Expert Grid Innovation Engineer

Requisition ID # 144279 

Job Category: Engineering / Science 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Engineering, Planning & Strategy

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: Oakland; Alameda; Alta; Angels Camp; Antioch; Auberry; Auburn; Avenal; Avila Beach; Bakersfield; Balch Camp; Bear Valley; Belden; Bellota; Belmont; Benicia; Berkeley; Brentwood; Brisbane; Buellton; Burney; Buttonwillow; Calistoga; Campbell; Canyon Dam; Canyondam; Capitola; Caruthers; Chico; Clearlake; Clovis; Coalinga; Colusa; Concord; Concord; Corcoran; Cottonwood; Cupertino; Daly City; Danville; Davis; Dinuba; Downieville; Dublin; Emeryville; Eureka; Fairfield; Folsom; Fort Bragg; Fortuna; Fremont; French Camp; Fresno; Fresno; Fulton; Garberville; Geyserville; Gilroy; Goodyear; Grass Valley; Guerneville; Half Moon Bay; Hayward; Hinkley; Hollister; Holt; Houston; Huron; Jackson; Kerman; King City; Lakeport; Lemoore; Lincoln; Linden; Livermore; Lodi; Loomis; Los Banos; Lower Lake; Madera; Magalia; Manteca; Manton; Mariposa; Martell; Marysville; Maxwell; Menlo Park; Merced; Meridian; Millbrae; Milpitas; Modesto; Monterey; Montgomery Creek; Morgan Hill; Morro Bay; Moss Landing; Mountain View; Napa; Needles; Newark; Newman; Novato; Oakdale; Oakhurst; Oakley; Olema; Orinda; Orland; Oroville; Palo Alto; Palo Cedro; Paradise; Parkwood; Paso Robles; Petaluma; Pioneer; Pismo Beach; Pittsburg; Placerville; Pleasant Hill; Point Arena; Potter Valley; Quincy; Rancho Cordova; Red Bluff; Redding; Richmond; Ridgecrest; Rio Vista; Rocklin; Roseville; Round Mountain; Sacramento; Salinas; San Bruno; San Carlos; San Francisco; San Francisco; San Jose; San Luis Obispo; San Mateo; San Rafael; San Ramon; San Ramon; Sanger; Santa Cruz; Santa Maria; Santa Nella; Santa Rosa; Selma; Shaver Lake; Sonoma; Sonora; South San Francisco; Springville; Stockton; Storrie; Taft; Tracy; Turlock; Twain; Ukiah; Vacaville; Vallejo; Walnut Creek; Wasco; Washington; Watsonville; West Sacramento; Wheatland; Whitmore; Willits; Willow Creek; Willows; Windsor; Winters; Woodland; Yuba City

Department Overview

The Clean Energy Transportation (CET) group is focused on accelerating the adoption of clean vehicles in California. We serve PG&E’s customers by deploying electric vehicle charging stations under several infrastructure programs. Since 2017, we have served 120 customers with 4,500 EV charging stations, provided EV rebates to 130,000 customers, and enrolled 61,000 customers in our EV rates.

Our team helps California meet its clean transportation goals and works to address one of the largest contributors to climate change. We do this by focusing on safety and quality, investing in our team’s success, solving problems and striving to be better, working as an integrated team, and building trusted relationships. Our values are: we collaborate and we are intellectually curious. We are looking to collaborate with passionate, thoughtful people who want to make a real impact. Come join our team and help drive the transition to clean energy transportation.

Position Summary

The Grid Innovation Engineer, Expert will be responsible and accountable for all engineering, quality, and technology aspects of the EV charging station deployment pertaining for all CPUC approved EV programs, such as EV Fleet, Fast Charge, EV Schools and EV Parks.  The position is responsible for, including but not limited to, creating and approving engineering and construction standards, reviewing and approving project drawings by EPC contractors, partnering with material vendors to create standards for major equipment, etc.  The candidate should have extensive and practicable engineering knowledge in managing engineering contractors and in developing and applying new engineering technologies within the utility environment. The candidate researches and identifies practical solutions to solve complex problems.

The Grid Innovation Engineer, Expert will represent the Company as the internal EV technical expert and will keep abreast of latest technological advancement in the EV chargers both in hardware and software.  The candidate should have deep understanding of how the EV charging stations will impact the electric grid in distribution and transmission level and be able to create and apply innovative and cost-effective solutions to minimize the grid impact.  The candidate provides technical advice to other organizations, such as Distribution Planning, and Energy Procurement, on all EV related activities.  Partnering with other PG&E departments, the Grid Innovation Engineer, Expert seeks opportunities to pilot new technologies under various venues, such as under EPIC program, ATS department, Metering department, etc.

The Grid Innovation Engineer, Expert is also responsible for overseeing the engineering and design activities from our selected EPC contractors to ensure smooth implementation of all EV projects.  

This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The assigned work location will be within the PG&E Service Territory. Also, this position will require travel to offices and sites along our PG&E service territory.

PG&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, and internal equity.

A reasonable salary range is:

Bay Area Minimum: $129,000

Bay Area Maximum: $207,000

&/OR

California Minimum: $123,000

California Maximum: $197,000

Job Responsibilities

The Grid Innovation Engineer, Expert is responsible and accountable for all engineering, design, standard, quality, and technology activities and deliverables for the EV charging station deployment.

• Manage, review, approve, and maintain all engineering and construction standards related to EV charging station program

• Review and accept the complex project design drawings (To the Meter & Behind To Meter) produced by EPC contractors 
• Provide guidance and oversee other “owner engineers” who review and accept the project design drawings produced by EPC contractors
• Provide ongoing support to construction team to ensure smooth execution of their work
• Develop, maintain and continue improve the standard drawing template for typical project
• Develop, qualify, and standardize major equipment that are being used in SB350 program
• Develop new products using the latest technologies and innovation to provide cost effective solutions
• Represent CET in various technology groups within PG&E, such as GII, EPIC, Distribution Planning, etc.
• Represent PG&E at external industry associations, committees, trade organizations and other inter-utility groups
• Lead and develop specific pilot projects to demonstrate and apply new techniques and new technologies
• Provide support to contract related activities
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with EPC contractors, equipment vendors, industrial experts, and other utility’s experts for mutual benefit

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline or equivalent experience
• Minimum of seven (7) years of cumulative experience.
• Demonstrated deep and broad knowledge in all aspects of engineering in utility, renewable, and new technology
• Current California Professional Engineer (PE) Electrical license.

Desired:

• Master’s Degree in Engineering (an additional MBA Degree is preferred but not necessary)
• Extensive utility engineering knowledge in transmission, substation, and distribution system.
• Knowledge of NEC codes, building codes, and ADA codes in the context of EV deployment
• Knowledge of permitting implications under various Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ)
• Prior experiences in industry and professional trade associations
• Ability to work through complex technical issues that may involve legal advisement
• Deep knowledge in transmission and distribution grid integration plan and strategy
• Experience with identifying and implementing process improvements and creating cost effective solutions
• Knowledge of renewable and emerging EV technology trends
• Knowledge of state and federal regulatory and policy trends 
• Working knowledge in PG&E contract management and process
• Provide leadership and direction for deploying new technologies, standards, and equipment   
• Above average experience in managing EPC contractors
• Experience with the Salesforce platform
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skill to effectively influence decision in upper management
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skill to effectively work closely with Project Management and Construction teams