Senior Systems Planning Engineer

Spaulding Associates is a specialized search firm offering personalized service in the Power Engineering industry and for Software companies developing products for Cloud Computing, Network Security, Data Warehousing, Data Storage and Big Data solutions.

The Principal Engineer in Analysis and Planning provides highly-skilled engineering services to assess power system performance under steady-state and dynamic conditions. Studies are primarily focused on power flow, transient stability, and short circuit analysis, but may address a variety of other concerns including economics, harmonics, and power quality. The Principal Engineer considers all aspects of power system design and operation to evaluate performance and develop recommendations to maintain reliability and efficiency of the bulk power system.

• Power system modeling and analysis in the long-term, near-term, and operational planning horizons using power flow, transient stability, and short circuit software
• Assess the reliability and efficiency of existing and planned power systems; develop solutions where necessary to address concerns and maintain compliance with applicable standards and criteria
• Develop and evaluate alternatives for the interconnection or retirement of generating units and other resources, elective transmission upgrades, and merchant transmission projects
• Assess the reliability and economic impact of proposed and approved regulatory policies and future economic conditions
• Develop and validate models for generating units, other resources, and controllable transmission assets based on field measurements
• Develop study methods and resource plans to deliver studies that meet client schedules and expectations
• Provide high-level technical expertise to other practice areas
• Prepare and present detailed technical reports
• Provide peer review and editorial feedback
• Manage client expectations through regular communications

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering with emphasis in power system engineering and analysis, or Bachelor’s degree and equivalent experience developed through detailed analysis of power systems
• A minimum of 8 - 10 years of experience in wide-area power system modeling, analysis, and planning, including power flow, transient stability, and short circuit studies
• Professional Engineering license
• Experience with power system analysis tools including, at a minimum, Siemens PTI PSS®E or GE PSLF software
• Understanding of existing and proposed North American and regional reliability standards and criteria
• Understanding of protection system design and operation
• Understanding of equipment design and rating methods
• Understanding of harmonics and power quality issues
• Understanding of electricity markets, cost allocation methods, and economic and environmental regulations affecting the electric power industry
• Excellent technical, analytical, and organizational skills
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills

Additional desirable attributes include:

• Experience preparing multi-area power flow and dynamics models, including development of user-defined models for generator and FACTS controls, protection systems, and monitoring network parameters
• Experience performing engineering economics assessments
• Experience in other areas such as system operations, protection system design and analysis, substation design, or distribution planning
• Experience using tools for running simulations and analyzing output data such as Python and MATLAB
• Experience using tools for evaluation of power system phenomena such as voltage stability, small signal stability, electromagnetic transients, production cost modeling, and optimal power flow