Quality Assurance Lead

EMS Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Quality Assurance Lead


Location : Remote; with occasional travel to SCL site to support specialized activities


Seattle, WA


City Light Utility Technology Division is soliciting for an Energy Management System Upgrade SME and QA Lead support the project and offload SCL team members, while providing valuable input on improving business processes and optimizing use of the Monarch system. Please see attached job requisition for additional role details and minimum qualifications.


1. Position Information


Role:

EMS Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Quality Assurance Lead

Contract Duration:

Anticipated start is October 2026 to approximately October 2028

Estimated Weekly Hours:

40 hours or Full Time

Project Supported:

EMS Upgrade and OpenAAR add-on

Work Schedule:

Standard Business hours, SCL core hours if on a different time zone, and nonstandard business hours to support Go-Live or specialized project activities

Work Location:

Remote; with occasional travel to SCL site to support specialized activities

2. Role Summary


SCL has a need for a dedicated technical resource who can support the project and offload SCL team members. This individual will also bring a fresh, independent perspective to help ensure the quality of AspenTech's deliverables, while providing valuable input on improving business processes and optimizing use of the Monarch system.

SCL is seeking a highly experienced OSI Monarch EMS Engineer with at least 5 to 10 years of hands-on experience supporting, upgrading, and maintaining OSI Monarch Energy Management Systems (EMS). The ideal candidate has deep technical expertise with OSI Monarch Test Tools, EMS interface connections (including ICCP), experience working with CAISO or other markets, hands on or technical lead experience with AspenTech services organization, experience working with Government Owned Utilities, and experience with OpenAAR or the ability to rapidly come up to speed with this technology. On site travel will be required on an as needed basis.

3. Responsibilities


The EMS SME will have technical, leadership and quality assurance responsibilities.

Technical Responsibilities
• Technical Execution of EMS Upgrade. Perform all technical activities required to support and execute the OSI Monarch EMS upgrade, including installation, configuration, migration, testing and post cutover support for system stability and reliability.
• System Configuration & Development. Assist SCL or independently perform system configuration and development tasks needed for the upgrade and related project work.
• Troubleshooting & Defect Resolution. Assist SCL or independently troubleshoot, diagnose, and remediate technical issues or defects identified during the upgrade of lifecycle.
• Technical Documentation: Assist SCL in preparing and maintaining technical documentation, including test plans, defect reports, configuration records, and process documentation required for the project.
• Onsite Support: Travel onsite as needed (occasional/not frequent) to support installations, testing cycles, cutovers, workshops, key project milestones.
• Customizations Upgrade: Assist SCL in upgrading all custom applications required for project, ensuring compatibility, functionality, and seamless integration with the updated Monarch environment.

Leadership Responsibilities
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and coordination: Collaborate, coordinate, and communicate effectively with Dispatchers, Engineers, IT teams, Security professionals, Project Management, and Executive leadership to ensure alignment and smooth project execution.
• Self-Leadership & Initiative: Operate as a self-starter , taking initiative and driving tasks forward with minimal direction while maintaining accountability for outcomes.
• Strategic Problem-Solving: Provide creative, practical solutions and recommendations to improve how the utility uses and optimizes the EMS platform.
• Technical Liaison Role: Serve as the primary technical liaison between AspenTech and all SCL teams, ensuring clear communication, issue resolution, and alignment on technical decisions throughout the project.
• Knowledge Transfer: Serve as the primary point of contact responsible for transferring technical knowledge and project information between AspenTech and all SCL teams, ensuring clarity, continuity, and alignment throughout the project.

Quality Assurance Responsibilities
• Structured Testing: Assist SCL in conducting testing activities across all stages (Pre-FAT, FAT, SAT etc.), to ensure stability and correctness after each upgrade iteration
• Comprehensive Test Planning: Create, execute, and lead detailed test plans.
• Quality Management Documentation: Assist in developing and maintaining the comprehensive Quality Management Plan (QMP), ensuring all QA processes, standards, and testing procedures are clearly documented and up to date.
• Defect Management: Assist with identifying, categorizing, logging, and tracking defects, ensuring timely remediation, patch validation, and regression testing.
• Testing Execution: Assist with executing test scenarios, validating expected outcomes, and troubleshooting issues uncovered during testing cycles.
• Test Planning for Custom Applications: Assist with creating and executing test plans for any custom applications impacted by or required for the EMS upgrade.
• Testing Documentation & Reporting: Assist with generating testing reports, documenting results, and tracking progress across all testing phases.
• Risk Identification & Mitigation: Assist with identifying potential technical risks related to quality and provide recommended mitigation strategies.

4. Skills and Qualifications


The EMS SME will have a skillset in three distinct areas, Technical, Leadership and Quality Assurance

Technical Skills

EMS Scada Domain Expertise
• SCADA Experience: Minimum 5 years SCADA experience required; 10+ years preferred, specifically with OSI Monarch systems.
• Must have hands on experience and understanding of Electric Utility Control Center Operations and the operational impact of SCADA/EMS systems.
• Must have working experience with and understanding power system operations, real-time applications, and EMS architecture.
• Must have a working knowledge of real-time databases, ICCP, utility communications and standard RTU communication protocols (DNP3, Modbus).
• Must be familiar working in NERC CIP-regulated environments
• Experience working with CAISO or other ISO/RTO data interfaces; WEIM integration experience highly desirable.

OSI Monarch Platform Expertise
• Must have a minimum 5 years hands-on experience with OSI Monarch system architecture and applications (SCADA, FEP, GMS/EMS, OpenHIS, CHRONUS, OpenCALC, LocalIO, OpenNet, WEIM, Maintenance Center)
• Must demonstrate hands-on proficiency with OSI Monarch EMS, and GMS modules including AGC, OpenNet, State Estimation, and Contingency Analysis.
• Must have experience fully implementing at least one OSI Monarch upgrade within the last 5 years.
• Must have expertise in Ambient Adjusted Ratings methodology and OpenAAR configuration or be willing and able to get up to speed in this technology without requiring SCL to provide training for it.
• Working understanding of OpenHIS (PostgreSQL), OpenIA environments and Oracle database structures.
• Familiarity with OSISoft PI, CHRONUS archiving, and energy accounting concepts.
• Hands-on experience with OpenCALC, LPMD, SQL and Linux shell scripting.

Other Technical Expertise
• Comfortable navigating and operating in both Windows and Linux environments.
• Knowledge of RTUs, Digis, Map Board/Sentinel devices.
• Desirable but not required experience with SEL RTAC.

Quality Assurance Skills
• Demonstrated experience developing comprehensive test plans for all the EMS environments and applications
• Ability to create and execute test plans for custom EMS related applications.
• Proven ability to lead, execute, and document testing (structed and non) activities for upgraded EMS systems.
• Hands-on experience executing/leading FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing) and SAT (Site Acceptance Testing) for EMS related SCADA systems.
• Experience performing point-to-point validation of field devices, telemetry, and data mappings.
• Hands on experience using OSI Monarch test tools for system validation, troubleshooting, and upgrade testing.
• Ability to analyze test failures, identify root causes, and support remediation activities.

Leadership Skills
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with Dispatchers, Engineers, IT teams, Security professionals, Project Management, and Executive leadership.
• Experience coordinating with OSI support teams and internal utility stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear documentation and convey complex technical information to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently , take initiative, and drive tasks forward with minimal supervision from the start .
• Must be able to contribute on day one , demonstrating prior experience performing a similar role and the confidence to operate independently from the start.
• Proven ability to push both OSI and SCL teams to meet commitments, deliver on time, and maintain project momentum.
• This is a hands-on role where the candidate is expected to lead while actively participating in project work, including testing, documentation, troubleshooting, as well as coordinating these activities across teams
• Ability to provide creative, practical, and forward-looking recommendations to improve how the utility uses and optimizes the EMS platform.
• Comfortable working in high stakes operational environments and making informed decisions that support reliability and project success.

Additional Preferred Experience
• Exposure to ADMS, DERMS, or Distribution Automation systems (preferred but not required).
• Understanding of Cyber Security standards for the Utility and/or Security Certification is desirable.
• Desirable but not required EIDE/EITK, and related controllers.
• Understanding GPS clocks and frequency management systems is desirable but not required.