Senior Distribution System Engineer

Minimum Pay Rate: $136,364.80 

Maximum Pay Rate: $180,606.40 

Civil Service Status: Civil Service 

Apply by Date: 07/30/2025 

Posting Type: Open 

SMUD is looking to fill a regular, full-time Senior Distribution System Engineer position in the Transmission & Distribution Maintenance Planning team. We are seeking a highly engaged individual to join the maintenance engineering team that supports our Zero Carbon Plan. Individuals will perform engineering functions under the direction of a Supervising Principal Engineer. This position will provide real-time engineering support for the safe and reliable operation of SMUD’s power system. The ideal candidate will work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and will be responsible for the development of maintenance plans and projects, as well as troubleshooting and testing oversight of SMUD’s substation assets, that ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.

 
SMUD’s ideal candidate for this position is a forward-thinking leader who has an extensive background in assessing the status SMUD’s power system and can utilize advanced tools to help resolve adverse grid conditions to ensure that the system is operating in its optimal state. The selected candidate will analyze complex technical problems and apply engineering principles to develop solutions; diagnose operational and design problems in electrical systems; interpret drawings, schematics, statistical data, and reports. Additionally, the successful candidate must be able to interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations; operate modern office equipment including a computer terminal, systems, and software relevant to the job; present technical information in a clear and concise manner; communicate effectively, orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally.

Purpose

Performs professional technical and analytical functions in analyzing the performance of an assigned distribution system area and identifying corrective actions needed to ensure that the distribution system is configured to meet SMUD’s short-, medium- and long-range needs in an efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner and is in compliance with SMUD’s guidelines and applicable laws and regulations.

Nature and Scope

Serves as an advanced journey level resource in a relevant professional discipline; works independently on projects of moderate complexity; exercises independent judgment and discretion; may serve in a Lead role and assist in planning, coordinating, prioritizing, monitoring, and evaluating the work results in assigned area and in selecting, training, motivating, evaluating and developing lower-level personnel.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensures a safe, reliable, and economical power service to customers and to meet SMUD’s power needs; leads and performs complex distribution system planning and design including to monitor system planning and design; develops and maintains SMUD’s distribution system maintenance philosophy; develops, maintains, and revises safety practices related to planning and operations.
• Ensures that SMUD’s distribution system is configured and operated to provide the maximum output and the maximum operating flexibility within contractual, emissions, and other limits; conducts analyses of system performance and projected systems demands by forecasting electrical load growth, modeling and analyzing system impacts, identifying system deficiencies, recommending cost-effective corrective actions, performing work justification studies, producing annual work plans for capital and O&M expenditures, evaluating new technologies, and reviewing safety trends to identify areas for improvement.
• Ensures that projects and programs meet SMUD and other standards for cost-effectiveness, safety, and quality of power produced; provides high-level expertise and guidance by providing technical review of community projects and programs with potential SMUD-wide impact, reviewing co-generation proposals to evaluate system impacts, drafting interconnection agreements including required mitigation, evaluating the impact of distributed technologies including energy efficiency and dispersed generation, performing technical and economical analysis of distribution automation alternatives, identifying and recommending automation investments, and performing detailed analysis of power quality data and recommending and planning solutions to power quality related problems.
• Ensures the safe and reliable operation of the assigned distribution system and the achievement of SMUD’s business objectives; performs and leads the performance of activities related to system protection by identifying and resolving difficul