Senior Distribution System Engineer

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Minimum Pay Rate: $136,364.80 

Maximum Pay Rate: $180,606.40 

Civil Service Status: [[custCivilSvc]] 

Apply by Date: 02/05/2025 

Posting Type: Open 

 

In pursuit of it's Clean Energy Vision of zero carbon emissions by 2030, SMUD is leading the way to transform our utility and grid in a way that enables our customers to be part of the solution.  As such, we are seeking an individual to lead SMUD’s strategy in the transformation of our grid in the face of an increasingly distributed future in achieving our zero carbon goals.  This position will report to the Manager of Distributed Energy Strategy, and will focus on building and evaluating strategies that help evolve and advance interconnection, planning, and operational approaches to leveraging DERs to deliver on the distribution challenges posed by large-scale electrification of buildings and transportation as well as leverage these devices to accelerate decarbonization of the energy supply in a cost-effective way.  This grid strategist will define and coordinate the implementation of strategy for SMUD’s distribution system to support strategic priorities such as reliability and resilience, zero carbon, inclusion and affordability, as well as provide leadership to advance the analytical tools and processes to enable this change. This work will include: 

 

Leading the development of SMUD’s Integrated Distribution Resource Plan (iDRP)
Coordinating data, studies and analytical needs between Integrated Distribution Resource Planning (iDRP), Integrated Resources Planning (IRP), Distribution Planning, and Grid Operations Planning;
Helping ensure that Zero Carbon solutions, requirements and opportunities are reflected in distribution planning studies; and
Developing analytical tools and approaches capable of realistically capturing a zero-carbon operations and planning environment.
 

This position sits within the Zero Carbon Energy Solutions organization, which works on all planning, generation, program, R&D, and grants solutions to achieving our Clean Energy Vision. 

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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 short-, medium- and long-range needs in an efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner and is in compliance with SMUD 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 power needs; leads and performs complex distribution system planning and design including to monitor system planning and design; develops and maintains SMUD 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 OandM 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 business objectives; performs and leads