Power Generation Senior Consulting Project Engineer – Water Conveyance (ESC)

Requisition ID # 25502 

Job Category : Engineering / Science 

Job Level : Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Power Generation

Job Location : San Francisco

Company

Based in San Francisco, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. And we deliver some of the nation’s cleanest energy to our customers in Northern and Central California. For PG&E, Together, Building a Better California is not just a slogan. It’s the very core of our mission and the scale by which we measure our success. We know that the nearly 16 million people who do business with our company count on our more than 24,000 employees for far more than the delivery of utility services. They, along with every citizen of the state we call home, also expect PG&E to help improve their quality of life, the economic vitality of their communities, and the prospect for a better future fueled by clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity employer that actively pursues and hires a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability status, medical condition, protected veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the job.

Department Overview

PG&E’s Power Generation Department maintains and operates one of the largest privately-owned hydroelectric systems in the nation. These renewable electric generation resources, located mostly at high elevation in California’s Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountain ranges, provide nearly 4,000 megawatts of generating capacity for our customers. PG&E’s hydroelectric system includes 67 powerhouses, 184 miles of canals, 41 miles of flumes, 135 miles of tunnels, 19 miles of penstocks, 98 reservoirs, and 142,000 acres of watershed lands all covered by 25 operating licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As an integral and active member of the Company team, Power Generation contributes to PG&E’s goal of becoming the leading utility in the United States.

Job Summary

This is a senior consulting-level project engineering position that supports Power Generation’s Asset Management programs to ensure public and employee safety, maintain hydroelectric infrastructure, and meet regulatory compliance requirements. The position requires mastery of senior-level project engineering duties and involves leading, consulting, and implementing engineering solutions for the department’s most complex, highest risk, and highest profile projects and programs.

The Senior Consulting Project Engineer is widely recognized as an expert within the company, as well as by external partners, regulators, and stakeholders. The position requires the application of expert judgment, a thorough understanding of regulatory guidelines and expectations for hydroelectric facilities, and extensive knowledge of the power generation industry. The Senior Consulting Project Engineer provides guidance and direction for surveillance and monitoring, condition assessment, engineering analysis, planning, and design of water conveyance facilities including canals, flumes, tunnels, and penstocks. The Senior Consulting Project Engineer also researches and develops new and unique engineering solutions; develops risk management and programmatic approaches to address high risk and/or system-wide issues; and applies extensive technical knowledge, experience, expertise, and negotiation skills to resolve complex challenges.

The Senior Consulting Project Engineer leads department-wide initiatives to develop, maintain, and/or improve engineering standards and processes; provides experienced leadership, coaching, and mentorship to support the development of less experienced engineers; and prepares and delivers high-level technical briefings, advice, and recommendations to upper management. Internal contacts are primarily with Power Generation personnel, PG&E internal services organizations, and company management at the officer, director and manager level. External contacts include engineering consultants, contractors, and regulators. May serve as the most senior level technical expert on a team. May partner with internal or external stakeholders to solve problems or explore alternative solutions. Responsibilities may include Privileged and Confidential work.

Job Responsibilities

The Senior Consulting Project Engineer performs the functions of Journey- and Senior-level Project Engineers, but for larger, more complex, technically challenging, higher risk exposure, and higher profile projects. Jobs duties include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting teams of engineers, consultants, contract technical personnel, and support staff in collecting and evaluating data, conducting assessments and technical studies, performing engineering analyses, preparing reports, and developing recommendations to support the safe and reliable performance of PG&E’s hydroelectric infrastructure, including dams, water conveyance systems, and appurtenant facilities
• Providing expert-level guidance and technical support for inspections, condition assessments, engineering analyses and designs, best practices, code and regulatory compliance, asset management, project construction, quality assurance, operation, maintenance, and repair of water conveyance and other civil hydroelectric infrastructure
• Overseeing and taking a leadership role in technically complex, high-visibility, and/or high-risk studies and projects involving PG&E’s penstocks and other water conveyance facilities
• Reviewing and approving engineering calculations, designs, construction documents, regulatory submittals, and other work products
• Preparing and reviewing regulatory correspondence related to PG&E’s dam safety, asset management, and project execution programs
• Consulting on multiple large and complex engineering, construction projects, programs, outages, and contracts
• Researching and developing innovative and appropriate solutions to complex technical problems
• Acting as a company witness, liaison, and/or provider of information regarding complex issues to outside parties
• Presenting clear, concise, and well-reasoned positions for desired ideas and proposals
• Collaboratively resolving broad or complex settlement agreements with multiple external parties involving high value, highly contentious, or critical projects
• Representing PG&E at external industry associations, committees, trade organizations, and other inter-utility groups
• Providing expert technical support in incident investigations and root cause analysis and making recommendations to address local and system-wide problems
• Preparing and delivering high-level technical briefings, advice, and recommendations to upper management
• Developing technical standards and procedures and leading the development and revision of standards, specifications, construction documents, and guidelines
• Interpreting, clarifying, and educating others in applicable industry and company standards
• Developing and nurturing constructive relationships with internal and external individuals and teams, including regulators and representatives of technical organizations and other generation asset owners
• Regularly supporting Directors, Managers, Principals, and Supervising engineers on programmatic solutions, process improvements, and contracting strategies.
• Customarily and regularly using discretion and independent judgment in fulfilling these job functions

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Bachelors Degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
• 20 years of experience in engineering, design, construction or regulatory project management, including 15 years of experience in generation or heavy industry project engineering and management
• PE-Professional Engineer license, California
  
  Desired:

• PMP Project Management Professional certification
• Bachelor’s Degree Civil or Mechanical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Civil or Mechanical Engineering, or job-related discipline or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated experience with:
  • Engineering evaluation, assessment, maintenance, and repair of water conveyance and control structures including canals, tunnels, pipelines, and associated gates and valves
  • Analysis, design, and assessment of penstocks, including dynamic/transient loading, non-destructive examination, and fracture mechanics
  • Seepage, stability, seismic response, flood hydrology, hydraulic, and structural analyses
  • Metallurgical testing, evaluation, and development of welding procedures
  • Alternatives analysis, design, permitting, construction, and quality control for large civil infrastructure projects
  • Surveillance, inspection, monitoring, and instrumentation of water storage and conveyance infrastructure and associated mechanical equipment
  • Potential failure modes analysis, risk assessment and mitigation, and probabilistic methods
• Demonstrated competency in:
  • Oral and written communication that reflects a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences in resolving technical issues
  • Leading, mentoring, and developing people to meet their career goals and organizational objectives
  • Providing direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done
  • Working independently, with limited oversight
  • Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances
  • Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments
  • Relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people
  • Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
  • Knowing and applying the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement
  • Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics
  • Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals
  • Securing and deploying resources effectively and efficiently
  • Advocating on behalf of an organization to achieve positive outcomes
  • Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies
  • Facilitating discussions and meetings
  • Negotiating between stakeholders to reach an agreement
• Expert knowledge of power generating facility systems, structures, components, principles, and theories
• Knowledge of relevant federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines for power generation, including those administered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
• Knowledge of risk and compliance assessment and management theories, concepts, methods, techniques, and best practices