Power Systems Engineer

Power Systems Engineer

Our Resources, Industrial, Advisory and Program Management (RIPA) team have a new opportunity for a Principal Power Systems Engineer to join our team. As part of a dynamic team, you will primarily focus on developing and delivering grid connection projects and support the broader resources and industrial business.

Our highly experienced team of specialists are actively involved across both development and construction phase of the projects (grid connected and off-grid) in the renewable energy sector, oil & gas and mining industries.

As part of the team, you will be working on a variety of challenging grid connection projects with emerging technologies, including utility-scale wind, solar, battery, and pumped hydro across the entire NEM in Australia and offers a great opportunity to be a part of the fast-moving energy transformation. You will be given the opportunity to further develop your career, supporting growth priorities for our Energy business, through industry participation (committee positions, conference presentations etc.) and provide input and promote our thought leadership initiatives.

This is an exciting time for AECOM's Energy business as the energy market, and Renewable Energy in particular, continues to grow. Grid connection is becoming a critical area where proponents (utility providers and private investors and developers) are seeking specialized grid connection and network planning services across various life cycles from siting to feasibility stage through to commissioning and on-going compliance monitoring during the operations phase.

The Role

Lead power-system analysis and technical advisory for islanded mining networks and stand-alone power systems (SAPS), helping clients connect new generation and loads, maintain system security, and integrate renewables and storage without compromising operational reliability.

The role spans two distinct regional systems: the North West Power System (NWPS), centered on Mount Isa, Queensland, and the North West Interconnected System (NWIS) in Western Australia's Pilbara. The NWPS operates under a Dispatch Protocol with a Generation Coordinator; the NWIS operates under the Pilbara Networks Rules, with Pilbara ISOCo as independent system operator. Experience and familiarity with either networks is required however experience across both whilst preferred is not a prerequisite.

Key responsibilities:

Lead steady-state and dynamic studies for islanded and weak power systems, including load flow, fault levels, protection coordination, voltage and reactive power, frequency response, transient stability, and contingency assessment. Ability to develop methodologies and scenarios to assess power systems in a variety of applications and frameworks both client drive (for SAPS in particular) and to NSP and regional operator requirements for islanded networks (NWIS / NWPS).

• Ability to assess the integration of diesel and gas generation, solar PV, wind, battery energy storage, grid-forming and grid-following inverters, and large mining or industrial loads.
• Develop and review operating envelopes, generation and storage dispatch assumptions, reserve requirements, load-shedding schemes, and system restoration strategies.
• Prepare technical assessments for new connections, network augmentations, plant modifications and decarbonisation projects, translating study findings into practical design and operating requirements.
• Develop, validate and maintain power-system models; review model quality, assumptions and limitations; and provide clear, auditable study reports and recommendations.
• Engage with asset owners, network service providers, generators, operators and regional system coordination bodies to resolve technical issues and progress approvals.
• Lead technical workstreams, manage quality and delivery, mentor engineers, and contribute to proposals and client relationships.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering with major in power systems and ideally have proven experience over 5 years (Senior) or 8 years (Principal) or more working for a design/engineering consultancy or an OEM or Utility dealing with grid compliance and system modelling, network planning and customer connections.

Experience working on grid scale renewables (wind/solar/battery/hybrid) projects connecting into NEM & WEM within the Australian network is highly regarded.

Your commercial acumen, coupled with your coaching and mentoring of junior staff will be critical, alongside some or all the following:

• Understanding of transmission/distribution planning and connection process for VRE and dispatchable generating plants including energy storage and embedded generators
• Knowledge of major generation technologies and applicable control systems
• Experience leading connection process from concept planning through construction, testing & commissioning on grid scale VRE projects including registration
• Understanding of technical requirements (NER schedules S5.2 and S5.3) and guidelines for connecting new generators and loads (including new guidelines for DMAT) including compliance requirements for registration and commissioning
• Hands-on experience using PSS/e, PSCAD and Digsilent PowerFactory for system studies
• Proficient in Python Scripting, and working knowledge of ETAP
• Understanding of concept design of grid scale VRE & BESS projects
• Understanding of control and protection principles of high voltage substation equipment, transmission lines, generators, transformers, reactive equipment, etc.
• Experience in preparing technical design documentation/due diligence reports