Director, Research & Development

Summary

Leads research, design, and development activities to improve NYPA’s energy services.  Designs, selects, tests and evaluates and implements new technology. Ensures that standards of quality, cost, safety, reliability, timeliness and performance are met throughout all engineering activities.

Responsible for developing new, highly technical, and innovative ideas, tools, and techniques that have the potential to reduce NYPA’s operation and maintenance costs and increase NYPA’s power systems’ efficiency, reliability, and safety. This includes working with NYPA’s internal constituencies as well as external research and development organizations to develop, implement, test, and evaluate the efficacy of new technologies, tools, and techniques.

Responsibilities

• Conceive, plan, and develop new technologies with potential for Operation &Maintenance savings at NYPA's generating (hydro and fossil) plants and transmission facilities, including recommendations for implementing such technologies and projects to senior management.  
• Implement new technologies at NYPA’s generating (hydro and fossil) plants and transmission facilities.  Track and study new technologies with potential for O&M savings and bring these technologies in house for testing and/or implementation at NYPA.
• Provide technical leadership across NYPA for innovative techniques for enhancing NYPA/NYS generation and transmission system reliability and availability.
• Prepare engineering calculations, estimates, cost analyses and reports as required.  Prepare technical scope of work and Request for Proposals along with required specifications and list of bidders.  
• Coordinate major projects across multiple engineering disciplines and staff.  Analyze potential projects for their economic impact.  Track and prepare status reports for all assigned projects.  Manage contractors to carry out the scopes of work.  
• Evaluate project scope, review feasibility reports, make presentations and recommendations, develop design documents and specifications, evaluate bid results and make recommendations for contract award.  
• Develop and verify engineering, labor and material bid specifications provided by staff and implementation contractors.  Ensure that all design, code, licensing and operating and maintenance requirements are met.  
• Develop and evaluate plans and criteria for a variety of projects and activities.  Assesses the feasibility and soundness of proposed engineering evaluation tests or equipment.  
• Develop and implement new and creative ways to move projects forward to successful implementation.  
• Develop and verify all financial and invoice documentation relating to projects.  Evaluate and approve all change order claims and payment invoices.  Work as a team member with other engineers inside and outside of NYPA to develop the most cost-effective project designs.  
• Provide project construction quality assurance for adherence to project specifications and compliance to state and local codes.  Coordinate activities between contractors / consultants / equipment vendors / plant staff.  Comply and enforce the compliance of hazardous material handling, safety and environmental procedures.
• Represent NYPA on Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Transmission and Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI) Transmission Committees.  Brief management on new technology opportunities that could be of major importance to NYPA.
• Coordinate technology transfer and implementation across interdepartmental boundaries, and prepare reports and technical papers for dissemination inside and outside of NYPA.
• Keep abreast of the latest technological developments, products, analytical and computer simulation tools, and revisions to the NYPA project requirements.
• Lead and develop engineering professionals. Provide coaching, feedback and support for each individual's development.  Review performance of staff; establish work performance goals and review individual goals each appraisal period.  Recommends staff additions, promotions, salary increases, and workforce projections. 
• Develop and manage a cost effective department budget.
   

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Highly technical and self-motivated individual; must be persuasive and possess strong negotiating skills; provide guidance and motivation to supervised contractors and to customer representatives.    
• Strong technical background related to distributed energy resources, building operations and grid integration, including system design and specifications, installation, monitoring and verification.
• Strong project and contract coordination skills, including economic analysis, technical review, contractor and grant contracts and customer contracts.
• Strong project management skills required to implement studies and projects; ability to work independently or as part of an interdisciplinary team
• Knowledge of storage and demand flexibility technologies.
• Detailed understanding of utility service rate analyses, energy analysis, life cycle cost analysis, NYPA contracts, project financing strategies, and energy systems and controls. 
• General knowledge of facility mechanical and electrical systems.
• Technical knowledge across multiple engineering disciplines with the ability to further develop an understanding of the electric utility and energy services industries. 
• Strong understanding of NYPA’s policies, operations, procedures and business objectives and practices as well as those of the customers is preferred. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, good written and verbal communication skills; ability to prepare highly technical and managerial level reports and equipment reviews suitable for final submission.
• Ability to organize information and effectively present ideas to the intended audience. 
• Must be able to receive verbal direction and follow-up for/with supervisor.
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative team environment, and effectively with consultants, contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Coordinate program activities and activities of customer representatives and other engineers, and contractors; prepare budget proposals, project scheduling and project reporting. 
• Ability to demonstrate personal motivation, foresight and good judgment.  
• Ability to recognize problems that arise during analysis procedures or in analysis results and provide potential alternatives to supervisor. 
• Ability to develop complex engineering specs and perform intricate studies.
• Aware of changes and advancements in the industry, and ability to develop industry-wide expertise.
• Understanding of how NYPA interacts with outside organizations, including other utilities and regulatory agencies, and with its customers.
• Familiarity with NYPA’s budgets, costs, rate structures, and policies.

Education, Experience and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Scientific Discipline.
• Advanced degree in Engineering, Scientific or Business Administration and/or Professional Engineer license is preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in Project Management and Engineering role preferred.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience managing or leading a team preferred. 
• Professional certifications such as Project Management Professional Certification 

Physical Requirements

• Approximately 20% travel primarily within NY State
• Ability to observe and direct work in the field at customer facilities, power plants, under transmission lines, and in transmission substations. 
• Valid driver’s license.