Senior Consultant - Interconnection and Delivery (West)

GDS Associates, Inc. has an exciting and challenging opportunity for a Senior Consultant - Interconnection & Delivery in the Planning & Advisory Business Unit. This newly formed Planning & Advisory business unit aligns GDS' markets expertise and transmission planning expertise to work in continuity together for our go-to-market service to clients, and this position bridges both key sectors in providing service to key utility and developer clients. This position is based out of the Folsom (Sacramento), CA office with remote work-from-home options available. This position involves the management of GDS's western interconnection and transmission analysis client support and staff development and reports to the Markets Advisory Practice Area Lead within the Planning & Advisory Business Unit.

The Western interconnection support role includes coordinating GDS staff development and evaluation of power system models such as power-flow, short-circuit, and dynamic models for both planning and operational purposes, ensuring they accurately reflect transmission topology, electrical characteristics, and ensuring final work products meet client expectations. It includes reviewing transmission system study results identifying mitigation strategies and presenting advisory reports to clients. The position oversees the evaluation of transmission expansion opportunities to meet clients' strategic goals, and manages planning processes supporting facility interconnections. Additionally, the role serves as a liaison with RTOs/ISOs, handling tasks like discussing strategic client policy directions and supporting asset registration, performance reviews, and stakeholder engagement.


The main responsibilities for interconnection management role include:

• Serve as a primary or secondary contact for GDS clients and provide consultancy and advisory services relative to transmission planning efforts, standards and requirements.
• Serve as the technical supervisor to Associate, Engineer, Lead, Project Lead, Senior Project Leads and Project Managers with supervision of new-hires.
• Provide expertise related to Transmission Planning requirements associated with planning, rating, and modeling of transmission and generation facilities.
• Coordinate with Consultants from other GDS departments relative to providing transmission planning expertise for RFP evaluation, Integrated Resource Planning, Rate and Transmission filings at State Commissions and FERC.
• Coordinate development of planning power system models (power-flow, short-circuit and dynamic) and the operating network models with respect to transmission topology, transmission, and generation electrical characteristics.
• Evaluate vendor-supplied and client-supplied information for the development of the planning power system models (power-flow, short-circuit and dynamic) and the operating network models.
• Coordinate and provide expertise for transmission system studies using industry-accepted software tools to assess system performance, compliance with transmission planning standards, including generator interconnection, deliverability studies, and transmission system impact studies.
• Review results of transmission system studies, propose mitigations, coordinate and draft quantitative and qualitative reports and advise GDS clients relative to transmission impacts and cost/benefit strategies.
• Develop strategies and processes to identify and evaluate potential transmission expansion opportunities to improve strategic goals such as reducing transmission losses, reducing system congestion and improving operation.
• Coordinate representation throughout the entire planning process associated with the interconnection of transmission, load and generation facilities.
• Serve as a technical liaison with the RTO/ISO by supporting asset registration and qualification, facilities performance review, power flow modeling support and other activities as needed.
• Provide representation at RTO/ISO transmission and generation stakeholder workgroups.

• Required Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, or Power Engineering
• Preferred Bachelor of Science degree from an ABET (Accreditation for Engineering and Technology) certified school.   
• Minimum eight (8) years of relevant transmission planning, or generation/transmission modeling work experience. 
• Relevant working experience with power system modeling software tools such as PSS/E, PSLF, PowerWorld, PSS/MUST, TARA 
• Familiarity with production cost software such as PROMOD, Aurora and GE MAPS. 
• Experience with managing transmission planning projects 
• Interpersonal skills and experience with managing staff of at least two people 
• Transmission planning experience on bulk power systems 
• Familiarity with design, planning or operation of distribution and/or transmission facilities 
• Familiarity with RTO or non-RTO interconnection and planning requirements 
• Familiarity with NERC reliability standards requirements associated with planning, rating, and modeling of transmission and generation facilities 
• Ability to read and interpret electrical distribution and/or transmission one-lines and associated equipment specifications 
• Ability to perform, provide oversight and interpret results of steady-state power-flow and short-circuit studies and/or transient stability studies  
• Ability to interpret findings and share consolidated steady-state or transient-state study results
• Up to 25% domestic travel to client sites and to attend industry meetings 

GDS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please note that this position is not available for visa sponsorship.

Work Authorization: Citizens or Permanent Residents of USA. Cannot provide Visa sponsorship.

Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to location, the individual's combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability and organizational requirements. The typical salary range for this position is just one component of the firm's total compensation package.

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