Operations Engineer - OT Advanced Operations

FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of 3,780 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp.  [SC00] 

The Operational Technology (OT) Engineer works at FirstEnergy's Transmission or Distribution Control Center with a team of analysts and engineers in support of the Energy Management System (EMS) and Distribution Management System (DMS). The systems are critical, real-time, 7x24 applications that monitor and control the flow of power across the FirstEnergy transmission and distribution systems.

This position’s base reporting location can be Greensburg, PA; Akron, OH; Reading, PA; or Fairmont, WV. The position can be worked primarily remotely with occasional (1-2 days/week) work on-site.

Responsibilities Include:

• Providing primary maintenance and support of the EMS and DMS network application toolset (network model, state estimator, powerflow, and contingency analysis).
• Understanding the business functions to provide optimal solutions that are scalable, reliable, and cost effective.
• Providing technical leadership and support for the advanced power system applications.
• Managing & testing software, software configurations, and providing system database support; maintaining integrations and interfaces between systems.
• Managing schedules and coordinating modeling changes following established department procedures
• Providing engineering technical expertise to ensure the operational reliability of SCADA and real-time network analysis tools.
• Maintaining the dispatcher training simulators
• Maintaining the ICCP database for real-time data exchange with FE’s regional Transmission Operator, PJM.
• Acting as a liaison between OT, operations, and engineering functions.
• Supporting the development and maintenance of wide-area visualization operator tools
• Assisting in the creation of system documentation, version release notes, and training material. Conducting presentations and training as needed
• Developing a solid understanding of processes in FirstEnergy’s Power Delivery line of business, keeping up with developments in the electric utility industry at large, and being able to speak the language of the business.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from an ABET accredited institution is required.  Acceptable alternatives are: 

  • (1) a Professional Engineer’s (PE) License
  • (2) a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from an ABET accredited institution
  • (3) a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or technical field of study (non-ABET) plus an advanced degree in Electrical Engineering from a university with an ABET accredited Bachelor’s program.

• Solid computer skills with competency in Microsoft Office products (particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).  Computer programming ability (including SQL) considered a plus.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with people at all levels and with varying backgrounds.

• Detail-oriented, accurate, and able to understand and interpret complex technical information.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize and plan work, work on multiple concurrent tasks, and meet deadlines.

• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours and be available for call-in and after-hours support (7x24 operations) as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with relevant utility operations (transmission, distribution, generation)
• Familiarity with power flow and other engineering simulation software
• Previous SCADA and/or engineering experience
• Demonstrated analytical skills to effectively resolve technical problems.
• Data communications and networking skills/knowledge

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety

Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

Position Classification

Exempt

FirstEnergy Human Resources Team