Position Purpose and Objectives:

Under the supervision of the Engineering Manager, the Distribution Engineer I/II/III performs a wide variety of engineering work that may include functions such as design, sectionalizing and maintenance of the SCADA, Outage Management System, FLISR, Fault Location (Advanced Distribution Management System) and automation systems.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Distribution Engineer I: 

Distribution Engineer I is the entry level in the engineering series. Under close to general supervision within a framework of established policies and procedures, incumbents perform a variety of engineering and administrative tasks of limited to moderate difficulty. Assignments are given in specific terms and are subject to frequent review while in progress and upon completion, except where tasks are well defined by established standards, policies and procedures. Assignments may cover the entire field of electrical engineering and may include other engineering and technical disciplines.

This class is distinguished from the intermediate-level Engineer II class by the routine nature and limited complexity of work assignments and the level of supervision received. Upon recommendation of the immediate supervisor and approval by the department manager, incumbents in this class may advance to the Engineer II classification after gaining experience and achieving proficiency that meets the Engineer II experience requirements. Incumbents in the Engineer I classification report to the Engineering Manager.

Distribution Engineer II: 

Distribution Engineer II is the fully qualified career level in the engineering series. Under general supervision within a framework of established policies and procedures, incumbents perform a variety of engineering and administrative tasks of moderate difficulty requiring the use of some independent judgment. Assignments are given in general terms and are subject to periodic review while in progress and upon completion. Assignments may cover the entire field of electrical engineering and include other engineering and technical disciplines.

This class is distinguished from the entry-level Engineer I class by the increased complexity of work assignments and level of independence with which assignments are performed and the decreased level of supervision received. This class is distinguished from the advanced-level Engineer III class which has responsibility for performing the most difficult and complex engineering assignments. Incumbents in the Engineer II classification report to the Engineering Manager.

Distribution Engineer III:

Distribution Engineer III is the fully qualified, advanced level Engineer in the series. Under minimal supervision within and with the lack of a framework of established policies and procedures, incumbents perform a variety of engineering and administrative tasks of more complex difficulty requiring the use of independent judgment and creative ingenuity. Assignments are given in general terms and are subject to periodic review while in progress and upon completion. Assignments may cover the entire field of electrical engineering and include other engineering and technical disciplines.

This class is distinguished from the Engineer II class by the increased complexity of work assignments and level of independence with which assignments are performed, and the further decreased level of supervision received. This class is distinguished from the advanced-level Senior Engineer class which has responsibility for performing the most difficult and complex engineering assignments, may function as the engineer in charge of a project or program, and may supervise or direct the work of others. Incumbents in the Engineer III classification report to the Engineering Manager.

Essential Job Functions:

• Assists with the management and development of the Utility’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) and related Distribution Management System (DMS).
• Configures, maintains and supports Outage Management System (OMS).
• Reviews outages in order to determine if corrective actions are required and if equipment functioned as intended.
• Works closely with the Operation Technology (OT) Administrator, Electronic Technicians, and other Engineers to support OT networks (fiber optics, wireless, microwave and cellular radio) and Distribution Automation (DA) design, installation and commissioning.
• Assists with the management of the fiber network management software.
  • Regularly prepares detailed studies related to various components of distribution facilities. Using the current software available to the utility, prepares studies such as: Fault, System Coordination, Arc Flash, Load flows, Voltage Drop, and Power Factor Correction
• Continually analyzes system requirements. Prepares and revises circuit diagrams, schematic drawings, and other electrical diagrams based on the analyses.
• Provides effective and progressive engineering data throughout the utility to ensure the development of the company’s facilities in an orderly and economical manner to meet present and future needs when requested.
• Assists in the preparation of engineering budgets and work plans in order for management to correlate cost analysis of plant facilities for loan applications and cost/benefit analyses.
• Works with outside engineering firms on the design of new substations and substation additions.
• Works with both outside engineers and Utility purchasing staff to prepare bids and acquire the necessary materials for substation projects. May also help develop work scopes for construction activities.
• Contacts customers with technical problems relating to their electrical services to correct problems as needed.
• Work with Geographic Information System (GIS) to determine issues related to system design and recommend corrections if errors are found in this data.
• Researches and develops new engineering techniques relative to established engineering standards and is involved in the review of new equipment towards developing company-wide standards.
• Prepares switching reports on load transfers between substations.
• Administers and provides Subject Matter Expert services for the Outage Management System (OMS) suite of applications. Provide support and ongoing training to all users. Use the ticketing system to receive and act on support requests. Interface with OMS vendor support and IT to resolve any issues.  Import the GIS model into the OMS on a cadence determined by Engineering and Operations. Follow the Change Management procedures established by OT and IT.
• Actively supports and follows cybersecurity policies and standards, and participates in the progression of cybersecurity in the OT environment.
• Creates, expands, and maintains professional and productive working relationships with peers and stakeholders. Works collaboratively with colleagues and fosters a spirit of cooperation in the workplace.
• Performs other such duties as may be requested or assigned to fulfill the needs of United Power in the interest of good management practice.

Secondary Job Functions:

Shares on-call with other engineering staff.  May be asked to represent engineering on company groups and committees.

Supervisory Duties:

No Supervisory Duties. May mentor or direct the work of lower level Engineers, administrative staff and/or  student interns.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must hold a valid Colorado driver’s license or have the ability to obtain one.

Must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an ABET* accredited program.

*Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)

Distribution Engineer I

AND applicable experience in an engineering function.

Distribution Engineer II

AND at least five (5) years’ engineering experience and/or demonstrated ability to perform intermediate level functions relevant to the position with reduced supervision. 

Distribution Engineer III

AND at least ten (10) years’ engineering experience and/or demonstrated ability to perform advanced level functions relevant to the position with minimal supervisor.   

Desired Qualifications:

Professional Engineer (PE) registration is desired, but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Must be able to react to change productively
• Must possess strong computer skills and basic knowledge of networks, databases and control systems.
• Working understanding of navigating in a Windows 10 environment.
• Working understanding of basic Windows Server administration such as patching, user management etc.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Active Directory.
• Familiarity with installing and configuring enterprise applications.
• Preferred: Familiarity or experience with outage management systems.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands:

• Seventy percent (70%) of the time is spent sitting, twenty percent (20%) walking, and another ten percent (10%) standing. Distribution Engineer will occasionally need to lift up to 40 lbs.  Carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 25 lbs. is done occasionally when using tool chest or meters.
• Occasionally, balancing, climbing, handling, and ability to feel objects will be necessary to act as Project Manager online changes, line extensions, new substations and substation improvements. Frequently, it is necessary to be able to stoop, kneel, and crouch.
• Talking in order to exchange ideas and to communicate with other employees in various offices is done constantly with ordinary tones. The Distribution Engineer constantly needs to hear ordinary conversation and the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.
• The worker will constantly need to see “near” to prepare circuit diagrams and schematic drawings. It is constantly necessary to see “far” while driving.  Eye accommodation and field of vision is necessary to perform detailed work and maintain safety factors.
• Mental abilities constantly necessary to competently perform the job are alertness, precision, ingenuity, problem solving, analytic ability, persuasiveness, auditory discrimination, speaking ability, memory, creativity, concentration, judgment, writing ability, reasoning, imagination, initiative, patience, and visual discrimination. Abilities the job will require only occasionally are spatial perception, tactile discrimination, olfactory discrimination and aesthetic sense.

Working Conditions:

Seventy percent (70%) of the Distribution Engineer’s work is done indoors.  Thirty percent (30%) of the work is done outdoors and in and around energized substations while exposed occasionally to extreme cold, extreme heat, and wet/humid conditions.  The noise level is estimated to be 50-60 decibels.

The worker is occasionally, exposed to various hazards such as dust in the air, exposure to sunlight, and odors.  Various mechanical and electrical hazards are present such as electrical burns.

About United Power, Inc

At United Power, we don’t just employ people — we make them a part of our family. United Power serves a diverse service territory spread across six counties — Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Gilpin, Jefferson and Weld — located along Colorado’s northern Front Range. We employ approximately 180 positions with competitive salaries and excellent medical and retirement benefits at three different offices. Brighton: Our headquarters in Brighton is just 20 miles northeast of downtown Denver. Brighton is a rapidly growing city with all the advantages of Denver, yet still maintains a small town feel. Coal Creek Canyon: The Coal Creek Canyon office is located at a higher elevation in one of Colorado’s most scenic mountain canyons. Enjoy a working environment surrounded by a mountainous backdrop and living in a tight-knit community. Carbon Valley Service Center: Located at the intersection of Carbon Valley, just off I-25 and Highway 119, the Carbon Valley Service Center is in close range to our western communities. All selected applicants are required to complete Section 1 of the Federal Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) and to provide identification and either proof o...f U.S. citizenship or proof of authorization to work in the U.S. In addition, United Power uses E-Verify as part of the I-9 process to verify the work eligibility of all new hires. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9 to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records.

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