Join Our Team!

PacifiCorp is seeking customer-centric candidates to grow and sustain our commitment to a culture of customer service excellence, environmental sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion

General Purpose

Exercise unilateral authority for ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the bulk electric system (transmission and generation) under normal, emergency and black start conditions, complying with the NERC and WECC reliability standards.  Act as a lead/expert in the work group.  Identify business issues and recommends solutions to management.  This position is expected to operate any of the disciplines (Transmission Operator, Balance & Interchange, and Energy desks) as assigned.

Responsibilities

Provide training and mentoring for all of the Grid Operators and able to contribute to the safe and reliable operation of all of the disciplines (Transmission Operator, Balance & Interchange, and Energy desks) as listed below:

Independently operate the PacifiCorp transmission system in a safe and reliable manner, including emergency operations and black start restoration
Monitor and maintain bulk electric system equipment, transmission lines and paths within System Operating Limits, Interconnection Reliability 
Operating Limits, and schedule limits at all times, making schedule curtailments as necessary
Monitor path loading and bus voltage for actual and potential limit violations
Continuously monitor frequency, Area Control Error, interties, and other applicable values for indications of inadequate control performance and 
take corrective action as needed
Monitor and direct normal and emergency switching of Main Grid facilities
Maintain voltages at prescribed levels per the approved voltage schedule
Monitor all alarms in the Areas of Responsibility and take action to correct alarm condition
Monitor and Operate Remedial Action Schemes, Static VAR Systems, and phase shifters per established operating procedures
Monitor actual interchange telemetry for errors and make corrections as necessary
Monitor operation of the generation function and compliance monitoring guidelines within NERC/WECC reliability standards and procedures
Monitor and adhere to Control Performance, Disturbance Control Standards and Operating
Reserve obligations at all times, updating the market as required
Perform balancing functions as required to implement market and transmission schedules (e-Tag approvals, OASIS requests, actual/scheduled/inadvertent interchange confirmations)
Perform energy imbalance market functions as required (monitor generating unit performance, adjusting/blocking ties, review availability of regulations and ability to meet the load, evaluating equipment outages, adjusting load for dispatch intervals)
Implement Manual Dispatch as needed for projected resource changes on congestion, software problems, system reliability issues, and market modeling errors
Monitor transmission constraints and verify transmission limits are correct in the market model by conforming of lines and corridors
Make the required notifications of system conditions to the appropriate parties during normal and emergency situations
Monitor WECC Unscheduled Flow Procedures and associated curtailment tools
Interpret internal and external operational business issues and recommend solutions to management
Operate in compliance with PacifiCorp internal Business Practices and Procedures
Establish and maintain effective work relationships with internal and external contacts
Act as a lead/expert in the work group.  Mentor and train junior level operators
Interpret internal and external business issues and recommend solutions or best practices to management
Report, analyze, and track complex market operational issues
Participate and represent the company in industry meetings

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience as a Grid Operator, System Operator, Electric Dispatcher, or in a related field.
• NERC Certified System Operator
• Expert knowledge of distribution and transmission systems, the established practices and procedures of those systems.
• Communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to work as a team member and to clearly communicate approved actions.
• Self-motivated and ability to work under limited direction.
• Proficient with the use of personal computers including spreadsheet, database, word processing, presentation applications, and SCADA/EMS systems.
• Ability to train and mentor junior grid operators
   

Preferences

• Strong knowledge of NERC policies and procedures.
• NERC Certified System Operator
• Experience in the operation of transmission systems, balance and interchange, and energy imbalance markets in the Western Interconnection (WECC).
   

Additional Information

Req Id: 110140 
Company Code: PacifiCorp
Primary Location: Portland, Oregon     
Department: Rocky Mountain Power 
Schedule: Full-time
Personnel Subarea: Exempt
Hiring Range: $ 113,100 – $ 133,000  

This position is eligible for an annual discretionary performance incentive bonus of up to 25% of salary.   

Benefits: Health care, retirement, paid time off, tuition assistance, paid short-term and long-term disability, paid bereavement leave. For more information, please visit: https://careers.pacificorp.com/content/New-Benefits-Page/?locale=en_US 

Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without an accommodation.
 

At Pacific Power, we celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion. PacifiCorp is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening.