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Senior Systems Protection Engineer


Reports To Manager of Reliability Analysis
Location St. Paul, MN
Post Date 04/06/2023

To apply for this position, please send your resume and cover letter in an email to [email protected].


Position Summary

The Senior Systems Protection Engineer is responsible for analyzing system disturbances including reviewing protection system misoperations through the Electric Reliability Organization Event Analysis Process (ERO EAP). This position reviews the performance of protection systems and substation equipment during an event. This position provides protection system support and training to stakeholders and internal MRO departments.  This position also supports the Generator Winterization Program.

Competencies

Connection: Place importance on relationships within MRO, across the ERO Enterprise, and industry as we do our work. Connection allows staff to leverage the expertise of others and appreciate differences.

Curiosity: The foundation for innovation and creating alternatives by being interested and asking questions. Curiosity aids us in exercising the principle of independence and being objective. It is the antidote to bias.

Commitment: Support MRO’s Vision, Mission, and Core Principles that embody our accountability to maintain the public trust as we do our work and use our funding wisely.

Competency: Apply knowledge, expertise, and experience with integrity to produce excellent work while being a thought leader.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Analyzes system disturbances, including review of protection system misoperations to determine the appropriate corrective action plans to avoid similar future events
  • Leads data collection efforts for the North American Electric Reliability Corporation Transmission Availability Data System (TADS) within the MRO region
  • Provides leadership and outreach to the stakeholders of the MRO Protective Relay Subgroup (PRS) by participating in quarterly meetings and reviewing misoperations
  • Supports the Bulk Electric System (BES) exception process by reviewing entity requests and determines if the requirements are satisfactory for exclusion based on historical flows and impact
  • Leads event analysis processes within the MRO region to ensure the event is properly categorized, coded, and lessons learned are documented and shared within the industry
  • Coordinates the review of events internally with the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Department and answers any questions or concerns that arise
  • Supports MRO’s Generator Winterization Program
  • Other duties as assigned

Qualifications, Education and Experience

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or another technical area directly applicable to the reliability of the BPS is required
  • A minimum of ten years of experience with utility protection systems (generator and/or transmission) is required
  • The ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing, to both technical and non-technical audiences, and to give presentations to large groups is required
  • Professional Engineer license is desirable

Supervisor Responsibility

  • Individual contributor role, no supervisory responsibilities

Physical Working Conditions and Travel Requirements

  • Standard office environment, requires mobility and sedentary work
  • The Senior Protection Systems Engineer must be available outside of business hours to respond to corporate matters
  • Travel Requirement: Approximately 10%; this position requires the ability to obtain documentation to allow for travel to and from Canada