Electric Utilities Interconnection Engineer

Vicinity Energy is North America’s largest provider of district energy solutions, offering low carbon energy to most of the iconic buildings you see in the skylines of Boston, Cambridge, Philadelphia, Baltimore and many other cities in the US. As a member of the communities we serve, all of us at Vicinity understand the critical role we play in reducing the impacts of climate change and being a leader in decarbonization. We are committed to net zero and eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels, but we need the best and the brightest minds on our team to help us reach our goal, not only for us as a company, but for our customers, our communities, and our planet.

Summary

The Electric Utilities Interconnection Engineer will execute all aspects of utility interconnection projects, working closely with utilities such as Eversource, PECO and BGE and Independent System Operators (ISO) ISO-NE and PJM, internal teams, external consultants, and third-party development partners to facilitate the successful integration of large-scale industrial heat pumps and electric boilers onto the electric grid.  In addition, this position is responsible for the development, expansion, planning, design, maintenance and operation of the system and its equipment to meet the mission and objectives of the organization. Responsible for supervising, assigning, prioritizing, and directing the work performed by engineering consultants and contractors. This is a full-time exempt position located at our Corporate HQ in Boston, MA. The Electric Utilities Interconnection Engineer reports to the Senior Vice President of Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multistate, utility specific interconnection processes from inception to permission to operate, including scheduling, resource allocation and risk-assessment.
• Responsible for the cost and performance of certain assets on the system which may include reliability analysis and trending of system events and monitoring of equipment condition.
• Responsible for the development, justification, and approval of the project authorizations and for ongoing projects.
• Ensures that the design and specification of additions, modifications and replacements to the plant and distribution systems.
• Responsible for the development of preliminary engineering designs and the details, as necessary.
• Collaborates with Plant and Distribution Operations to ensure consistency and teamwork.
• Provides technical support and direction to operating areas relative to system priorities, engineering guidelines and operating decisions during normal and emergency situations.
• Accountable for root-cause analysis, development, and implementation of corrective actions.
• Responsible for the evaluation and selection of technology and equipment for the system.
• Responsible for the development of standards and procedures for design, operation, and maintenance.
• Budget and Cost Management:
  • • Develop and manage project budgets, including cost estimation, tracking, and reporting.
    • Control project costs by monitoring expenses, approving expenditures, and implementing cost-saving measures.
    • Provide accurate and timely project financial reports to management.

• Must be willing to travel locally and regionally up to 40% of the time.

Qualifications and Experience

• Requires a BS in Electrical Engineering or relevant work experience.

• Relevant certifications (PMP Certification) or professional qualifications are preferred.
• Minimum of ten years in the technical, operational, or engineering aspects of the electric utility distribution and transmission systems. 

• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and attention-to-detail. 
• Working knowledge of standard office computer software (e.g., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Familiarity with heat pump, electrode boiler and thermal energy storage systems.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with utility staff to drive positive interconnection outcomes.

• Experience with the interconnection processes related to electric utilities and transmission operators.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Proven experience as a Project Manager in the electric utility field, with a track record of successfully delivering complex projects.
• Proficient in project management software and tools such as Maximo, Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, etc.
• In-depth knowledge of electric utility construction, codes, and regulations.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize tasks, and manage competing deadlines.
• Attention to detail and strong problem-solving abilities.

Physical Requirements 

• Standing, sitting, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, walking on uneven surfaces, and grating, working from elevated platforms, scaffolding or ladders.
• Must submit to a company provided physical and drug screening.
• Must qualify to wear a respirator.
• Ability to tolerate confined spaces, including manholes and varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Exposed to temperature extremes, high noise level areas, high pressure steam lines, rotating equipment, and dusty/dirty environment.
• Required to wear PPE such as hard hat, safety glasses, safety shoes, hearing protection.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT Vicinity North America is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.