Control Systems Engineer
Spokane, WA - USA
Job Summary
Control Systems Engineer Energy Accounting
We are seeking a Control Systems Engineer Energy Accounting to support critical applications and data systems used in electric utility operations. This role sits at the intersection of utility operations control systems software applications databases and energy accounting.
The position may be filled at the Control Systems Engineer or Senior Control Systems Engineer level based on experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Configure maintain troubleshoot and enhance energy accounting and related operational applications supporting a 24x7 utility environment.
- Maintain application interfaces displays data fields reports and configurations to improve data accuracy usability and operational effectiveness.
- Investigate and resolve application database telemetry communications data-exchange and system integration issues.
- Support data flows between energy accounting systems EMS and operational systems data historians scheduling/tagging applications and third-party data sources.
- Plan and implement application updates patches upgrades and configuration changes while maintaining system availability and data integrity.
- Support utility energy scheduling tagging transmission market and electronic data-exchange applications.
- Use SQL and related tools to investigate data issues support reporting validate information and provide compliance evidence.
- Develop maintain or modify custom applications and interfaces when commercial solutions do not fully meet operational requirements.
- Participate in software testing code reviews source control change management and application lifecycle activities.
- Troubleshoot application and network communications using tools such as Wireshark or comparable technologies.
- Maintain technical documentation operating procedures troubleshooting guides configuration records and system support practices.
- Support cybersecurity and regulatory compliance activities for critical utility systems including change documentation patching failover testing configuration management and applicable NERC CIP requirements.
- Collaborate with operations engineering IT/cybersecurity energy-market personnel vendors utilities and other external partners.
Level of Responsibility
Control Systems Engineer
Independently supports and maintains energy accounting applications interfaces databases and associated data exchanges. Troubleshoots operational and application issues performs system updates and configuration changes responds to data requests supports compliance activities and develops expertise in interconnected utility control accounting and market systems.
Senior Control Systems Engineer
Provides advanced technical ownership of energy accounting systems and integrations. Leads complex troubleshooting application upgrades configuration changes testing code reviews and technical coordination. Supports custom software and interfaces diagnoses cross-system data and communications issues leads configuration of energy scheduling/tagging applications assists with vendor and contractor coordination and mentors less-experienced team members.
Qualifications
Candidates should bring a combination of the following qualifications with experience appropriate to the level of the position:
- Bachelors degree in Engineering Engineering Technology or a related technical discipline; additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
- Control Systems Engineer: approximately 3 years of experience maintaining applications or systems supporting critical 24x7 operations.
- Senior Control Systems Engineer: approximately 6 years of relevant experience including significant experience supporting energy accounting energy scheduling/tagging or comparable utility applications.
- Experience with energy accounting utility scheduling/tagging EMS operational data historians or related utility systems is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of relational databases and SQL for troubleshooting analysis reporting and system support.
- Understanding of application development system integration client-server architecture services/APIs and software engineering practices.
- Programming or application-support experience with technologies such as .NET Java JavaScript HTML/CSS C or similar technologies.
- Experience with source-control tools such as Git or comparable platforms.
- Understanding of network and application communications; experience with packet-analysis tools is beneficial.
- Knowledge of NERC standards NERC CIP cybersecurity controls patch management change management and regulatory compliance is preferred.
- Utility experience and knowledge of energy markets are highly desirable.
- Strong troubleshooting analytical technical documentation communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- EIT or PE credentials are beneficial but not required.
Ideal Candidate
A strong candidate will understand how operational power-system data moves between control systems telemetry data historians energy accounting applications scheduling/tagging platforms and external data exchanges.
This position is particularly well suited to an engineer who enjoys solving problems that cross traditional boundaries between utility operations software applications databases networking and operational technology.
Requirements:
- Bachelors degree in Engineering Engineering Technology or a related technical discipline; additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
- Control Systems Engineer: approximately 3 years of experience maintaining applications or systems supporting critical 24x7 operations.
- Senior Control Systems Engineer: approximately 6 years of relevant experience including significant experience supporting energy accounting energy scheduling/tagging or comparable utility applications.
- Experience with energy accounting utility scheduling/tagging EMS operational data historians or related utility systems is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of relational databases and SQL for troubleshooting analysis reporting and system support.
- Understanding of application development system integration client-server architecture services/APIs and software engineering practices.
- Programming or application-support experience with technologies such as .NET Java JavaScript HTML/CSS C or similar technologies.
- Experience with source-control tools such as Git or comparable platforms.
- Understanding of network and application communications; experience with packet-analysis tools is beneficial.
- Knowledge of NERC standards NERC CIP cybersecurity controls patch management change management and regulatory compliance is preferred.
- Utility experience and knowledge of energy markets are highly desirable.
- Strong troubleshooting analytical technical documentation communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- EIT or PE credentials are beneficial but not required.