Description

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is about more than power. We’re about the power of relationships. Our employees have the opportunity to work together to ensure electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in our service territory. We have been voted one of Arkansas’ Best Places to work by Arkansas Business and we are looking for a member of our team who is passionate about our mission to keep the lights on!

We have a core ideology here at SPP that we stand by: Do the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way.

We believe in supporting our employees through a fantastic benefits package:

• Competitive pay with bonus opportunities

• Excellent insurance package including three great medical plans to choose from, employer-paid short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance

• Relocation assistance

• Flexible working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home and come in where collaborative in person work is needed.

• Fantastic contributions to your retirement through a 401(k) savings plan with employer-match benefits and a defined benefit plan fully funded by SPP

Overview

The Engineer for Day-Ahead Market (DAMKT) provides subject matter expertise and daily support for the Day-Ahead Market function. The Engineer is required to often represent DAMKT management by making real-time decisions impacting the outcome and solution of the DAMKT each day. The Engineer must be fully accountable to those decisions that impact the final settlements and payments to Market Participants. This position reports to the Manager of the DAMKT and will assist as necessary with the development and maintenance of all policies and procedures that impact the DAMKT, DA RUC, and Multi-Day Forecast, as well as ensuring the DA desk and staff are compliant with all SOC-1 controls and activities.

The Engineer for the DAMKT is responsible for ensuring all software is sufficient to meet the objectives of the function by testing, identifying improvements needed, troubleshooting identified issues and leading resolution and implementation of required software fixes. The Engineer ensures proper tools are available to allow the DAMKT operators to adequately complete the studies each day, including creating manual tools and processes needed to address inefficiencies in the vendor provided market software.

The Engineer coordinates with staff on the operations floor and SPP teams such as Congestion Hedging, Market Design, and Operations Planning to provide subject matter expertise and support. This position communicates with a wide variety of roles and levels within SPP as well as stakeholders.

Essential Functions

• Act as primary support for the DAMKT Operators to ensure the successful daily clearing of the DAMKT, DA RUC, and Multi-Day Forecast

• Participate in an on-call rotation that provides 7 day a week on-call support

• Represent the DAMKT management when making real-time decisions about DAMKT, DA RUC or Multi-Day Forecast during production

• Lead and execute testing of market software fixes and enhancements, including the support of MP testing

• Lead efforts to resolve defects identified in the DA software through coordination with operations staff, testing, communicating with the vendor and ensuring appropriate resolution

• Identify and lead efforts to improve the market including initial analysis, proposing changes, gaining consensus from staff and stakeholders, implementing changes, training staff, and tracking impact to market

• Answer RMS questions and coordinate with other SPP teams when necessary

• Act as owner and SME of desk procedures ensuring development, maintenance, and compliance

• Ensure proper tools necessary to assist the Market Operators in performing their duties are available and performing accurately, including creating manual tools and processes were needed to temporarily address identified issues and defects in the market software

• Provide subject matter expertise on the DA function for the support of external training efforts

• Ensure software, policies, business practices, etc. pertaining to the Day-Ahead Market are compliant with SPP Market Protocols and Tariff

• Participate in and contribute to various SPP committees, subcommittees, working groups and task forces

• Able to perform the functions of the Day Ahead Market Operator and provide back-up support if needed

Qualifications

Education Requirements:

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, this degree should:

• Be from a university that meets the requirements to sit for the Professional Engineering exam (in Arkansas, that is most typically a degree from an ABET accredited university or a graduate degree from a college that has an ABET accreditation),

• Degree should be in a calculus-based engineering field and preferred degree programs are Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Systems Engineering

Experience Requirements:

• Engineer II -Two (2) years of job-related work experience

• Senior Engineer - Five (5) years of relevant Engineering experience; Professional Engineer License may satisfy one year of experience requirement.

• Sr Engineer II - Nine (9) years of relevant Engineering experience; Professional Engineer License or Advanced degree in related field of study may satisfy one (1) year of experience requirement. Two (2) years of experience may satisfy both a Professional Engineer License and Advanced degree in related field.

Required:

• Strong inter-personal and team work skills along with good written and verbal communication skills

• Excellent working skills with communication and data handling software such as Microsoft Office© Word, Excel, Access

• Understanding and comply with SPP Policies and Procedures

Preferred :

• A Professional Engineer License

• Advanced degree in related field of study

• Electric utility industry or market experience

• Proficient with several SPP tools and/or processes

• Sound understanding of the SPP Tariff and Protocols

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands :

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to make decisions, interpret data, and problem solve.

• The employee frequently is required to stand or sit for extended periods; use hands to operate a computer keyboard and standard office equipment.

• The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 10 pounds.

• Requires the ability to work and collaborate with managers and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, and opinions to facilitate the task.

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of workweek are Monday through Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Working extended hours may be required.

Travel Requirement:

• This position requires minimal (0--20%) travel

Should you elect to apply for this position SPP will review your qualifications and if after reviewing the qualifications and experience of all applicants, your skills and credentials meet our needs, someone from our organization may contact you. Please be advised that the time required to complete the applicant review process typically takes between 30 and 90 days, but could extend beyond that. Once the position has been filled, all applicants will be notified via email.

Southwest Power Pool is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age or any other protected category.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines “reasonable accommodation” as a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified individual with a disability to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of a particular job, and does not cause an undue hardship for the employer. SPP adheres to the ADA and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions.

Qualifications

Education

Preferred

• Bachelors or better

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)