About this role
Job Posting
Denver, Colorado, 80205, United States of America
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.
Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.
Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.
Integrated System Planning (ISP) Organization: Xcel Energy's dedicated Integrated System Planning (ISP) department coordinates planning across all aspects of its utility operations — generation, transmission, distribution, and natural gas — in preparation for a carbon‑neutral future. Within ISP, the modeling team supports long term, cross functional planning with technical power systems modeling expertise.
Power Systems Modeling Engineer - Distribution (Staff or Senior) Role Overview:
Model Maintenance
Maintain up-to-date power flow models as data and conditions change
Work with model consumers to develop modeling standards that meet requirements for interconnection and planning studies and ensure consistent and repeatable modeling practices
Stay current on industry best practices, emerging technologies, and advanced modeling techniques to continuously enhance analytical capabilities and planning outcomes
Model Validation & Data Quality
Ensure accurate models through a standard model validation process
Work to resolve data quality issues in upstream source data systems
Work with ISP's data science team to build and validate ETL workflows in Xcel’s data management platform (Databricks)
Hosting Capacity Analysis
Assess the capabilities of the distribution grid via hosting capacity analysis using EPRI DRIVE
Publish distribution system capacity maps
Incorporate stakeholder feedback to improve HCA map user experience
Grid Modernization & Regulatory Support
Support Xcel's Distribution System Plans and other regulatory filings
Support grid modernization efforts, such as beneficial electrification, non-wire alternatives, proactive grid upgrades, and dispatchable distributed generation
Work to integrate distribution planning efforts with transmission, resource, and gas planning
The job summary below and responsibilities reflect the senior engineer level role. The successfully chosen candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with their skills and experience as different skills and/or experience will be required at the entry, staff, or principal engineer level.
General Position Summary
Applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, a type of facility or equipment, or a program function. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects and interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long- term perspective, for desired results. May assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments. Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects.
Essential Responsibilities
Applies extensive technical expertise and has an understanding of the basic principles of other related disciplines. Fully demonstrates the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level by applying technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to lead projects of moderate to large size, scope and complexity.
Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards. Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.)
Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory. Provides field engineering oversight and direction for activities such as support, testing, installation, inspections, commissioning etc.
Coordinates/leads multiple projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement, installation and commissioning). May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor.
Represents the organization as the prime technical contact in the bid/evaluation processes including preparation of bid documents, completion of technical evaluations for proposals and providing recommendations for selection. Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination with internal and external organizations.
Effectively and with precision resolves difficult technical/business matters both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors with all formats of communication.
May assign tasks to and/or direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and other support staff including coordination and review of work assignments. Provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies.
Leads activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.
Entry Engineer Level (Salary Range: $70,000-$88,667)
Minimum Requirements
Required bachelor's degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum.
0+ years relevant engineering experience Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Preferred EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) preferred.
Staff Engineer Level (Salary Range: $81,000 -106,267)
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited, electrical engineering degree with specialization in power systems preferred.
2+year's relevant engineering experience. Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.
Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
-EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) strongly preferred.
Senior Engineer Level (Salary Range: $97,000-$129,267)
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited, electrical engineering degree with specialization in power systems preferred.
5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required; 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE.
Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Preferred PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need
Principal Engineer (Salary Range: $112,000-$156,600)
Minimum Requirements
Required bachelor’s degree in engineering from ABET accredited curriculum, electrical engineering degree preferred.
9+ years relevant engineering experience with PE (Professional Engineer) registration required; 15+ years relevant engineering experience without PE.
Ability to demonstrate the unique tec