Principal Engineer- Climate Resiliency Planning

The Principal Engineer - Climate Resiliency Planning, provides engineering and technical leadership regarding energy delivery system resiliency to departments responsible for Planning, Standards, Engineering, Project Delivery and Operation of PSE's transmission and distribution energy delivery systems. The Principal Engineer educates and collaborates across departments at PSE, and with external entities, to build awareness and partnerships around understanding, assessing and mitigating the hazards of climate change on the energy delivery system.

Solutions provided by the Principal Engineer may involve unconventional or advanced problem-solving techniques. The Principal Engineer provides professional engineering services and support to guide development of specifications, standards, design and operational practices that mitigate hazards of climate change through proactive planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and analysis of PSE facilities and assets. The Principal Engineer schedules and coordinates major segments of complex project work to meet cost and timeline objectives, and reviews design documentation, specifications and standards as required to ensure adherence to climate mitigation criteria and guidelines. Assignments involve a substantial degree of complexity, with many interrelated elements, requiring considerations not previously encountered.

The Principal Engineer supports emergency response operations when needed. Upholds the safety compliance standards inherent in PSE's operating and/or field procedures related to work responsibilities. Promotes and supports a culture of total safety. Demonstrates commitment to conduct business honestly, ethically and consistent with our core values and Code of Conduct. Ensures duties are performed in accordance with all regulatory compliance obligations. This job is considered "safety sensitive" as defined in RCW 49.44.240 and is subject to pre-employment drug screening that includes screening for the presence of marijuana and marijuana metabolites.

• Prepares complex engineering plans, designs, specifications, standards, evaluations and studies utilizing specialized analytical skills, with a focus on improving resiliency of the energy delivery system.
• Responsible for solving unique problems using advanced analytical techniques to assess and mitigate the impacts of temperature, sea-level rise, precipitation, wildfire and cascading events on the transmission and distribution energy delivery system.
• Communicates solutions to personnel possessing a wide variety of educational and employment backgrounds, including in public forums in both verbal and written forms.
• Ensures compliance with codes, standards, and design, operation, and maintenance requirements.
• Identifies potential areas of weakness with team's work, and initiates corrective action.
• Documents and shares work with others to strengthen the depth and breadth of skills within PSE's engineering workforce.
• Provides technical leadership to others in the department and throughout the company.
• Ensures that problem solutions are tailored to PSE's business environment.
• Maintains knowledge of industry developments and best practices for conducting vulnerability assessments and implementing climate change adaptation techniques to mitigate identified hazards, and applies this knowledge at PSE to further business objectives.
• Coordinates and reviews the work of engineers, engineering assistants, field technicians, and others who assist in specific assignments (including contractors/consultants).
• Plans, schedules and coordinates engineering and other cross-functional resources to meet corporate climate resiliency objectives and priorities.
• Develops and supports execution of corporate strategies to mitigate climate-related hazards to the transmission and distribution system over intermediate and long-term timeframes.
• Supports emergency response work as requested including immediate and extended restoration efforts driven by weather and other system failures. Performs other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor of Science degree or PE license in electrical, mechanical, civil, or other appropriate engineering field.
• Extensive experience in planning, design, specification preparation, maintenance, project cost estimating and scheduling (typically achieved after 10 or more years practice as a degreed engineer). Years of acquired experience is provided as a guide and alone does not constitute readiness for job level as individual's skill acquisition rates can vary significantly.
• Advanced technical and scientific expertise.
• Experience leading engineering projects.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively and collaborate with a wide range of internal and external customers.

• Experience working within the utility industry.
• Possession of a Professional Engineering License.
• Knowledge of engineering economics and utility accounting practices.
• Experience working on complex engineering projects.
• Knowledge of climate impacts and adaptation solutions, including the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Climate READi Framework.