Job Type: Engineering/Engineering Support

Pay Range $124,000 to $149,000

Location Colorado Springs, CO

Date First Posted 5/12/23

Distribution Planning Electrical Engineer

*This job is eligible for relocation assistance*

Who We Are...

Colorado Springs Utilities offers a 100-year reputation for providing electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater services to the Pikes Peak Region. As a municipal utility, our mission is to provide safe, reliable, and competitively priced utilities to our customers. Our organizational values of Safety, People, Trust, Responsibility, Collaboration, and Continuous Improvement, serve as the guiding principles and foundation of our culture. In fact, we have been recognized with the Diamond Designation from the American Public Power Association (APPA) for having some of the highest ratings in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvements among the more than 2,000 public utilities in the nation. Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is the perfect blend of mountain and city living, boasting breathtaking scenery, abundant recreational activities, and diverse populations. Join us as we plan for the energy future of our city!

Why you should join our team…

As a Senior Distribution Planning Electrical Engineer, you will join our Energy Planning department responsible for ensuring the forecasting, planning, reliability performance, and grid modernization of our electric distribution system as Colorado Springs continues to expand its infrastructure. Our team leads modeling efforts to determine potential constraints on our system, determine future growth potential, and design the infrastructure to replace, expand or develop innovative solutions for our electric distribution system.

In this role, you will provide technical direction, guidance, expertise, and oversight to our team of engineers to support the success of our future innovative projects. You will also be responsible for working with other teams and leading the development of innovative, complex, and high-profile plans and projects to support the rapidly expanding infrastructure across our service territory.

What will you be doing?

• Developing and implementing innovative system plans, policies, procedures, processes, and guidelines regarding engineering best practices and techniques for a sustainable future

• Performing system studies for feeder loading, phase balancing, voltages, reactive power, protection coordination and contingency planning using Synergi® Electric modeling software

• Documenting study results and developing long-term system plans including engineering economic and present value analysis for proposed projects

• Performing as a technical expert on all aspects of the electric distribution system and equipment from 34.5 kV down to secondary voltages

• Planning for and supporting complex electrical engineering projects, including developing budgets, estimating costs, tracking changes, and monitoring schedules

• Developing forecasts and performing short- and long-range planning for projects; using LoadSEER forecasting tool to optimize system forecasts with grid modernization scenarios

• Preparing feasibility studies, including project scope, preliminary designs, estimates, investment, and operation costs

• Leading or providing technical expertise in the development and evaluation of existing and future distributed energy resources, microgrids, demand-side management, distribution automation and smart technology programs including documentation

• Working with transmission, distribution, and distributed energy resource planning engineers to identify areas requiring upgrades for capacity, reliability, voltage control, aging equipment and performance enhancement projects on the distribution systems

Who you are...

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering is required (with an emphasis in Power Systems is helpful).

• A master's degree or advanced certifications in Engineering or Business Management is desirable

• Professional Engineer (PE) certification is highly desired

• Extensive and progressively responsible electric distribution engineering experience including system protection, automated device programming, and operational practices

• Experience using Synergi® Electric modeling software is highly beneficial

• Ability and desire to lead, mentor, train, and support other field support engineers on various projects and skillsets

• Ability to tailor communication and information in a way that ensures understanding and secures buy-in and trust

This position will be filled as either an Engineer IV ($124,000 to $136,000/yr) or an Engineer V ($136,000 to $149,000/yr) depending on the qualifications and abilities of the selected candidate.

Our Commitment to our Employees…

Our people are the heart and soul of Colorado Springs Utilities. They keep the lights on, gas flowing, water coming in, and wastewater leaving. We do not just say people are important – we prove it! That’s why we are honored to invest in protecting the health and financial security of our employees and their families through our rich benefits program.

• Time Off – Because everybody needs time off to rechargeVacation – New employees accrue 13 days of paid time off to start, while our more tenured employees accrue 24 days per year

• Personal Leave –3 days per year of personal leave

• Paid Holidays –10 paid holidays per year

• Sick Leave – Accrue 12 days of sick leave annually for those days when you or a family member is feeling under the weather

• Vacation Buy – Purchase up to 40 hours of additional vacation time

• Pension Plan – Looking forward to a comfortable lifestyle once you’re done working? The Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) provides you with retirement benefits and peace of mind when you retire

• Medical – Select from three comprehensive medical plans, starting at $10.00 a month. Employees also enjoy access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

• Wellness Program – Voluntary wellness program that allows you and your spouse to each earn up to $500 to use towards healthcare expenses, $100 in Visa gift cards, and up to $400 in gym membership reimbursements

• Dental – Select from two dental plans, with in-network PPO preventive care covered at 100% and access to orthodontia coverage

• Vision – Voluntary plan that covers full vision care services and discounts on LASIK eye surgery

• Retirement Saving Programs – Supplement your pension plan with voluntary retirement programs such as the PERAPlus 401(k) and MissionSquare’s Roth IRA and 457 plans

• Disability Coverage – Short-Term (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance available for purchase

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Makes the going a little easier by aiding with mental health, stress management, work-life balance, financial and legal matters, and much more

• Long-Term Care Insurance (LTC) – Whether it's due to an accident or a serious illness, LTC insurance is available for purchase to help you and your loved ones

• Life Insurance – Company-paid life insurance and supplemental coverage are available

• Tuition Reimbursement – Employees are eligible to receive up to $5,250 annually for Tuition Reimbursement

• Qualifying Public Service Employer – Payments made towards student loans may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ProgramCurious about joining our team? Learn more at https://coloradospringsutilities.jobs/jobs/

ATTENTION :

• All positions will be posted for a minimum of 5 calendar days.

• Starting pay will be determined within the posted pay range based on the experience, education, and training of the successful candidate; if there is a single pay rate posted, the job starts at that rate.

• Colorado Springs Utilities does not sponsor work visas of any kind (including but not limited to F-1, H-1B, or TN visas). Eligible applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

Colorado Springs Utilities is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Our differences make us richer. Learning and growing from one another makes us more than what we were. We want our workforce to be as diverse as our business and recognize the limitless benefits of this commitment. Our desire is to have the organization reflect the diversity of the Pikes Peak Region. As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, it is our commitment that no person shall be unlawfully discriminated against because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, religious convictions, veteran status, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Affirmative Action is Colorado Springs Utilities’ effort to ensure positive steps are taken to have a representative workforce reflective of the relevant available labor force.

For more information regarding applicant rights, visit https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm

Accessibility Accommodations . If you are an individual with a disability or disabled veteran who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, you may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting us at accessibility@csu.org or by calling 719-668-7500. This option is reserved for individuals who are unable to use or require assistance with the online tools as the result of a disability and is not intended for other purposes.

E-Verify and Right to Work Notice . Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. Colorado Springs Utilities participates in E-Verify. For more information on your rights and responsibilities as an applicant, please visit: http://coloradospringsutilities.jobs/applicants-rights-and-responsibilities/ . If you have a legal right to work in the United States, there are laws to protect you against discrimination in the workplace. You should know that no employer can deny you a job or fire you because of your national origin. Unless mandated by law or government contract, employers cannot require you to be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident or refuse any legally acceptable documents. If any of these things have happened to you, you may have a valid charge of discrimination that can be filed with the OSC. Contact the OSC for assistance in your own language. Call 1-800-255-7688. TDD for the hearing impaired is 1-800-237-2515. In the Washington, D.C., area, please call 202-616-5594, TDD 202-616-5525 Or write to: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel NYA 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20530.

Have a question? If you have a question about a position or need assistance from a recruiter, email us at csurecruiting@csu.org or call 719-668-7500.

Job Type: Engineering/Engineering Support