Senior Distribution Engineer
Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC)
POSITION PURPOSE
This position provides practical, field-usable engineering that improves the safety, reliability, capacity, and operability of TCEC's distribution system. The Senior Distribution Engineer provides System Operations, Operations, and other teammates with accurate engineering information and practical recommendations they can use during normal, abnormal, and emergency system conditions.
JOB DIMENSIONS
Internal Responsibility Owns assigned distribution planning, system modeling, coordination, and engineering analysis. Works directly with System Operations, Operations, GIS, Line Inspection, Procurement, and Work Order functions to ensure engineering information is accurate, current, understandable, and usable.
External Responsibility Works effectively with Brazos, consultants, vendors, developers, and other utilities as assigned. Applies reasonable electric utility engineering practices while protecting TCEC members from unnecessary cost and risk.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Own and continuously maintain accurate distribution system models, including identifying and resolving questionable inputs and verifying critical field and GIS data as necessary.
- Develop and maintain a working feeder-by-feeder table of normal and emergency backfeed options, including seasonal/load limitations, switching constraints, capacity, voltage, protection, and other conditions System Operations must know before an outage occurs.
- Provide timely engineering support during outages and abnormal system conditions, including available options, associated risks, and a recommended path forward.
- Perform load flow, voltage, fault-current, and protection/coordination studies; develop or recommend protective device settings that balance safety, reliability, selectivity, and practical system operations; and translate engineering analysis into operating guidance and capital or maintenance recommendations.
- Identify overloaded or at-risk transformers, feeders, and system equipment using AMI, SCADA, GIS, field verification, and other available data; correct bad data and drive issues to documented resolution.
- Partner with Operations and System Operations so engineering assumptions reflect actual field conditions, construction practices, switching realities, and operating experience.
- Create and maintain repeatable engineering standards, studies, tables, maps, records, and decision tools that provide System Operations, Operations, and other teammates with usable answers and recommendations. Critical engineering knowledge must not depend on one person or require hours to reconstruct during an event.
- Challenge assumptions, ask questions, surface bad news early, meet commitments, and close loops. When an answer is not known, determine how to get the answer and communicate a reasonable timeline.
- Model the TCEC Essential Attributes, remain coachable, curious, pursue continuous learning, and support the department and department manager with other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering is preferred. A bachelor's degree in another engineering discipline may be considered when accompanied by demonstrated successful experience performing electric distribution system modeling, analysis, and planning.
Successful electric distribution utility engineering experience is preferred. Candidates without an Electrical Engineering degree must demonstrate meaningful, successful experience performing electric distribution system modeling and analysis, including load flow, system capacity, contingency/backfeed analysis, voltage and loading evaluation, and development of practical recommendations used to support utility operations and planning.
Certification/License Valid driver's license required. Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred; ability and willingness to pursue applicable professional credentials expected.
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Must demonstrate strong engineering judgment, intellectual curiosity, urgency, ownership, and practical problem-solving. Must be able to distinguish model output from field reality, work with incomplete information without becoming paralyzed, document assumptions, communicate risk, and make clear recommendations. Proficiency with distribution modeling software (Milsoft or comparable), AMI/SCADA/GIS data, Excel, and technical drawings is expected. Must communicate effectively with engineers, system operators, line personnel, leaders, consultants, and vendors. Ongoing professional development is required. Ability to work in office and field environments and respond during emergency events as needed.
POSITION DETAILS
- Position Title: Senior Distribution Engineer
- Reports To: Department Manager
- Employment Type: Full-time
- FLSA Status: Exempt
- Supervisory Responsibility: No
- Financial Disclosure Required: No
- Residency Requirement: Yes
- Position Description Effective Date: October 2026
WHY JOIN TCEC
Tri-County Electric Cooperative is guided by ten Essential Attributes that define how we lead, collaborate, and serve with integrity, accountability, and trust. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while supporting reliable electric service for the communities we serve.
This job description is intended to identify the essential functions of a position and should not be interpreted as all-inclusive. An employee may be required to perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor and/or management as needed. TCEC reserves the right to revise or modify the job description as needed. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
