Work Assignment Name
Automation Engineer - NIA
Location of Services: Edmonds Annex - Hybrid
Max T4 Rate: $104.05/
Max INC Rate: $122.78/
Contract Duration: 12 months
Estimated Work Start Date13-Oct-2025
Estimated Work End Date13-Oct-2026

Experience and Role Accountabilities

• A minimum ten (10) years of experience in a relevant engineering field or equivalent.
• Develop safe engineering solutions by using initiative and judgement to perform tasks including developing designs, analyzing and resolving problems, and interpreting engineering specifications on medium to highly complex assignments for BC Hydro projects and operations.
• Meet safety, cost, quality, and time objectives by proposing changes in plans and estimated costs, recommending payment for work completed by contractors, preparing progress reports, coordinating work schedules and other similar tasks.
• Resolve highly technical and unusual design and field engineering problems by conducting independent studies and analysis, exercising independent judgment in selecting and interpreting information, recommending safe engineering designs to support successful operations and/or project completion at BC Hydro.
• Participate in BC Hydro’s engineering practice by conducting independent studies and analysis, contributing to the development of technical standards, exercising judgment in selecting and interpreting information, recommending safe engineering designs, and making decisions related to methods and designs as well as providing guidance and advice to other engineering professionals to develop future capability at BC Hydro.
• Deliver exceptional customer service by communicating with stakeholders and performing activities such as defining the scope of engineering/geoscience services to be provided, establishing the basic design criteria with the client, approving all related technical documentation, and assessing and reporting on work progress against standards, objectives, and specifications to support completion of projects safely, with quality, within budget and on time.
• Make decisions and recommendations of a complex technical nature including the establishment of design bases, criteria and concepts, and/or on matters affecting the management of engineering/geoscience resources and activities to support major work assignments for the engineering divisions at BC Hydro.

Important notes:
•Prior to commencement on assignment, the selected candidate must have their own sole practitioner, or the use of their firm’s, Permit to Practice with EGBC.
•EGBC Registrants provided to BC Hydro through this assignment shall work under BC Hydro’s Professional Practice Management Plan, Quality Management Pillar. The Registrant shall apply their own or their firm’s Permit to Practice Number to work that is Sealed by the Registrant. Retention and preservation of all project documentation produced by the Registrant during their contract with BC Hydro will be retained by BC Hydro to satisfy EGBC Bylaws.

Education and Skills
•Registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) with Engineers & Geoscientists BC or with another jurisdiction and eligible for registration as such with Engineers & Geoscientists BC
•BC Hydro uses a Digital Sign and Seal Technology. You may be required to subscribe to a digital seal technology service offered by Notarius
•Intermediate English skills for professional environment, written and spoken
•Familiarity with CAD systems and drawing standards
•Ability to use standard industry design/analysis software
•Intermediate MS Office skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)

Role Specialty Description:

• This role requires experience with the design, configuration, testing and troubleshooting of automation and networked control systems in electrical utility substations with operating voltages from 12kV to 500kV. Demonstrated experience working with utility operational/industrial Ethernet control systems including HMI systems, network switches & routers, programmable logic controllers, discrete control, alarming and metering systems, data concentration and other similar systems used in electrical utility substations.
• The work is focused on Automation & Control and industrial control networks used in transmission stations with operating voltages from 12kV to 500kV.
• Prepare project documentation and deliverables in accordance with BC Hydro project and Engineering Design Practices (i.e. evaluation reports, specifications, proposals, estimates, design basis', calculations, hazard logs, test plans).
• Prepare design work packages including scope, duration, and level of effort estimates.
• Prepare signed/sealed engineering deliverables as a Professional of Record (PoR) in accordance with EGBC and BC Hydro Design Practices.
• Provide technical assistance and construction support in the field, and undertake field reviews as required by EGBC.
• Prepare detailed designs and documentation for substation digital control, automation, networking, and instrumentation systems in substations with operating voltages from 12 kV to 500 kV in accordance with BC Hydro and industry standards and practices.
• Specify and procure materials, panel assemblies, and other related equipment.
• Configuring/program digital devices such as Human/Machine Interface (HMIs), data concentrators, network switches/routers, automation controllers, digital meters, PLCs and other IEDs.
• Test and validate device configurations in a lab environment.
• Prepare commissioning test plans.
• Providing technical guidance and review of designs prepared by others following established practices.
• Provide training for end-users and peers on the theory and operational use of the installed or modified equipment/systems.

MUST HAVES:
• Act in the role of Professional of Record or Owners Engineer in Automation, Protection and Control disciplines for all of NIA’s generation & energy storage facilities
• Design, program, troubleshoot and commission a wide variety of intelligent electronic devices including: Generator and station PLC’s and HMI’s, Fuel system PLC’s, Governor controls, SCADA systems, Protection relays and communication devices, Microgrid controllers
• Prepare technical documentation including control narratives, specifications, standards, hazard logs, inspection & test plans, test procedures & reports, installation & commissioning procedures, operation & maintenance procedures, condition assessment reports, drawings and cable schedules
• Witness factory acceptance testing and oversee site installation and commissioning of diesel gensets, battery energy storage systems and associated equipment.
• Work with electrical maintenance crews and CPC Technologists to sign off on repair and re-commissioning of protection, control and automation devices.
• Help develop capital and maintenance plans

• Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Registered as a P.Eng. with EGBC
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of diesel and hydro-electric generation
• Proven ability to work well with peers and crews
• Experience with the following PLC/HMI/SCADA/IED manufacturers:
o Allen Bradley
o Siemens
o Schneider
o SEL
o Wonderware

NICE TO HAVES:
Provide technical support for diesel generation systems & energy storage facilities for off grid communities (100 kW – 10 MW) comprising of:
o Diesel gensets and associated cooling systems, protection, controls, instrumentation, switchgear and fueling systems
o Battery energy storage & power conversion systems, protection, controls, instrumentation, and switchgear

Experience with the following PLC/HMI/SCADA/IED manufacturers:
o Siemens
o SEL