Senior Distribution System Engineer

Minimum Pay Rate: $155,251.20 

Maximum Pay Rate: $205,608.00 

Limited Term Position: No 

Civil Service Status: Civil Service 

Apply by Date: 05/22/2026 

Posting Type: Open 

 

This posting intends to fill one (1) regular full-time position and establish and eligibility list which may be used to fill regular, full-time, or limited-term positions, over the next two (2) years. 

 

Are you passionate about powering our community with safe, reliable, and efficient energy? SMUD is seeking an experienced professional to join our team as a regular, full-time Senior Distribution System Engineer within Distribution Planning to support the advanced analysis and planning of our electric distribution system. In this pivotal role, you’ll help ensure SMUD’s infrastructure adapts to meet both present and future power needs, while innovating and leading projects that drive operational excellence and support SMUD’s commitment to safety, cost-effectiveness, and regulatory compliance. You’ll serve as a technical expert and resource, collaborating across departments and mentoring others as we work towards a sustainable, zero-carbon future for Sacramento. 

Purpose

Performs professional technical and analytical functions in analyzing the performance of an assigned distribution system area and identifying corrective actions needed to ensure that the distribution system is configured to meet SMUD’s short-, medium- and long-range needs in an efficient, cost-effective, and safe manner and is in compliance with SMUD’s guidelines and applicable laws and regulations.

Nature and Scope

Serves as an advanced journey level resource in a relevant professional discipline; works independently on projects of moderate complexity; exercises independent judgment and discretion; may serve in a Lead role and assist in planning, coordinating, prioritizing, monitoring, and evaluating the work results in assigned area and in selecting, training, motivating, evaluating and developing lower-level personnel.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensures a safe, reliable, and economical power service to customers and to meet SMUD’s power needs; leads and performs complex distribution system planning and design including to monitor system planning and design; develops and maintains SMUD’s distribution system maintenance philosophy; develops, maintains, and revises safety practices related to planning and operations.
• Ensures that SMUD’s distribution system is configured and operated to provide the maximum output and the maximum operating flexibility within contractual, emissions, and other limits; conducts analyses of system performance and projected systems demands by forecasting electrical load growth, modeling and analyzing system impacts, identifying system deficiencies, recommending cost-effective corrective actions, performing work justification studies, producing annual work plans for capital and O&M expenditures, evaluating new technologies, and reviewing safety trends to identify areas for improvement.
• Ensures that projects and programs meet SMUD and other standards for cost-effectiveness, safety, and quality of power produced; provides high-level expertise and guidance by providing technical review of community projects and programs with potential SMUD-wide impact, reviewing co-generation proposals to evaluate system impacts, drafting interconnection agreements including required mitigation, evaluating the impact of distributed technologies including energy efficiency and dispersed generation, performing technical and economical analysis of distribution automation alternatives, identifying and recommending automation investments, and performing detailed analysis of power quality data and recommending and planning solutions to power quality related problems.
• Ensures the safe and reliable operation of the assigned distribution system and the achievement of SMUD’s business objectives; performs and leads the performance of activities related to system protection by identifying and resolving difficult distribution system protection issues that impact distribution system performance and safety. analyzing system protection, operation, and electrical system configuration, preparing operating criteria that include system protection, reliability, safety, and economics, developing distribution system protection standards, guidelines and practices, evaluating the need for and conducting definitive distribution system protection studies, maintaining protection databases and documentation, developing and maintaining the distribution system inspection and maintenance programs, and performing root cause analysis to determine and correct the cause of system failures.
• Ensures that staff are trained and capable of meeting SMUD’s performance expectations; assists in developing the required employee competencies by assessing employee skills and training needs, evaluating, selecting, and modifying training programs, developing and presenting technical training, arranging for and coordinating training conducted by others, facilitating the exchange of expertise and knowledge within the work group and with other work groups, and providing coaching and mentoring as needed.
• Assists in planning, reviewing, and conducting work activities and researching required project information associated with department internal/external projects in accordance with established task objectives and schedule as outlined in the project plan/contract; supports the overall achievement and completion of department projects.
• Performs related duties as required.

Required Education

• A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Electrical Engineering or related field.

Required Experience Qualifications

• Five or more (5+) years of progressively responsible experience in the planning, design, and operation of electric utility distribution systems.

Knowledge Of

SMUD policies, procedures, applicable MOUs, and other special agreements; methods and techniques for planning, organizing, and overseeing work activities; methods and techniques for training staff; techniques and concepts related to teamwork; techniques for exercising leadership and authority; methods and techniques for report preparation and writing; techniques and practices for negotiating; principles and practices of economic analyses of projects and programs; techniques and practices for resolving complex technical issues; complex computer systems and resources; electronic records; database administration; interrelationships between SMUD’s operations and relevant external entities; principles, practices, and procedures related to power distribution systems; concepts and systems related to distribution construction, planning, operation, and maintenance including steady state and transient circuit analysis, electrical equipment design and application, grounding, protection and coordination; concepts and systems related to engineering analyses of reliability, power quality, root cause, and economic and systems data; computer-aided modeling and analysis; methods and equipment related to distribution system monitoring; theories and practices related to electric power system design; theories and practices related to electric distribution system planning; load data analysis and forecasting methodologies; policies, practices, and procedures related to distribution system maintenance; performance management techniques related to project management; principles and practices for contract management; procedures and practices for cost control and project scheduling; procedures and practices for monitoring and managing projects; governing codes, industry standards, and generally accepted utility practices utilized in distribution system design and operation; budgeting processes, techniques, and tools; computer-aided modeling and analysis; vegetation management techniques; safety policies, practices, and procedures; standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software; English grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary standards.

Skills To

Identify and assess training needs for staff; interact with others to influence and motivate; interpret SMUD policies, procedures, applicable MOUs, and/or other special agreements; oversee adherence to safety policies and procedures; analyze complex issues and develop/implement resolution alternatives; analyze procedures/systems and develop/implement operational improvements; analyze situations, documents, and data for conformance to established policies and procedures; apply applicable laws, codes, and regulations; appraise situations and people accurately and adopt an effective course of action; determine the potential long-term outcomes of a change in operations; develop an estimation of how a system should work under ideal conditions; evaluate and resolve complex technical issues; interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent policies, procedures, regulations and requirements; organize highly complex and conflicting data in a readily understandable manner for various audiences; prepare a business case to weigh the relative costs and benefits of a potential action; serve as reference person for other employees; serve as an expert witness in court; monitor and manage projects; perform complex technical engineering analysis and forecasting; use complex computer-aided modeling and analysis tools; write technical documents; assist in budget preparation and administration; perform engineering economic analysis; prepare conceptual designs and costs for major complex installations and reconstruction jobs; perform complex analysis of distribution system and facilities; utilize a personal computer and/or computer terminal, systems, and software relevant to the job; communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally; establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally.

Desirable Qualifications

• Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) license with the State of California. 
• Significant experience in electric utility distribution system planning, operations, or engineering, including hands-on experience with system modeling, performance analysis, and forecasting load growth. 
• Advanced knowledge of distribution system protection, reliability analysis, and integration of distributed energy resources. 
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a track record of effective project management and cross-departmental collaboration. 
• Expertise in using complex computer-aided modeling and analysis tools to assess and optimize electric distribution systems. 
• Strong skills in evaluating new technologies and recommending cost-effective solutions aligned with organizational objectives. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop work plans for capital and O&M projects, evaluate technical proposals, and conduct work justification studies. 
• Experience in leading, training, and mentoring multidisciplinary teams, with the ability to assess training needs and develop staff competencies. 
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to a broad audience, both in writing and verbally. 
• Commitment to safety, quality, and compliance with regulations and industry standards. 

Physical Requirements

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) - Who We Are

As the nation's sixth-largest community-owned electric service provider, we're proud of our reputation as one of the best places to work in Sacramento. Our employees tell us in our engagement surveys they're "Happy, satisfied and engaged" which helps create a workplace that best serves our customers. Sacramento was named as the 2nd happiest place to work in America by Forbes Magazine. Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and the world-renowned Napa Valley are within easy driving distance of our locations.

 

 

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

SMUD celebrates diversity, and inspires an inclusive culture based on trust and respect to create belonging and connection among our employees, customers, and communities. By working together, we are powering positive, equitable opportunities for all. We aspire to be a workplace where you can be yourself, achieve your best, and thrive together. 

 

 

An example of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is when SMUD signed the California Equal Pay Pledge in 2020. This requires equal pay for employees who perform “substantially similar work,” when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility at the time those employees started within that classification.  As such, initial hiring salary range is not subject to negotiation and salaries will vary over time based on performance.

 

 

SMUD is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, veteran status, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic. All employment decisions are made on the basis of individual qualifications, merit, and business needs and interests.

 

 

Why Sacramento, California?

The capitol of California, Sacramento is the state's sixth-largest city, and the 35th largest in the U.S. Local universities include California State University, University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, and the University of California, Davis and several competitive community colleges. The UC Davis Medical Center, a world-renowned research hospital, is one of more than a dozen hospitals and shared services centers in the Sacramento region. Part of the agriculturally-rich Central Valley, Sacramento is at the forefront of the farm-to-fork food movement. Northern California is home to some of the country's top technology companies, including Google and LinkedIn, and a multitude of startups in many industries. Sacramento is home to the NBA Kings, the River Cats (AAA baseball), the Republic FC (soccer) and the San Francisco Giants, NBA Warriors and NFL 49er's aren't far away. Sacramento offers an affluent liberal arts community with Broadway, Mondavi Center, Crocker Museum and summer musical theater to name a few.

 

 

Hybrid Work
This position may be eligible for SMUD's remote work employee benefit, the schedule of which will be determined by the successful candidate and the Hiring Manager. SMUD takes pride in powering the Sacramento region community where we live and work. We value the strong working relationships we develop with our colleagues. Our approach to remote work will continue to evolve. Please be aware that should SMUD’s business needs change, emergencies occur, or various other reasons arise, you may be required to report onsite on a part-time or full-time basis.

 

 

CalPERS

SMUD is a CalPERS agency. As a member of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), SMUD offers eligible employees access to a defined benefit pension plan along with other valuable retirement and health benefits. This program helps provide financial security both during your career and after retirement. To learn more about CalPERS and the benefits it offers, please visit www.calpers.ca.gov.