Systems Operations Engineer

Position Summary

The Systems Operations Engineer supports real time and near real time reliability of the Bulk Electric System. This position performs daily, weekly, and seasonal operating studies and reliability assessments to ensure secure system operations and compliance with applicable NERC Reliability Standards and Operating and Interconnection Agreements. This role provides operational engineering support to the Energy Control Center and interfaces regularly with both internal and external engineering and reliability stakeholders to maintain reliable and compliant system performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform next day and short-term operational studies, including power flow, contingency analysis, voltage and transient stability, transfer capability assessments, and Real Time Contingency Analysis (RTCA), to ensure the system operates within established System Operating Limits (SOL) and Interconnection Reliability Operating Limits (IROL).

• Conduct pre and post operating assessments to evaluate system performance, validate contingency results, and identify emerging reliability risks that could impact SOL or IROL compliance.

• Ensure compliance with applicable NERC Reliability Standards, including TOP, IRO, FAC, TPL, PRC, and MOD, with particular focus on maintaining and documenting methodologies supporting SOL and IROL determinations.

• Support and maintain the Energy Management System (EMS), including State Estimator and contingency analysis applications, by ensuring accurate transmission network modeling, system topology, telemetry validation, and equipment ratings.

• Develop real time operational solutions to mitigate RTCA identified violations, including transmission reconfiguration, generation redispatch, and implementation of operating procedures to address thermal, voltage, or stability constraints.

• Provide technical guidance to Energy Control Center operators during normal and emergency conditions, including support for IROL exceedances, emergency mitigation plans, and system restoration activities.

• Provide engineering support for CAISO market interface and outage coordination processes, ensuring proposed outages and dispatch conditions do not result in SOL or IROL violations.

• Coordinate model development, validation, and data exchange with CAISO and WECC, maintaining accurate power flow and dynamic models that support EMS, State Estimator, and RTCA applications.

• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders, including generation owners, neighboring balancing authorities, and load serving entities, to resolve operating issues and maintain reliable and secure system operations.

• Mentor junior engineers and promote technical development in EMS applications, RTCA processes, and SOL and IROL methodologies.

Work Location: Onsite in Phoenix, AZ.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution

• Minimum six years of experience in power system operations engineering, transmission planning, or reliability coordination within the Western Interconnection

• Proficiency with power system analysis tools such as PSS E, PSLF, TARA, PowerWorld, or equivalent

• Proficiency with short circuit analysis tools such as APA or Aspen Oneliner

• Working knowledge of NERC Reliability Standards and WECC regional criteria

• Experience supporting real time operations within an Energy Control Center environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of power system engineering principles and their application in system analysis and operations

• Demonstrated ability to analyze technical issues, evaluate alternatives, and develop well supported engineering recommendations

• Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present technical findings to diverse stakeholders

• Professional Engineer license preferred

• In depth knowledge of WECC Bulk Electric System characteristics and CAISO operating procedures, including direct experience supporting outage coordination and market interface processes

• Experience with Energy Management System applications, including State Estimator and network modeling tools

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.