Job Details

Position Summary

The System Planning Engineer 3 has a complete understanding of distribution engineering and oversees every aspect of the strategic planning and optimization of the gas and electric distribution systems. The System Planning Engineer 3 is responsible for developing a comprehensive five-year Construction Work Plan and 10-year load forecast to ensure alignment between system capacity, capital budgets, and anticipated demand. This role designs infrastructure, conducts sophisticated system analyses, manages capital budgets, and ensures compliance with industry standards and regulatory safety protocols. The System Planning Engineering 3 directly contributes to our organizational goal of providing safe, reliable, and economical service by overseeing the budgeting, planning, and implementation of all system improvements and expansions.

This position can adapt their problem-solving approach to each situation and prepare detailed technical analysis with minimal oversight. The System Planning Engineer 3 role requires advanced engineering expertise, regulatory knowledge, and project management skills.

Primary Position Responsibilities

• Responsible for five-year Construction Work Plan that specifies system improvements, capital budgets, and schedules that are required to meet the expected demand of the gas and electric distribution systems throughout the planning period.
• Prepares 10-year load forecast for the Construction Work Plan, ERCOT ALDR, and transmission and substation budget.
• Responsible for gas and electric infrastructure capital budgets, including new services, system improvements, relocations, and maintenance.
• Designs gas and electric facilities to be placed into the system, including sizing pipe, estimating meter and regulator capacity, calculating pressure and demand requirements for new services, and assessing district regulators.
• Determines the size and location for backbone gas and electric infrastructure using knowledge of infrastructure design and construction.
• Reviews designs new services and advises the proper protective equipment and system configuration that are required to serve the additional load.
• Uses engineering models to perform system analyses, including system stability, fault current, contingency planning, and load and capacity forecasting.
• Prepares load analyses to comply with PUCT and ERCOT emergency protocols related to load shed and under-frequency relaying.
• Performs engineering calculations and analysis, including load flow, pressure drop, Btu factors, system looping, meter and regulator capacities, and reinforcement studies.
• Calculates short circuit currents and performs fault current analysis to determine size, setting, and location of protective devices.
• Advise Operations personnel during outage and power quality investigations, including equipment failures, grounding, harmonics, ferroresonance, voltage sags and swells, flicker, animal protection, tree trimming, recloser and breaker operations, etc.
• Provide technical guidance to less experienced team members.
• Responsible for balancing load between substations to prevent equipment overload and alleviate capacity constraints.
• Performs interconnection analyses of motors, DERs, redundant services, and other sensitive loads to identify the impacts to the system. Determines necessary service improvements and coordinates with project stakeholders.
• Applies different statistical analysis techniques to various datasets.
• Produces cost estimates on various projects and monitors costs as projects proceed.
• Determines easement requirements for infrastructure and coordinates acquisition with Right Of Way Department.
• Provides technical guidance to Members and customers relating to gas and electric services, policies, procedures, and programs.
• Collaborates with other engineers, consulting engineering firms, and contractors for the design and construction of city-gate meter and regulator stations, district laterals, main and service lines, and related facility designs.
• Coordinates planned system expansions and improvements from the five-year construction work plan with project stakeholders.
• Manages system power factor to ensure compliance with ERCOT nodal protocols.
• Prepares reports related to standard reliability indices to benchmark and prioritize distribution circuits for upgrades.
• Applies knowledge of distribution system and service territory to advise Business Development teams reasonable options for new loads.
• Coordinates system capacity allocations with customer load estimates and construction schedules from the Business Development Department.
• Advises Customer Services and Billing Departments on technical matters concerning energy usage and demand.
• Collects field data necessary to maintain system model accuracy.
• Develops and maintains a working knowledge of Texas Railroad Commission and Public Utility Commission of Texas regulations and rules, as well as local codes and ordinances.
• Develops and maintains working knowledge industry codes, including NFPA, NESC, IEEE, and NEMA.
• Complies with established CoServ safety and operating rules, procedures and guidelines including reporting unsafe practices to a supervisor.
• Complies with established CoServ Information Security Handbook, policies, procedures, and guidelines including reporting suspected information security incidents to Tech Support.

Secondary Position Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains a thorough knowledge and recognition of construction units, specifications, requirements, and construction practices.
• Develops and maintains a thorough knowledge of the equipment specifications for gas and electric infrastructure.
• Strives for excellence and process improvement on a consistent basis.
• Assists Designers, Staking Techs, and Project Managers with knowledge and understanding of infrastructure design and construction.
• Attends industry conferences and trainings to stay abreast of the latest developments related to gas and electric distribution safety, efficiency, and reliability.
• Reviews designs, construction records, and inspection reports for accuracy.
• Attends regularly scheduled safety meetings and completes monthly online topics.
• Attends professional development conferences, webinars and workshops as directed.
• Communicates with team members, project stakeholders, Members, and customers in a timely and professional manner.
• Attends Business Development and/or Developer appointments as required.
• Assures that all safety precautions, procedures, and rules are followed.
• Maintains accurate and detailed work records that can be easily referenced.
• Maintains company provided tools and equipment in proper working condition.
• Operates company vehicles in a safe manner.
• Stays informed concerning all development activities within the CoServ Gas area of interest.
• Attends Smith Driving, CPR, and other CoServ required training.
• Attends CoServ University required training.
• Ability to travel, when necessary for business and training.
• Ability to work flexible or extended hours as needed or directed.
• Performs other duties and activities as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None

Position Requirements

Experience, Education and Certifications Required

• Bachelor of Science from an ABET accredited university in Electrical, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering.
• 4 years of experience in the gas or electric utility industry.
• Professional Engineering License from the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Experience, Education and Certifications Preferred

• 6 years of experience in the gas or electric utility industry.

Skills and Abilities Required

• Experience using ESRI and ARC FM mapping software.
• Experience using Synergi Gas network modeling software.
• Skilled in developing and delivering oral and written presentations.
• Ability to work both independently with minimal supervision as well as in teams.
• Knowledge of Engineering Analysis software, such as Milsoft WindMil, ETAP, CYME, etc.
• Knowledgeable about CIS and MDM systems.
• Working knowledge of 16 TAC Part 1 and 49 CFR Part 192 relating to pipeline safety regulations
• Ability to work under deadlines and to solve problems effectively.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Develop a working knowledge of the company's service area, distribution system, and system construction.
• Develop a working knowledge of Company's tariff policies, rules, regulations, and procedures.
• Have basic skills in the operation and functions of computers including, but not limited to, Windows applications, Excel, Word, Outlook, and Internet Explorer.

Skills and Abilities Preferred

• None

Physical Requirements

• Works both in the office, remotely, and field environment.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 pounds.
• Drives company vehicle as needed.
• Operates office equipment such as a computer, telephone, fax machine, copier, etc.
• Ability to sit for long periods of time.
• Works in potentially hazardous conditions caused by pets and wildlife in or near the work site.
• Works in areas with possible exposure to poison oak, poison ivy, and insect stings.

Other Requirements

• Must have and maintain a valid Texas driver's license.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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