Platte River Power Authority is a not-for-profit, community-owned public power utility that generates and delivers safe, reliable, environmentally responsible and financially sustainable energy and services to Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, for delivery to their utility customers.
At Platte River, we share a sense of purpose and pride in the value we add to our communities, our region and the energy industry. We rely on our staff to sustain our leadership role in the region and to help us work toward our goal to achieve a 100% noncarbon energy mix within the next decade. To accomplish this, we offer competitive pay and benefits, state-of-the-art workplaces at both headquarters and the Rawhide Energy Station, and the following unique benefits:
- Onsite, fully-equipped gym facilities
- Fleet cars for use by staff for local business travel
- Employee rewards, health and financial wellness programs
- Volunteer days and opportunities to participate in community events
- Culture of respect, commitment and camaraderie
If you’re searching for a collaborative working environment within a mid-sized organization that values innovative ideas, diverse perspectives and provides opportunities to make a difference, consider joining the Platte River team.
Job summary
The distributed energy resources engineer develops distributed energy resources (DERs) and integration solutions in support of Platte River’s resource diversification policy and strategic initiatives. They lead in the research, development, recommendation, procurement, and implementation of DERs and integration solutions. Solutions may include information, communication, and control technologies; data management systems and services; and interconnection policies. This work is performed in consultation with owner community utility staff to develop DERs and ensure visibility, predictability, reliability, and responsiveness to electric system operators.
We’re looking for an experienced DER engineer who enjoys tackling new challenges requiring innovation and collaboration to welcome as the newest addition to our team. Solutions should reflect the input of the owner communities, technological considerations, utility best- and emerging-practices and align with organizational values.
Application deadline: Friday, November 29 at 5:00 pm MST
Work schedule and environment
This position works a typical Monday through Friday schedule in an office setting and is eligible for hybrid workdays within a commutable distance from Platte River’s headquarters campus in Fort Collins. Minimal effort to lift and carry light objects is occasionally required.
Essential duties and responsibilities
- Researches, develops, and implements DER projects and integration solutions for visibility, predictability, reliability, and responsiveness to electric system operators.
- Supports development of a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) capable of providing dispatchable capacity as a virtual power plant (VPP).
- Collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop DER projects and integration solutions considering distribution, transmission, generation, IT, cybersecurity, and customer energy solutions perspectives.
- Coordinates data collection from advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and DERs using sensors, communication networks, and other technologies.
- Develops and implements strategies to integrate data from diverse sources into DERMS and associated platforms.
- Manages data for accurate, reliable, and secure collection from DERs, including data cleansing, validation, and storage.
- Analyzes data to optimize DER performance and identify opportunities for demand response, load shifting, and grid balancing at the distribution level as well as within SPP’s RTO market.
- Acts as technical lead to support efficient and accurate market settlements and customer settlements (e.g., incentives).
- Stays updated on emerging technologies and industry trends impacting DER integration.
- Serves as technical lead/liaison between Platte River and the owner communities on DERMS and VPP operations (e.g., advanced distribution management systems (ADMS), interconnection standards).
- Maintains awareness of individual owner community planning and solution development and implementation.
- Ensures compliance with regulatory and reliability requirements for DER integration.
- Manages consultants, vendors and trade allies for project development and solutions implementation.
- Engages with stakeholders to gain support for DER initiatives.
- Develops and manages project budgets.
- Keeps current with regulations and SPP protocols related to DER performance and monetization.
- Participates in SPP stakeholder working groups related to DER and VPP resources.
- Maintains awareness of technology development and utility integration approaches.
- Works with DER leadership to align with department goals and address challenges.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, skills, and abilities
Required
- Communication: Excellent written and verbal skills.
- DER Solutions: Ability to research, develop, recommend, and implement DER solutions.
- Technical Knowledge: Extensive understanding of DERMS, VPP technology, and related information, communication, and control technologies.
- Standards: Knowledge of DER standards (e.g., IEEE 1547-2018, IEEE 2030.5, OpenADR).
- Analytical Skills: Strong proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques, including data mining, statistical analysis, and machine learning.
- Programming: Experience with programming languages and database management systems.
- Data Utilization: Experience using AMI and DER data for performance analysis, measurement, and verification.
- Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects effectively.
- Problem-Solving: Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Teamwork: Excellent relationship-building, teamwork, and leadership abilities.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to engage and gain support from diverse stakeholders through open dialogue and an enthusiastic approach.
Preferred
- Knowledge of distribution system planning and operations.
- Knowledge of utility systems (e.g., ADMS, AMI, MDMS, SCADA, CIS).
- Knowledge of DER operations in an organized wholesale market (e.g., SPP, MISO, CAISO, NYISO).
- Knowledge of NERC and FERC requirements, especially FERC Order 2222 and FERC Order 841.
Your qualifications
At minimum, we’re looking for:
- A bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, or related field.
- A valid driver’s license and ability to remain insurable on a corporate vehicle liability policy.
- 5 years in DER project development and implementation in a utility setting, focusing on enhancing system visibility, predictability, reliability, and responsiveness.
- 5 years in data acquisition, integration, and management, preferably in the energy sector.
- 5 years in information, communication, and control technology, ideally related to DERs.
- 3 years in leading and working within cross-functional teams.
Preferred criteria:
- 3 years in utility systems such as ADMS, SCADA, AMI, MDMS, and CIS.
- A master's degree, Professional Engineer (PE) license, or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Pay
This is a salaried-exempt role; salaries are paid bi-weekly. Factors that may be used to determine actual salary include specific skills, years of experience, education, and certifications.
- Anticipated hiring range: $129,162 to $158,311 if annualized.
- Job pay range: $129,162 to $187,357 if annualized.
Platte River Power Authority offers employees an outstanding benefits package. Benefits offered for this position may include the following:
- Health insurance options including a PPO and high deductible health savings account with prescription drug coverage
- Telemedicine
- Benefit advocacy
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Flexible spending plan
- Basic life insurance
- Basic accidental death and disability
- Dependent life and supplemental life insurance options (voluntary)
- Accidental death and disability insurance (voluntary)
- Long-term disability insurance
- Retirement plans 401a defined contribution plan 457b deferred compensation plan
- Paid holidays (12 annually)
- Paid time off: personal and sick leave
- Wellness program
- In-house training opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement
- Employee assistance program
For additional information, please see our website careers page at: https://www.prpa.org/careers/benefits/
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
Platte River endeavors to make our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please call us at 970-229-5323 or email
[email protected].
Must be legally eligible to work in the United States. Platte River cannot provide employment to applicants who will require sponsorship now or in the future (i.e. H1B visa, OPT status).
