Sr. or Engineer II - Market Design West - Southwest Power Pool

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
• Hybrid working environment for positions that are eligible where employees have the flexibility to work from home 50% of the time
• 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 Senior or Engineer II is responsible for understanding organized wholesale market design, recommending and analyzing the impact of design modifications, and supporting the development of market design expertise throughout the organization.  This position supports the market related working groups, including the Markets+ stakeholder process by facilitating market design changes and performing market analysis as necessary to support those changes.  

This position will interact with multiple working groups in support of market design changes and issues. The Senior or Engineer II will work closely with SPP Markets, Operations, Legal, Regulatory, Settlements, and Congestion Hedging departments to assure that the implemented software and processes are consistent with the market design.   This position will work with market participants, vendors, FERC, and other RTOs/ISOs in recommending changes to SPP’s market design and market policy.

This position will facilitate discussion, design changes and providing market analysis for the SPP Market’s+, Western Energy Imbalance Service (WEIS) Market and other Western Markets efforts. This will require supporting both the Western Market stakeholder groups. This position will share responsibility for coordinating market design changes and analysis between the Markets+, WEIS or the SPP Integrated Marketplace.

The Senior or Engineer II is expected to manage individual and team work effort, lead teams to preform market analysis and market changes, develop market metrics, and create market reports.  This position is responsible for facilitating internal and external discussions for business development, and presenting market design changes to various SPP stakeholder committees and working groups.

Essential Functions 

• Understand the organized wholesale market rules and apply the knowledge to key business functions
• Coordinate and communicate with SPP market participants and member companies regarding market design
• Provide technical expertise to SPP committees and working groups
• Support FERC filings through providing data, and assist in drafting testimony and filing letters
• Analyze and review market data for indications of market weaknesses through the development of adhoc analysis
• Research and analyze the design of other RTOs/ISOs markets- all levels
• Support Working Groups as necessary
• Document analysis and studies in written reports and communicate results to internal and external stakeholders
• Review and develop education materials related to the market design and support the training and development of junior-level market design staff
• Understand the Company’s market rules and apply the knowledge to key business functions-
• Independently recommend market design changes to management and facilitate market design changes through the SPP stakeholder process

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:

• Sr Engineer – Five (5) years of relevant Engineering experience, Professional Engineer License or advanced degree may satisfy one year of experience requirement.
• Engineer II - Two (2) years of relevant Engineering experience

Other Requirements:

• Proficient at organizing and conducting technical and analytical studies
• Knowledge of electric market concepts and ability to apply understanding in unique analysis
• Ability to support diverse team members and manage complex analysis projects
• Strong facilitation skills
• Strong interpersonal and team-building skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Competent working skills with communication and data handling software such as Microsoft Office, Excel and Access
• Demonstrate proficiency in business acumen and professional conduct
• Demonstrate the ability to function with constantly changing and multiple priorities
• Demonstrate strong organizational skills
• Understanding of and compliance with SPP Policies and Procedures

Senior Level Requirements: 

• Ability to recognize and address strategic issues important to Market Design
• Proficient at organizing and conducting complex technical and analytical studies
• Skilled at analyzing complex issues and communicating results to diverse stakeholders

Senior Level Preferred:

• Experience in power operations or market design in the Western Interconnection.
• Advanced degree in economics, math or other related field of study
• Experience in utility operations, RTO operations or energy trading
• Experience with data manipulation and analysis of large data sets
• Electric Utility Industry experience

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 moderate travel (10-15%).

SPP is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer of individuals with disabilities and protected veterans and is committed to excellence. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us at HR@spp.org and let us know the nature of your request. We will only respond to messages left that involve a request for a reasonable accommodation in the application process. We will accommodate the needs of any qualified candidate who requests a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

At SPP we value Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Visit our website to learn more: LINK

Full job descriptions will be made available to those selected for an interview. 

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)