EPSE, Principal; Systems & Services

Join to apply for the EPSE, Principal (Systems & Services) role at Seattle City Light

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served. Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound. Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

City Light is seeking a Principal Electrical Power Systems Engineer to oversee staff supporting Systems and Services in the Distribution Engineering Unit at the Seattle Municipal Tower. In this position, you will oversee cable replacements—including support for the approaching Progressive Design-Build contract to improve reliability—oversee overhead and underground equipment replacements, distribution automation improvement efforts, system reliability improvements, system expansions or capacity improvements, and capital projects such as the University of Washington, South Lake Union, Sound Transit, First Hill, WSDOT 520, and other customer‑driven projects.

If you are bringing your PE certification from another state, you will have 12 months to obtain a Washington State PE via test or comity. This position reports to the Engineering Customer Systems Senior Manager.

• Perform or supervise the planning and design of the overhead and underground electrical system and large services for the Department’s residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
• Ensure that projects are prioritized, designed properly, and completed promptly, with appropriate design guidelines and sound engineering principles utilized.
• Supervise the preparation and issuance of cost estimates, customer construction drawings, customer requirements documents, service installation drawings, and material requirements according to design guidelines.
• Perform project management on large, service‑related projects such as the University of Washington, South Lake Union, Sound Transit, Port of Seattle, King County, First Hill, and WSDOT 520.
• Participate in the review of Requirements for Electric Service Connection manual, review and recommend updates to Departmental Policies and Procedures, participate on service‑related panels, plan required training, and manage the system engineering group workload.
• Participate in engineering panels, prepare hiring documents, and make recommendations for hiring as requested.
• Provide group information to be compiled for the Division’s bi‑weekly/quarterly reports.
• Perform special projects assigned by the unit manager.
• Develop and train engineers, hold the group accountable for deliverables, and coach non‑engineers about electrical design and safety.
• Perform Plan Review of Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and private Street Use contracts.
• Review City of Seattle capital projects, Land Use, UMP, SIP, and MUP plan sets.
• Provide electrical engineering design support to other Seattle City Light units as well as other City of Seattle departments, suburban cities and outside agencies.

In addition to the skills and experience mentioned below, a successful applicant will have experience that reflects a commitment to creating fair and equitable outcomes and has:

• Eight years’ overall experience: six years professional electrical power systems engineering experience equivalent to an Electrical Power Systems Engineer level, plus two years supervisory, lead or project management experience.
• Additional two years of advanced experience with defining, interpreting and organizing major system‑wide transmission or distribution projects involving multiple jurisdictions and complex engineering circumstances.
• A Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering is required; a Master’s degree may substitute one year of experience.
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  ** Washington State Professional Engineer license (or up to 12 months to obtain it after appointment.)

Most work is performed in a normal city work/office environment. Field assignments may entail exposure to all types of weather, traffic, hazardous or toxic…