Power System Scheduler/Trader

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Power System Scheduler/Trader

Salary

$155,112.96 - $200,739.12 Annually

Location

Santa Clara, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

62-23-674

Department

Electric Utility

Opening Date

08/08/2023

Closing Date

Continuous

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit

Description
Benefits
Questions

Description

The Department:

SVP currently provides over 600 Megawatts of power to residential and business customers within Santa Clara, of which 40 percent of comes from carbon-free renewable resources. In addition to using green energy from large-scale wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric projects outside of the area, SVP employs innovative ways to locally produce electricity by operating Thermal Generation facilities utilizing Simple Cycle, Combined Cycle, and Cogeneration technologies. It is the mission of Silicon Valley Power to be a progressive, service-oriented utility, offering reliable, competitively priced services for the benefit of Santa Clara and its customers. Being competitive in the marketplace with a continuous focus on customer service, SVP can provide economic value to the City of Santa Clara and its customers while maintaining low residential rates and offering competitive rates for all customers.

The Position:

This is a professional, management position in the unclassified service responsible for scheduling, purchasing, and managing Silicon Valley Power (SVP) electric and hydro energy requirements in the hour ahead and real-time markets by optimizing those resources and by dispatching the generation plants, scheduling water flows and making sales of surplus resources in order to serve our customers consistent with SVP"s risk parameters. This position requires working 12 hour day and night shifts along with holiday and weekend shifts. SVP operates a 24/7 real time desk which is the primary responsibility of this position.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

As a member of the City's Unclassified Service, this is an "at-will" position and the incumbent serves at the discretion of the City Manager. An incumbent in this classification: demonstrates strong ethical, professional, and service-oriented leadership and interpersonal skills; sets a good example; and correctly applies the tenets of the City's Code of Ethics and values.

Typical Duties

This description may not include all the duties listed below, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be performed.

Under general direction:

• Develop and submit schedules based on contract requirements and prudent economics to cover City load and to ensure the timely flow of Silicon Valley Power, South West (SW) electric and hydro resources;

• Coordinate energy, capacity, transmission, and ancillary service transactions with the appropriate broker, marketer, utility, generator, scheduling coordinator, and/or control area working within counter-party credit limits;

• Create and/or assess all electronic tags pursuant to Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC)/ National Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC) Policies, South West (SW) business practices, and Independent System Operator (ISO) requirements;

• Adjust schedules real-time during emergency transmission derates or curtailments;

• Manage resources to meet NERC/SVP reliability criteria during all operating conditions;

• Determine resource costs and availability considering existing market conditions, generating plant limitations, maintenance, outages, transmission ratings and curtailments, and existing contract provisions;

• Conduct economic analysis of current resource options and market opportunities;

• Continually evaluate market conditions (including ISO ex-post prices, imbalance energy prices, ancillary service costs and transmission and congestion price differences), generating plant limitations, maintenance, outages, transmission ratings and curtailments, and existing contract provisions;

• Negotiate purchases and sales of energy, capacity, ancillary services and the purchase of transmission to meet load and SW trading objectives;

• Conduct economic analysis of current resource options and market opportunities;

• Determine optimal short-term use of existing power purchase contracts based on market information;

• Develop an hourly trading strategy for energy, capacity, transmission, and/or ancillary services by dispatching resources in a correct way;

• Evaluate and optimize the resources in real-time, to generation dispatch, capacity needs, energy, transmission and ancillary services purchases and sales;

• Utilize various market applications, including but not limited to California Independent System Operator (CISO) applications to submit capacity, energy, transmission, and ancillary service bids in power scheduling and power trading;

• Implement South West (SW) Trading Guidelines and management directives;

• Ensure that NERC/SVP reliability criteria are met;

• Prepare real-time documentation and reports for after-the-fact analysis;

• Develop pricing strategies for energy limited resources;

• Negotiate with assigned SW stakeholders

• Manage resources to meet WECC/NERC reliability criteria during all operating conditions;

• Work with trading staff to develop pricing strategy for energy-limited resources;

• Perform contingency analysis to develop optimized strategy for the dispatch of generation resources, and to optimize purchases and sales of capacity, energy, transmission, and ancillary service;

• Manage hydro reservoir levels and in-flows to ensure economic dispatch of SW’s projects;

• Prepare and submit all reports required as a scheduling coordinator including inter-tie, California Central System Operator (CISO), and South West (SW);

• Adjust/optimize/balance schedules to account for system outages;

• Provide training of co-workers;

• Forecast weather conditions by using like seasons, days and temperatures;

• Forecast customer energy requirements considering historical demands and applicable load shapes;

• Develop and maintain harmonious operations with interconnected utilities, wholesale entities, electric and hydro trading partners and other stakeholders through the use of effective communications practices; and

• Perform other related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education and experience equivalent to:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a closely related field; and

• Three (3) years experience in public or private sector power scheduling or trading and/or Independent System Operator (ISO) scheduling.

LICENSE

Possession of a valid Class C California driver’s license is required at the time of appointment and for the duration of employment.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Incumbents must have the ability to work, as assigned, to schedules that may include Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and non-traditional work hours; and a willingness to work overtime as required.

• Candidates hired into this position may have to pass an initial and periodic, comprehensive background checks, which include fingerprinting, to meet Federal, State and/or industry security requirements. Incumbents will have to meet any Federal (FERC and NERC) and State (CPUC) mandated certifications.

• Must be able to perform all of the essential functions of the job assignment.

Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee admittance into the examination process. Only the most qualified candidates who demonstrate the best combination of qualifications in relation to the requirements and duties of the position will be invited to interview.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Wholesale and retail electric utility business, Hydro reservoir monitoring for optimum SW dispatch, dispatch of generation resources, production costs of energy by fuel type, system load characteristics and load curves;

• Market applications, including but not limited to ICE and CISO;

• Real-time evaluation and optimization procedures for generation dispatch, capacity needs, energy, transmission and ancillary services, purchases and sales;

• WECC/NERC policies and SW Business Practices;

• Trading procedures, systems to track and analyze capacity, energy, transmission, and ancillary service transactions, market strategies for wholesale purchases and sales of electricity and relevant trading directives;

• Schedule transactions, scheduling procedures, management directives, and how to solve scheduling conflicts;

• Scheduling and tagging procedures based on SW, CISO, WECC contract requirements and reporting requirements;

• Integrated power system operations and SW, NERC, FERC, and CISO policies, procedures, protocols and business practices;

• Research, planning and technical analysis for complex scheduling projects and preparation of reports including recommendations;

• Research methods and statistical analysis, complex spreadsheets and database applications and project and workload planning;

• Work-related computer applications, including e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, databases and the internet;

• Applicable laws, regulations and permits affecting the electric utility industry;

• Customer energy requirements and real-time weather forecasting, and

• Business practices, contract principles, financial statements, and economic analysis techniques.

Ability to:

• Apply the principles of power generation and transmission systems, including interconnected utility operations;

• Implement the integration of purchases and sales to economically reduce overall costs of energy and energy management systems;

• Interpret, explain and apply complex contracts, policies, protocols and business practices, implement strategies associated with short-term trading, and negotiate transactions;

• Interpret and explain complex contracts, policies, protocols, and business practices;

• Evaluate capacity, energy, and transmission transactions, implement market strategies to complete wholesale purchases of electricity, and perform economic analysis to determine benefit/cost of wholesale power market purchases and sales;

• Draw conclusions and project consequences of decisions and recommendations;

• Establish and maintain positive and effective relationships with City employees, contractors and other governmental representatives;

• Work as team player and be willing to deliver excellent customer service to both internal and external City clients;

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing to consistently represent facts and situations accurately, transmit information concisely and in an effective manner, and present a balanced picture of situations;

• Prepare and present highly technical and complex written and oral reports;

• Work effectively in time-sensitive situations and meet deadlines; coordinate multiple projects and complex tasks simultaneously;

• Review and analyze important detailed and highly complex technical Electric Utility records and reports;

• Train and supervise the work of others in a team environment; and

• Walk or stand for extended periods of time and bend, stoop, reach, carry, crawl, climb, and lift as necessary to perform assigned duties.

Additional Information:

You must answer all job-specific questions in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applications must be filled out completely (i.e. do not write “see resume or personnel file.”) To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Application packets may be submitted online through the “Apply Now” feature on the job announcement at . This posting has been updated to continuous and a first review of applications will be Friday, August 25, 2023.

The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 615-2080 or HumanResources@santaclaraca.gov .

City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #9

Miscellaneous Unclassified Management

This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara’s benefits available to Bargaining Unit #9 employees in 2024. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager’s Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.

Retirement:

Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula –employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula – employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
Employee pays 6.20% up to $10,397.40 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay

Health Insurance:

City contribution up to $2042.82/month, based on enrollment in a CalPERS health plan
Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
If an employee enrolls in a plan with a premium that is less than $946.86/month, they will be paid the difference in cash
Employees hired on or after 1/1/2023 who opt-out of City-offered health insurance and provide annual attestation and acceptable proof of alternative required coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable, are eligible for a cash-in-lieu amount of $250/month. Contact Human Resources for more details

Dental Insurance:

Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Vision Insurance:

Choice of two VSP plans
City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA):

City contributes $50.00 a month toward employee’s VEBA account
Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)

Life Insurance:

City pays for $50,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children

State Disability Insurance (SDI):

Employee pays 1.1% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Paid Family Leave (PFL):

Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance:

Benefit is 60% of basic wage up to $13,333; max $8,000/month
City paid benefit. City pays $.207/$100 of insured earnings
60 calendar day waiting period
Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment

Deferred Compensation:

Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules

Flexible Spending Account (IRS Section 125 Plan):

Employee may contribute up to $3,200 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
Employee may contribute up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
Employee may contribute up to $315 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan

Vacation:

Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
For 10 - 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
Maximum accrual is 480 hours
Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 80 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out in up to two cash-outs the following calendar year

Sick Leave:

Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
Up to 32 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service

Management Leave:

120 hours of management leave credited to employees each January 1st
New employees hired between January 1st and June 30th receive 120 hours of management leave their first year
New employees hired between July 1st and December 31st receive 60 hours of management leave their first year
Unused management leave may be carried over from one calendar year to the next; however, an employee may never have more than 240 hours (calendar years 2021 through 2024) of “banked” management leave

Holidays:

Seventeen paid eight-hour holidays per year (13 & 4 holidays between 12/25 to 1/1 of following year)

Mobile Communication Device Allowance:

$80/month in lieu of carrying a City-issued cell phone

Auto Allowance (an alternative to mileage reimbursement or use of a City vehicle):

Department Heads receive $320/month (up to $520, with City Manager approval). Assistant Department Heads and Division Managers can receive $200/month (Up to $500 with City Manager approval)

Tuition Reimbursement Program:

Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program:

Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
City paid benefit

Retiree Medical Reimbursement Program:

Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to$416/month in 2024 (amount adjusted annually)
After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $249/month in 2024 (amount adjusted annually)

Alternate Work Schedule:

An employee shall be eligible to work a 9/80 alternate work schedule according to the conditions, criteria, and requirements set forth in City Manager's Directive 71. Requests to work a 9/80 schedule shall be made through or by the Department Head to the City Manager. The City Manager must approve the schedule and the City Manager or Department Head (for employees other than Department Heads) may terminate the schedule at any time.

Please select the option the describes how you meet the minimum qualifications.

I possess a Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Business, or closely related field AND three (3) years of experience in public or private sector power scheduling or trading and/or Independent System Operator (ISO) scheduling.
I do not meet the minimum qualifications.

Describe your three (3) years of experience in public or private sector power scheduling or trading and/or Independent System Operator (ISO) scheduling. Include in your response where you obtained this experience and for how long you performed the duties.

Do you have any experience working on a real time desk dispatching energy resources or acting as a Scheduling Coordinator in the California ISO? If yes, please describe your experience.

Do you possess a valid State of CA driver's license?

I possess a valid State of CA driver's license.
I have the ability to possess a valid State of CA driver's license by time of appointment.
I do not meet the minimum qualifications.

SVP is a 24/7 operation. This position requires employees to work 12-hour shifts (which include night shifts, weekends, and holidays). Do you have the ability to work this shift schedule?

I have the ability to work this schedule.
I do not have the ability to work this schedule.

This position will require you to work onsite. Can you report to work in person as required for this position?

I can report to work onsite.
I cannot report to work onsite.

Required Question

Agency

City of Santa Clara

Address

1500 Warburton Ave.

Santa Clara, California, 95050

Phone

408-615-2080

Website

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