Control Systems Plant Engineer

Summary:

As a Control Systems Plant Engineer, you will design, develop, implement, and maintain advanced control systems that monitor and regulate critical instrumentation, equipment, and processes across our generation facilities. Your expertise will ensure these systems operate with maximum efficiency, reliability, and safety while meeting our cybersecurity standards.

You will also be responsible for protecting critical operational technology infrastructure, industrial control systems, and SCADA environments from cyber threats. This role focuses on securing the technology that directly controls our power generation systems.

• The Plant Control Systems Engineering Group is a specialized team of cybersecurity and controls engineers providing comprehensive support to PGE's diverse generation portfolio.
• Our team serves a wide range of generation technologies including hydro, thermal, wind, and solar battery storage facilities.

We are seeking an experienced Control Systems Plant Engineer with a focus on OT Security and Networking based in the Portland area who is passionate about the utility industry and eager to contribute their expertise to our innovative team.

This position will be filled at the P2-Intermediate or P3-Senior depending on candidate experience. See determining qualifications below.

Job Function Summary

• Designs, develops, installs, manages and/or maintains equipment used to control and monitor systems, equipment and processes. Ensures these systems and processes operate efficiently, reliably and safely.

• Designs, develops, implements, and maintains security controls for operational technology (OT) systems used to control and monitor critical infrastructure, equipment, and processes. Ensures these industrial control systems and SCADA environments operate efficiently, reliably, and safely while protected from cyber threats.

Key Responsibilities

Senior Level, P3

• Engineering Standards: Maintains currency in state-of-the-art engineering practices and provides guidance and direction on engineering processes and standards to colleagues as requested.

• Engineering Production: Prepares a variety of complex engineering deliverables for larger or multiple projects; coordinates multiple discipline activity.

• Production: Control Systems Function Develops procedures and job aids for design, configuration, operation and maintenance of the system.

• Designs, develops and manages generation plant control systems, instrumentation and other related equipment and machinery; reviews work of other engineers.

• Creates and maintains plant control system DCS network plans.

• Production: Control Systems Cyber Security Function Design, implement, and maintain security controls for industrial control systems (ICS), SCADA, and other operational technology environments, Conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration testing on OT networks and systems, Develop and maintain security policies, procedures, and standards specific to OT environments, Monitor OT networks for security events and respond to incidents according to established protocols, Collaborate with IT security teams to ensure appropriate segmentation between IT and OT networks, Ensure compliance with NERC CIP, NIST, and other relevant regulatory standards, Evaluate and recommend security technologies specific to industrial control systems.

• Project Coordination: Actively coordinates with other internal/external team members on moderately complex projects, including representing the team to interdepartmental stakeholders.

• Plans, develops and coordinates projects with complex design, construction, operation, maintenance or testing elements in support of engineering and construction needs of hydro, wind and thermal plants; provides accurate capital budget and job estimates.

• Knowledge Sharing: Serves as a technical specialist and provides consultation/guidance to project teams in a particular practice area; actively fosters knowledge management and provides mentoring; implements resource-management strategy.

• Trains junior engineers and technicians.

• Identifies training and testing requirements for new and complex control systems; provides guidance to other engineers, plant technicians, draftsmen, designers and less experienced colleagues on new systems, applications and cybersecurity network standard

Intermediate, P2 level

• Engineering Standards: - Maintains currency in state-of-the- art engineering practices and independently applies professional knowledge of engineering processes and standards to assignments/projects.

• Engineering Production: - Prepares a variety of moderately complex engineering deliverables; leads smaller production teams.

• Provides advanced configuration and troubleshooting.

• Performs advanced configuration of EMS system and data historian; develops new EMS and Data Historian displays as needed for various projects.

• Production: Designs, installs and maintains generation plant control systems, instrumentation and other related equipment and machinery [(e.g., programmable logic controllers (PLC), distributed control systems (DCS), interfaces to variable-speed drives and SCADA/EMS devices]. Identifies and resolves routine DCS network problems following company standards and procedures.

• Project Coordination: Assigns tasks and coordinates with other internal/external team members on assigned projects; shares information and provides professional guidance in executing project tasks.

• Actively coordinates with dispatchers and operators to develop situational awareness tools; coordinates with automation, distribution and neighboring utilities to maintain accurate data operational systems and applications; coordinates with field technicians and automation testing engineers in Supervisor Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) testing work; provides operational support for dispatchers and operators.

• Provides complex design, construction, operation, maintenance or testing elements in support of engineering and construction needs of hydro, wind and thermal plants; contributes to capital budget and job estimates.

• Knowledge Sharing: Shares current knowledge of latest technology and processes; may assist with mentoring, recognition and any corrective actions required.

• Communicates new design standards to plant technicians, draftsmen, designers and less experienced colleagues; reviews designs to ensure they meet standards and makes corrections as needed.

Education/Experience/Certifications

Education Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering. ABET-accredited engineering program or program accredited by an equivalent agency preferred.

Experience :

• Senior level p3: Typically five or more years in related field or four or more years in related field with PE license.

• Intermediate level, p2: typically two or more years in related field.

Certifications, Licenses and Training

Senior level p3: Professional Engineering (PE) license strongly preferred; may be required based upon role. Certified Information Systems Professional(CISSP) or GIAC Information Security Professional Certification (GISP) a plus.

Intermediate level, p2: Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam strongly preferred; may be required based upon role.

Functional Competencies

• Computer Network Architecture and Network Security Configuration

• Installation and Configuration of Computer Hardware -Windows Servers, Virtualization Clusters, Firewalls, Routers

• Configure Security Applications for Logging and Monitoring, Backup & Recovery, Anti-virus and Patching

• Diagnose problems and interact with teams, internal clients and vendors

• Configure control software and hardware applications

• Create and design control system logic, Program PLCs (Allen-Bradley, GE, Emerson), HMI / SCADAs (FactoryTalk, GE, Emerson), DCS (Emerson)

• Manage site construction and installation of projects

• Manage site start-up support for control systems

• Support and Coordinate commissioning activities on new projects and upgrades

• Identify control system components and use a bill of materials to meet project requirements adhering to UL 508A, IEEE, and NEC standards

• Advanced knowledge of engineering and economic principles and concepts.

• Advanced knowledge of other engineering disciplines and advanced ability to interpret engineering deliverable content as assigned.

• Advanced knowledge and application of engineering processes and procedures; working knowledge of other related departments and functions.

• Advanced industry knowledge and technology trends.

• Advanced knowledge of company QA/QC process and procedures.

• Intermediate knowledge of construction feasibility.

• Intermediate knowledge of procurement and contract administration.

• Advanced knowledge of process and procedures for project controls and estimates.

• Advanced knowledge of control and instrumentation concepts, practices and procedures.

Cognitive Level

• Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines and time-sensitive tasks

• Ability to follow accuracy standards

• Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks

• Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment

• Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress

• Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change

• Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback

• Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement

• Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks

• Ability to successfully collaborate with peers, managers and others within the organization Demonstrates sound memory

• Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks

Schedule/Attendance

Ability to adhere to pre-established schedule, including start/stop time and break/lunch schedule

Ability to work long hours

Ability to work a variable schedule

Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather

Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular, reliable, predictable, full-time attendance [for part-time positions, change to part-time attendance]

Ability to work at a PGE site a minimum of 3 days a week in person