Senior Electrical Engineer

This is a continuous recruitment. This recruitment may close without notice once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

To apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/alamedaca/jobs/5105281/senior-electrical-engineer?

The City of Alameda is searching for its next Senior Electrical Engineer to support Alameda Municipal Power (AMP).

About Alameda Municipal Power
In 1887, the City of Alameda paid $20,000 for the installations of 13 streetlights and a 90-kW generating station to power them. And with that, the oldest public electric utility west of the Mississippi was created. Today, the City of Alameda is still in the power business and still a trendsetter. Now known as Alameda Municipal Power (AMP), we have survived over a century and a quarter of utility mergers that created behemoths in other places. AMP has provided safe reliable power at lower rates without sacrificing service to power our community. We maintain local control so that we can re-invest in the island and provide value to enrich our lives, businesses, and the community. We've seen a lot of change in 130 years, but through it all there's been one constant: We're as committed today to delivering safe and reliable electricity to the residents and businesses of Alameda as we were in 1887. We'll continue to invest in new and improved ways of doing business to manage costs, improve our service, and improve the environment.

Position Overview

AMP is seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Electrical Engineer to lead complex substation, distribution, and automation engineering projects. Reporting to the Engineering Manager, this position provides technical leadership to engineering and technical staff, oversees design and construction activities, and ensures compliance with AMP standards and regulatory requirements.

This is a senior-level professional role requiring advanced technical expertise, sound engineering judgment, and strong leadership skills to guide project teams and deliver high-quality, reliable power solutions to the community.

BENEFITS OF EMPLOYMENT

For a comprehensive list of benefits, see the Benefit Matrix here

• Four-day, 36-hour work week (typically Monday through Thursday)
• CalPERS Retirement: Classic Members: 2% at 55 formula, 8.868% contribution;New Members 2% @ 62 formula, 8.25% contribution.
• Medical: The City contracts with CalPERS to provide comprehensive health coverage to employees. Multiple HMO and PPO plans available, with a generous City contribution towards medical premiums.
• Dental: Comprehensive dental coverage provided to employees and their eligible dependents.
• Vacation: Starting with 75 hours annually and increasing with years of service.
• Management Incentive Leave: 27 hours of management leave per fiscal year.
• Holidays: 11 City Holidays
• Floating Holidays: 4 days
• Sick Leave: 90 hours annually; unused sick leave is converted to service credit at retirement.
• Deferred Compensation: Up to 1% 457(b) matching City contribution after 1 year of continuous service.

Distinguishing Features

The Senior Electrical Engineer is responsible for providing guidance and direction to professional and technical utility electrical engineering staff. This is a senior level professional engineer classification. Incumbents develop policy recommendations and make decisions or select courses of action based on data supplied by subordinate engineers, as well as perform complex technical calculations and design work. Work in this class is distinguished from that of lower classes by the overall responsibility for major and/or complex engineering projects or assignments, by the level and extent of supervisory responsibilities, and/or by the level of professional specialization and expertise required. Advanced technical skill, professional specialization and certification are required and will vary according to assignment.

Examples of Duties

This job specification is currently under review and pending Civil Service Board (CSB) approval. To view the current spec, please click here.
The following list of duties is intended only to describe the various types of work that may be performed and the level of technical complexity of the assignment(s) and is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties. The omission of a specific duty statement does not exclude it from the position if the work is consistent with the concept of the classification or is similar or closely related to another duty statement.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Essential Duties

• Prepares plans, specifications and cost estimates for complex electrical equipment and installations; recommends system additions and improvements.
• Manages and oversees internal and external construction projects; coordinates with developers, design consultants, and contractors to ensure designs and construction comply to standards. Works with developers, contractors and compliance inspectors to resolve conflicts or design changes. Performs testing and acceptance of work and equipment.
• Reviews and approves the work of engineering and technical staff, including completed project designs. Resolves design, construction, and maintenance issues. Provides guidance to Engineering and Operations personnel on new equipment and smart device technologies.
• Reviews customer design permit application package for new business, subdivisions, and service upgrades. Coordinates and communicates with customers, developers, outside consultants, contractors, and other city departments to ensure compliance with AMP safety and construction standards.
• Performs complex engineering design for transmission, substation and distribution protective relaying using microprocessor-based relays, including relay logic and settings configurations. Prepares relay testing and commissioning forms. Guides electrical maintenance technicians and engineers in testing and understanding various protective schemes. Updates substation equipment schematic and wiring diagram for any completed modifications or upgrades
• Performs various complex engineering analysis and studies, including but not limited to short circuit, arc flash, power factor correction, protection coordination, voltage drops and pole loading.
• Utilizes various software applications, such as Microsoft Office, GIS, system modeling software, and various specialized equipment and protective relay software.
• Provides guidance to electrical maintenance technicians on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) database mapping and Human Machine Interface (HMI) configurations. Integrates new microprocessor based protective relays and automation controllers into SCADA systems, including testing, commissioning and system operator training.
• Provides technical support in troubleshooting SCADA issues including fiber communications, Ethernet switches, Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and Real Time Automation Controller (RTAC) devices. Investigates and resolves SCADA alarms, software and hardware problems, and performs device firmware upgrades.
• Investigates and analyzes system events using the events file gathered from the microprocessor relays and SCADA. Provides findings and technical recommendations and corrective measures.
• Provides technical support and consulting to other internal divisions/sections, consultants, and other City departments.
• Reviews, researches and recommends updates to construction standards, engineering design guidelines, rules and regulations, and equipment and material technical specifications.
• Supervises professional engineers and technicians conducting system studies such as system planning, loss evaluation, protection coordination and load forecasting.
• Prepares and reviews technical specifications and statements of work for labor, materials, and equipment procurement. Conducts feasibility studies and market research; evaluates bids and prepares reports for the Public Utilities Board.
• Assists the Engineering Manager in preparing budgets, identifying priorities projects, and developing cost estimates.
• Provides engineering support to substation, operations and maintenance personnel in emergency situations such as outages, equipment malfunctions, and field construction issues

Other Duties:

• Performs related duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Indoor office environment with periodic visits to field, substations, or construction sites.
• Occasional exposure to electrical hazards, noise, dust, and varying weather conditions during field work.
• Noise level is usually moderate in the office and may be loud in field or substation environments.
• May be required to work extended hours, evenings, or weekends to meet project deadlines or respond to emergency situations.
• Work may require travel between various AMP facilities and City offices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate objects, controls, and tools such as computers, testing equipment, and standard office devices.
• Vision abilities required to read and interpret plans, schematics, specifications, and various technical documents in electronic and paper formats.
• Frequently required to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to bend, stoop, kneel, climb, or reach overhead during field inspections or site visits.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Hearing and speaking to exchange information and communicate clearly in person, by telephone, or by radio in field and office environments.

Employment Standards

Education/Experience

Any combination equivalent to education and experience likely to provide the required knowledge and abilities. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education: Graduation from an accredited college with a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering.

Experience: Six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in the distribution system planning, design, and operation of electric utility power systems, including distribution, transmission and substation protection; at least two (2) years of which must have been in a lead or supervisory role, or leading projects and initiatives.

Knowledge

Knowledge of principles and practices of professional electrical engineering applicable to planning, operation, maintenance, design and construction of overhead and underground electrical systems; transmission, substation and distribution system protection and coordination, various electrical equipment operation and application; concepts and electrical systems related to engineering analysis of reliability, power quality, root cause and SCADA communication systems; principles and methods of public administration; effective methods, principles and practices of supervision and employee evaluation; effective customer service/relations principles and practices; local, state and federal codes, regulations, and laws related to electric utilities; project planning and administration; residential, commercial and industrial business needs; business mathematics; correct English usage including spelling, punctuation, and grammar; personal computers including hardware and software applications related to the work; effective methods of communication, both oral and written; effective conflict resolution techniques; applicable technical information and aspects of the electric utility industry; principles and procedures of record keeping; principles, practices and techniques of project management including contract administration and compliance; effective methods of policy development and implementation; research and statistical techniques and methodology; problem resolution methods and practices related to business process analysis.

Ability

Ability to effectively plan, coordinate and supervise electrical engineering and project management activities; plan, administer and evaluate work projects and schedules; manage complex major projects; demonstrate effective leadership and gain consensus an support; prepare, read, and interpret plans, specifications and descriptions and technical reports; interpret and apply complex governmental regulations; effectively present technical information to a non-technical audience; establish and maintain accurate records; plan, administer and evaluate work programs and schedules, draw valid conclusions and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; prepare and present complex technical studies and reports; operate computer equipment and utilize specialized software; set priorities, meet deadlines, and make sound decisions; maintain level of knowledge required for satisfactory job performance; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, contractors, consultants, the general public and representatives of other agencies, supervise, train and evaluate assigned staff; perform related duties as required

Other Requirements

Possession of a valid California Driver’s License and satisfactory driving record at the time of appointment is required as a condition of initial and continued employment only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than the employee’s ability to get to/from various work locations in a timely manner, is necessary to perform the essential functions of the position.

Registration as a Professional Electrical Engineer in the State of California is required at the time of application.

Selection Process: The examination process may include an application and supplemental questionnaire evaluation, a written exam, a performance exam, and/or an oral interview. The examination process may test for, but is not limited to, the essential knowledge and abilities listed in the job specification and announcement and will be designed to provide a comprehensive review of each candidate's technical knowledge and overall suitability for the position. Qualified applicants will be notified of the exact date, time, and location of examinations approximately two weeks in advance.

Candidates passing all components of the examination process will be placed on an Eligible List. A list of names is certified to the department(s) having vacancies based on the type of examination conducted pursuant to the provision of the City's Civil Service Rules. Final selection will be made from the Eligible List by the Department Head subject to approval by the City Manager. The Department Head may utilize additional selection procedures to make a final hiring decision. Placement on an Eligible List does not guarantee employment. Prior to appointment, a thorough reference check will be conducted which may include a credit check and background. The selection process may be evaluated and revised based on the number of qualified applicants. Federal law requires that prior to employment, you must furnish proof of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States, as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

E-Verify: The City of Alameda utilizes the Federal government's E-Verify program and new employees must provide documentation to establish both identity and work authorization, which includes showing a valid United States Social Security card at the time of hire (photocopies not accepted).

Veteran's Preference Credit: A job applicant qualifies as a veteran if honorably discharged from active military, reservist, or National Guard duty of at least 18 consecutive months within the past five (5) years of the date of application. In case of discharge attributable to service-connected injuries or illnesses, the 18 months active duty requirement need not be fulfilled. An applicant claiming veteran's preference credit must attach to their application, a legible copy of their DD-214 verifying the type of discharge and date(s) of active service. NO OTHER DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Candidates passing all components of the examination process will be placed on an Eligible List. A list of names is certified to the department(s) having vacancies based on the type of examination conducted pursuant to the provision of the City's Civil Service Rules. Final selection will be made from the Eligible List by the Department Head subject to approval by the City Manager. The Department Head may utilize additional selection procedures to make a final hiring decision. Placement on an Eligible List does not guarantee employment. Prior to appointment, a thorough reference check will be conducted which may include a credit check and background. The selection process may be evaluated and revised based on the number of qualified applicants. Federal law requires that prior to employment, you must furnish proof of your identity and eligibility for employment in the United States, as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The City of Alameda is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. In compliance with local, state and federal laws and regulations, the City of Alameda will employ and promote qualified individuals without regard to disability. The City is committed to making reasonable accommodations in the examination process and in the work environment. Individuals requesting reasonable accommodations in the examination process must do so no later than the final filing date for receipt of applications, otherwise it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Such requests should be addressed to the Human Resources Department | 1-510-747-4900 |hr@alamedaca.gov| 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Rm. 290, Alameda, 94501. Requests can be made via email, phone, or in writing via U.S. mail.

The information contained herein is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

For Benefits information, please visit our website at www.alamedaca.gov. A detailed summary for this position can be found under EUPA.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $163,369.00 - $198,575.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person