Principal Hydroelectric Pumped Storage Engineer

Location: Reading, PA
Employment Type: Contract 6 to 8 Months

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Principal Hydroelectric Pumped Storage Engineer for a 6-to-8-month contract opportunity with our client in Reading, PA.

The ideal candidate must have direct, hands-on experience with hydroelectric pumped storage projects, including plant operations, control systems, and modernization initiatives. This position will focus on reviewing existing engineering documentation, developing control narratives, evaluating drawings and operating sequences, and identifying opportunities to improve plant safety, reliability, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and review control narratives, control philosophies, functional specifications, and sequence-of-operation documentation for hydroelectric pumped storage facilities.

• Review engineering drawings, control logic diagrams, relay schematics, and existing technical documentation for accuracy and completeness.

• Evaluate existing plant control systems and recommend improvements to safety, reliability, and operational performance.

• Review turbine-generator startup, shutdown, synchronization, and operating sequences to identify opportunities for optimization.

• Assess legacy relay-based control systems and provide recommendations for modernization to digital Distributed Control Systems (DCS).

• Review governor, excitation, protection, and auxiliary control systems to ensure proper integration and functionality.

• Identify potential operational risks, control system deficiencies, and opportunities for process improvements.

• Provide technical recommendations and engineering guidance to support plant modernization initiatives.

• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and maintenance teams to evaluate proposed improvements and ensure compliance with industry standards.

• Apply IEEE Std 1010 and applicable hydroelectric industry standards when reviewing control systems and operating procedures.

Required Qualifications

• Direct experience working on hydroelectric pumped storage projects is mandatory.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Minimum of 8 years of engineering experience involving power generation, hydroelectric facilities, or industrial control systems.

• Strong understanding of hydroelectric pumped storage turbine-generator operations and control systems.

• Experience developing control narratives, reviewing engineering drawings, and evaluating control logic and operating sequences.

• Knowledge of relay-based control systems, DCS, SCADA, governor systems, excitation systems, and protection systems.

• Experience identifying and recommending improvements to plant safety, reliability, and operational efficiency.

• Strong technical documentation, analytical, troubleshooting, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Emerson Ovation DCS and modernization of legacy hydroelectric control systems.

• Experience with Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and commissioning activities.

• Familiarity with IEEE Std 1010, IEEE Std 1249, NERC, and FERC requirements.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.

• Previous experience supporting control system upgrades at operating pumped storage generating facilities.