Microgrid Electrical Engineer

OVERVIEW

The University of St. Thomas invites qualified candidates to apply for a Electrical Engineer position within the School of Engineering.

This position is grant-funded. We anticipate this to be a one year, benefits-eligible term appointment, dependent on the needs of the department. The position duration is renewable to up to 3 years depending on performance, department needs, and availability of funds.

JOB SUMMARY

The University of St. Thomas (UST) Center for Microgrid Research is currently looking for an Electrical Engineer for a project funded by the US Department of Defense. The Engineer will support the Center’s power and research infrastructure expansion on the University’s Saint Paul campus.

This position will work alongside the Microgrid Engineer for managing, overseeing, and directing electrical maintenance, repair, inspection and/or new work on electrical equipment, (13800 AC volts and lower or 1200 DC volts and lower), within the microgrid.  The Engineer will work with the Microgrid Engineer to manage and oversee the day-to-day operations of the CMR’s microgrid. This position will also be responsible for creating, managing, and overseeing all aspects of system operations and contributes to the overall success of the Center by performing other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned.

The successful candidate will be required to conduct independent research and development, develop new ideas and contribute to research proposals, engage with faculty, staff, and students, prepare manuscripts for publication, and present their work at conferences.

 The work in this position is funded in part by the Department of Defense. Candidates must be able to access controlled unclassified information and export control data without university support. An offer is contingent upon proof of authorization to work in the U.S. and confirmation of one's ability to receive CUI/export control data.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Work with Microgrid Engineer to operate and manage the UST microgrid and be knowledgeable of system components including: inverters, generators, relays, breakers, battery systems, solar photovoltaic systems, communication network, and system controllers.

   

• Manage and suggest system improvements and expansion projects. Order parts and equipment for new electrical projects, and ensure that all components are correctly and safely installed and are in working order.

   

• Reconfigure and prepare the microgrid for testing as needed.

• Ensure prints, schedules, and O&M manuals are updated as changes are made to microgrid electrical systems.

• Work and communicate well with external partners on projects

• Work with Microgrid Engineer on developing innovative solutions and technical approaches to modeling and design and operation of advanced power and microgrid equipment.

• Serve as lead author on project reports, journal articles, conference papers, and presentations.

• Leads technical proposals for developing new projects and business.

• Effectively leads collaborative teams of staff and students.    

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

The University of St. Thomas offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, which includes:

• Up to 100% tuition remission for employees and dependents upon eligibility
• Up to 50% tuition remission for spouses upon eligibility
• A generous Employer retirement contribution of 9.4% of annual salary upon eligibility
• Medical, dental, and vision options
• Employer-paid disability, life, and AD&D benefits

Salary Range: $45,000 to $85,000

The University of St. Thomas has provided a salary range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The specific salary offered will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

• This project is funded by the Department of Defense. Export control laws define US person as US citizen, permanent resident (green card), or refugee/asylee. DoD restrictions on project personnel exist for some, but not all, non-US persons such as citizens from China, Iran, and Russia.Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering with 0+ years of cumulative experienceAbility to understand technical documentation such as oneline diagrams and electrical drawingsKnowledge of fundamental power engineering concepts

• Basic programming experience

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

   

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Willingness to learn new technologies and skills

   

• Ability to identify potential issues and react resourcefully with a team to rectify

   

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of AutoCAD or similar

   

• Base level knowledge of communication systems commonly used within the power generation industry for the purpose of configuring and troubleshooting SEL relays/RTAC, network devices, substation equipment, and other OEM devices

   

• Experience with Power Generation Controls and Automation

   

• Experience with programming Digital Multifunction Relays

   

• Experience developing relay logic, electrical protection, and coordination schemes

   

• Willingness to learn and adapt to changing technologies and industry practices

   

• Knowledge of applications, electrical codes, and standards (IEEE, NEC, NFPA, API, etc.)

   

• Analytical minded; Detail-oriented; Well-organized; multi-tasker

   

• Experience with design/maintenance of SCADA system

Candidates should include: (1) CV with list of publications, (2) 1-page cover letter, and (3) contact information for 3-5 references.

Review of applications will start immediately.  

HOW TO APPLY

All interested candidates must apply online at https://www.stthomas.edu/jobs/. Follow the instructions to complete an online application which includes creating or updating an applicant profile, uploading a resume, and completing a job specific application.

In light of its commitment to create and maintain a safe learning and working environment, employment with the University of St. Thomas requires consent and successful completion of a background screening.

Official job posting is available at www.stthomas.edu/jobs.

ABOUT US:

The University of St Thomas School of Engineering:

The University of St Thomas School of Engineering (SOE) is a primarily undergraduate teaching institution focusing on engineering education within the context of a liberal arts framework. As part of the largest private university in Minnesota, the School of Engineering comprises nearly 15% of the campus population. The UST School of Engineering offers undergraduate and masters level programs in the areas of Electrical Engineering, Data Science, Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil engineering, and Manufacturing Engineering.

The Center for Microgrid Research:

The Center for Microgrid Research is in the midst of an exciting growth phase with more than $25 Million grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), and Minnesota Department of Commerce. In the next year, it is anticipated that the CMR team will grow to more than 10 full-time staff and 15 student researchers. Through the awards, the Center’s infrastructure is expanding in capability and size. The microgrid’s on-site generation capacity is increasing to more than 1.5 MW to feed power to 5 buildings on campus, covering more than 400,000 sq. ft. of space. The expanded microgrid will be made up of 2 smaller microgrids and have 4 points of connection with the local utility resulting in a unique networked-microgrids layout. The research and development infrastructure is growing to include state-of-the-art Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testbeds for controller-HIL, power-HIL, and power-system-HIL. Research findings developed and prototyped on the HIL testbeds will be immediately applied to the real-world microgrid for real-world case studies and experiments. Moreover, the CMR’s industry partnership network is rapidly broadening. As an example, the CMR is a founding member of the Minnesota Cleantech Consortium which includes 3M, Cummins, Xcel Energy, Connexus, Great Plains Institute, and many others.