Sr Eng - Operations Technology

Basic Purpose

Provides engineering design and support services for the electronics and software (Operational Technology) required to control and manage power generation, automatic generation control and real-time energy management. Conceives, develops and implements unique solutions to operational technology problems. Conceives, develops and advocates strategies for managing obsolescence, replacements and upgrades. Furnishes technical direction and project support to plant or control center staff on operational technology matters. Provides leadership and mentoring for junior engineering staff.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Provides control system software and hardware support to ensure safe, optimal and reliable operations. Works with Operations and corporate technical staff for troubleshooting, determining solutions, and supporting corrective actions for instrumentation and programming logic issues. Works with Operations to develop and implement control system logic, display modifications and custom functions. Develops Common Information Models for new or modified Generation, Transmission and Distribution elements. Works with the control system software vendors as required for trouble issues that have escalated for product support.

Provides control system user account administrations for Operations and Maintenance groups. Coordinates Electrical System Control Center (ESCC) local and site failovers for security patching, software upgrades, and other related maintenance. Determines applicability and completes testing of security and application updates. Assists team members in applying updates. Manages and maintains installed computing infrastructure, including network and network connected devices. Manages and maintains computing infrastructure asset inventory.

Provides beginning-to-end technical support for capital and operations and maintenance projects to include development of the business case, scope, budget, and schedule, as well as testing, installation and commissioning. Communicates with project managers and attend meetings to keep up-to-date information about upcoming projects, process improvement and root cause analysis teams. Evaluates and manages vendor and contractor support efforts related with modifications, maintenance and project activities. Provides contractor guidance, evaluates performance, conducts cost and quality control reviews and evaluates technical abilities.

Builds data interfaces with external entities or vendors to transmit real-time or near real-time system data.

Provides support and maintenance for the dispatcher training simulator (DTS). Performs the routine aspects of assignments requiring knowledge and application of basic engineering principles. Provides afterhours support on call basis, approximately one or two calls per month. Provides outage support and participates in continuous performance improvement initiatives.

Implements operational technology policies and procedures to comply with evolving industry standards and external agency regulations. Develops operational technology strategy to ensure current, best practices are in place. Provides overall technical direction for the fleet control systems, field instrumentation and other operational technology systems that are utilized for generation and energy management.

Designs and implements computing infrastructure modifications utilizing team members, other internal groups (such as Information Technology), and external groups where appropriate. Designs and deploys new or updated virtual infrastructure.

Ensures all compliance aspects of position are known and followed; understands and complies with all policies, codes and regulations applicable to position and company.

Performs related duties as assigned.

Essential Education, Skills, and Environment Education and Work Experience

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field from an accredited school and 5 years industry experience as a practicing engineer, and must be a licensed PE. If no PE license then must have 8 years as a practicing engineer. .

Candidates that do not possess a bachelor’s degree must have a minimum of 9 years of experience in the related field

Specialized Knowledge and Skills

Demonstrated knowledge of:

- Control system logic, configuration and design control loops

- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) protocols, such as Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP), Modbus, and Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3)

- Computer networking, such as switches, firewalls, and routers, and network ports (TCP, UDP)

- VMWare vSphere, including vSAN, ESXi, and vCenter

- Experience with historian, predictive and performance monitoring systems and current smart field instrumentation

- Experience generation plant processes or transmission and distribution processes.

Demonstrated Skills such as:

- Analytical, problem solving, decision-making, and interpersonal

- Communication oral and written

- Communicating technical issues to a non-technical audience.

Equipment and Applications

Electronic test equipment, PCs, word processing, spreadsheet and database software.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

General office environment. May require occasional work near moving parts, with toxic or caustic chemicals, in outdoor weather conditions, and near extreme heat. Some exposure to loud noises. Up to 25% travel within the state.

NOTE: THE COMPANY MAY FILL THE POSITION(S) AT A LOWER LEVEL DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES

NV Energy is looking for qualified people to join us in one of the premier energy companies in the West. Located in the fastest growing state in the United States, NV Energy provides electricity to 1.3 million customers throughout Nevada as well as a state tourist population exceeding 40 million annually. Among the many communities we serve are Las Vegas, Reno-Sparks, Henderson, Elko and South Lake Tahoe. We also provide natural gas to more than 155,000 citizens in the Reno-Sparks area.

NV Energy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law. Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without an accommodation.