Hydro Controls Engineer / Specialist (Birmingham or Atlanta)

Hydro Controls Engineer / Specialist
SCS, Technical Shared Services - I&C Field Support

WORK LOCATION, SCHEDULE, & TRAVEL

• This position is flexible to be based out of either Birmingham, AL (The Energy Center) or Atlanta, GA (GPC Headquarters).
• Work schedule (in-office, field and telecommute); currently four (4) days in-office and one (1) day telecommute (subject to adjustment).
• This position will require a mixture of both field and office work. 
• Extensive travel in Georgia, and in some cases Alabama, to the various hydroelectric plants is required, including some overnight travel and some travel on short notice.
• This position will require some travel (days and overnight – if you live in Atlanta, up to 25%; if you live in Birmingham, up to 50%).
• Periodic state side travel may be required for factory acceptance tests and shop inspections.
• Relocation assistance may be provided if the successful candidate does not currently live within a reasonable commute distance.

JOB SUMMARY

This position is responsible for supporting the plant engineering needs for Southern Company’s hydroelectric power plants, primarily within Georgia Power but occasionally supporting hydro plants in Alabama Power.  This position interfaces with plant operators/hydro journeymen, superintendents, and managers to identify, troubleshoot, and solve hydro plant operations and maintenance issues.  I&C engineers will be heavily involved in the Hydro Modernization program and have primary technical responsibility for the I&C scope of work for Modernization projects.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Education: 

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering (ABET accredited) or related technical degree
• Associate degree in Engineering Technology, Industrial Controls, or related technical degree 

Experience:

• Minimum three (3) years of experience working with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and/or Distributed Control System (DCS) is required. 
• Experience working in an industrial setting is required.  
• Previous power plant experience is highly desired.
• Experience working on large industrial projects supporting start-up, engineering, construction, and project management.
• Experience working on project teams in various roles (design, technical support, project engineer, etc.).
• Knowledge of control system design (DCS or PLC systems, Ovation experience strongly preferred)
• Basic knowledge of networking design and troubleshooting is preferred
• Knowledge of networking protocols such as Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus Serial, DNP3, OPC, Profibus, Allen Bradley (A-B) Ethernet, etc) is required. 
• Knowledge of industry cyber security best practices including physical and electronic access controls is desirable. 
• Operational Technology (OT) and Windows Server administration, including Active Directory, OS patching, and anti-malware are desired. 
• Knowledge of instrumentation design (temperature, level, pressure, flow, vibration, position, and speed measurement) is required

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has cradle to grave responsibility for small and large projects, working with hydro plant personnel to: identify problem, develop viable solutions, assess options and select solution, find relevant vendors, and provide technical direction for installation and commissioning.  Project management duties for small projects can be the responsibility of this position.

For larger projects, this position will work on a multidisciplinary team serving as a I&C Subject Matter Expert (SME).  In this role, the position would be responsible for writing or reviewing specifications, reviewing logic and graphic design, reviewing electrical design pertaining to control system, reviewing mechanical design pertaining to instrumentation and process control, providing drawings to contract partners, reviewing design drawings from internal or external groups, and providing technical support for demo, installation, and commissioning.  This position would also interface with, provide support for, and attend meetings scheduled for these larger projects.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS)

• Knowledge of medium voltage switchgear
• Knowledge of DC power systems 125VDC to 24VDC
• Basic knowledge of Generator and Excitation system operation is desirable
• Basic knowledge of mechanical systems in hydroelectric power plants is desired: pumps, piping systems, heat exchangers, rolling element and fluid film bearings
• Basic knowledge of machine design