technology managers, engineers and analysts (facility-based) whose responsibility is to implement and maintain real time data and computer control systems for NYPA’s operating facilities, including SCADA and EMS.

- Work with other managers, operating site staff, and departments (IT) to determine system requirements, data relationships, and programs to design and engineer secure and compliant solutions to collect/present data and to monitor and control electrical and machine elements of the electric grid systems to most efficiently support operation of the NYPA Power System to meet its short and long-term strategic goals and support and administer the Local Area Network (LAN).

- Responsible for directing staff in the daily maintenance, management, and development of the hardware, software, and networks for all of the facility's real time computing systems, security access control and monitoring systems.

- Responsible for development, ownership, implementation and adherence to Authority policies and procedures for NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards, impacting real time system and security control and monitoring systems, and disaster recovery.

- Responsible for development, ownership, implementation, annual reviews, and adherence to Authority policies and procedures for NERC TOP standards, impacting real time system assessment and EMS/SCADA communications.

- Review and adhere to Interchange Agreements between NYPA and the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) as well as neighboring utilities.

- Direct the development of short-term and long-term plans for real-time and security access control and monitoring system upgrades. Manage overall security access control and monitoring systems to implement, maintain, and manage compliance-related matters, primarily for, but not limited to NERC CIP.

- Direct the development of cyber security risks procedures for the reliable operation of the Bulk Electric System (BES) by identifying and assessing cyber security risks to the BES from vendor products or services.

- Direct site-based support for Digitization Initiatives including Asset Performance Management and Asset Information Strategy, Digital Utility Worker, Integrated Smart Operations Center (iSOC), and Sensor Deployment.

- Develop direct reports with sufficient training and expertise to ensure that NYPA Regional Project task are accomplished in a timely and efficient manner.

- Ensure that the operating facilities maintain and identify needed upgrades to these control systems that are essential and critical to the safe and efficient operation of the generation and transmission facilities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

- Ability to effectively manage and prioritize multiple complex projects, including incident response support to operating facilities.

- Experience to managing staff at remote locations, this includes verifying progress, ensuring compliance, and addressing performance issues.

- Knowledge of North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and NYISO regulations and requirements.

- Knowledge of Security Access Systems.

- Ability to provide technical guidance and leadership to staff assigned to support the real-time control systems and physical security access control and monitoring systems.

- Ability to plan, direct, assign, instruct, review and evaluate work of technical personnel at the operating facilities.

- Ability to oversee and direct the timely production of project proposals and agreements.

- Ability to manage resources and direct the performance of systems testing of specification requirements.

- Ability to understand and use standard application development design, report and project management tools.

- Ability to perform objective analyses and re-engineering of business processes to maximize quality service and cost-effectiveness.

- Ability to ascertain present and future customer needs, to write system documentation, and to implement training programs of staff regarding industrial control systems.

- Excellent interpersonal communication and ability to collaborate with departments throughout NYPA, including collaboration with IT on cyber related issues to ensure best in class security and uphold compliance, confidentiality, integrity and availability of NYPA’s real time systems.

Education, Experience and Certifications

- Bachelor’s Degree in an Engineering related field or Computer Science) is required.

- Minimum 10 years experience in the engineering design, procurement, testing, installation, and maintenance of power plant control systems

- NYS Professional Engineering License (PE) and/or certification in computer network technologies and/or cyber security (e.g. CCNP, CISM, CISSP) is preferred.

- Experience with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems in the Power Industry preferred.

- Experience with Engineering Design Drawings & Schematics.

- Experience Writing Engineering Technical Specifications to ensure operation, control, monitoring, cybersecurity infrastructure and NERC compliance requirements are met.

- Extensive Computer Hardware Experience and systems administration and networking infrastructure experience.

- Extensive Computer Software Experience and RTU, RTAC, and PLC software and hardware knowledge, experience with support of real-time systems in a multi-user operating system.

Physical Requirements

- Ability and willingness to travel up to 20%.

- Normal color vision for design of human-machine interfaces (HMI).

The New York Power Authority is committed to providing fair, competitive, and market-informed compensation. The estimated salary range for this position in the White Plains (WPO) office is: $183,000 - $251,900 and $159,000 - $218,900 for this position at the Blenheim-Gilboa (B-G), Clark Energy Center (CEC), Niagara (NIA), St Lawrence (STL) offices/locations..

The New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents and veterans to apply. As an equal opportunity employer, NYPA/Canals is committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect communities across New York and enthusiastically serve them. We proudly celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race/color, creed/religion, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, age, disability, military status, gender/sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy and related conditions, familial/marital status, domestic violence victim status, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest/criminal conviction record or any other category protected by law.

NYPA/Canals will also provide reasonable accommodations during the hiring process related to candidates’ disabilities, pregnancy-related conditions, religious observances/practices and/or domestic violence concerns. To request an accommodation, please email accessibility@nypa.gov.