Senior Protection and Control Technician

Arizona Public Service generates clean, reliable and affordable energy for 2.7 million Arizonans. Our service territory stretches across the state, from the border town of Douglas to the vistas of the Grand Canyon, from the solar fields of Gila Bend to the ponderosa pines of Payson. As the state’s largest and longest-serving energy provider, our more than 6,000 dedicated employees power our vision of creating a sustainable energy future for Arizona. Since our founding in 1886, APS has demonstrated a strong commitment to our customers in one of the country’s fastest growing states, earning a reputation for customer satisfaction, shareholder value, operational excellence and business integrity. Our present and future success depends on the creative and dedicated people of our company who demonstrate the principles outlined in the APS Promise: Design for Tomorrow, Empower Each Other and Succeed Together.  

Summary

The Senior Protection and Control Technician performs and/or directs personnel in the installation, shakedown, testing, maintenance and repair of protection, metering, and control system equipment to ensure safe and reliable operation of the Company's transmission and distribution facilities. May be responsible for project leadership and/or field engineered plant and/or substation construction projects involving the installation and/or modification of facilities. Coordinates project activities with other APS personnel or departments as needed.

Minimum Requirements

- BS EE degree or equivalent training and minimum of five (5) years related Protection and Control Commissioning experience.
- Ability to work and communicate effectively with contractors, and other associated department personnel.
- Must have an understanding of the Accident Prevention Manual and Human Performance Tools. The ability to apply and solve mathematical formulas using algebra and trigonometry. A thorough understanding of electronic circuit fundamentals.
- Requires advanced personal computer skills including working knowledge of both hardware and software applications (Dranitz, Fluke, Omicron, serveron, APT, Microsoft office, Maximo, acSELerator quickset, Hyperterminal, TOA preferred).

- A thorough understanding of three phase AC theory and the ability to use vectors.
- Understands zones of protection and considers potential implications to the system.
- Demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend protection and electrical wiring diagrams related to the functionality of control schematics.

- Requires proven technical expertise with little to no oversight. Requires experience in substation design concepts/protection scheme and electrical wiring practices relating to all substation controls.

- A comprehensive understanding of protection, metering, and control concepts for substation equipment including but not limited to breakers, transformers, CCVT, PT, Reactors, Capacitor banks.
- Ability to work on all types of relaying including electromechanical and microprocessor from manufactures including but not limited to Westinghouse, Basler, GE, SEL and Beckwith. Ability to work with communication devices, transducers, temperature monitors, busing monitors, and other communication devices. This also includes knowledge of supervisory equipment (SCADA) used by APS (examples: Orion, RTAC, D20, status and control modules).

- Job requires travel statewide, majority of activities (80%) are field related and must be capable of working extended workdays as well as overnight out of town assignments for extended periods.

- Must have a valid AZ driver's license.

Major Accountabilities

1) Perform site evaluations using one-line diagrams to validate field conditions. Interpret Engineering drawings, Construction Standards Manual, survey notes, Accident Prevention Manual, and other drawings.

2) Work in coordination with operations for outage scheduling in Transmission Outage Application (TOA) system and switching order development.

3) Develop new and/or redline existing control drawings for field engineered plant, substation and/or supervisory or automated transmission and distribution line equipment construction projects. Assist project coordinator by yellow lining and modifying (if necessary) primarily complex projects. Must have ability to field engineer, modify diagram prints/schematics per design standards as it relates to actual field conditions. Respond to emergent call outs, troubleshoot protection and control systems, and restore system(s) back to a normal state for distribution, EHV and fossil generation systems. Provide protection, metering, and control