Principal Electrical Engineer (Electrical Service Planning)

Full Job Description

The City of Pasadena Water & Power Department is seeking a highly qualified Principal Electrical Engineer to lead the Electrical Service Planning Section within the Power Delivery Division.

This is a senior-level management position in the electrical engineering series responsible for the interconnection between the City’s electric system and its customers.

The selected candidate will oversee a team of professional and technical staff dedicated to providing seamless utility integration for residential and commercial developments.

The selected candidate must hold current registration as a Professional Electrical Engineer (PE)

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Service Planning Team: Manage the section responsible for the intake, engineering review, and approval of all new and upgraded electrical services.
• Customer Advocacy: Act as the primary engineering liaison for developers, contractors, and business owners to ensure project requirements are met with clarity and efficiency.
• Modern Infrastructure Integration: Oversee the technical review and grid integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), including solar PV systems, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), and large-scale EV charging networks.
• Project Oversight: Manage the design and construction of customer-driven capital improvement projects and utility-side infrastructure upgrades required to support growth.
• Strategic Planning: Exercise independent judgment in prioritizing service requests to align with City development goals and departmental resource availability.

Customer & Infrastructure Focus

This role is highly focused on and plays a key part in supporting new developments and electric utility service upgrades. The Principal Electrical Engineer will:

• Thoroughly navigate service planning challenges for residential and commercial projects.
• Provide expert guidance on the installation and interconnection of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Solar/Renewable energy applications.
• Lead the deployment and maintenance of the City’s Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure by streamlining the engineering review process for charging stations.
• Ensure customer service standards are met through proactive communication and timely project turnarounds.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a service-oriented engineering leader who combines deep technical expertise with a proactive, solution-focused mindset. This individual excels at translating complex engineering requirements into clear, actionable guidance for non-technical customers and stakeholders. They bring extensive knowledge of electrical distribution systems, with particular expertise in interconnection standards for solar, energy storage systems (ESS), and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Proven experience leading teams in fast-paced environments is essential, with the ability to balance customer-driven timelines and evolving demands while maintaining grid reliability. Above all, the candidate demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and a strong commitment to fostering a collaborative team culture while representing the city with excellence.

Requirements

The major responsibilities of the Principal Electrical Engineer are summarized below; for a complete listing of duties and requirements, please review the full job description.

Please note that the omission of specific duties does not exclude related or logically assigned responsibilities appropriate to this classification.

Provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for the Electrical Service Planning Section, fostering a high-performance, customer-focused, and safety-oriented work environment aligned with City and departmental goals.

Plans, manages, and evaluates section activities, including engineering service planning, capital improvement projects, and regulatory-driven system upgrades.

Develops and implements work plans, budgets, performance standards, and process improvements to ensure efficient operations, high-quality service delivery, and continuous enhancement of customer experience, particularly for solar and energy storage (ESS) interconnections.

Oversees and directs complex engineering planning, design, and construction activities related to new and upgraded electrical services, capital improvement projects, and system reliability initiatives.

Determines technical and economic feasibility of projects; manages the preparation and review of engineering designs, specifications, cost estimates, and construction packages; and utilizes system planning tools to conduct long-range studies, evaluate system conditions, analyze outages, and recommend reliability improvements.

Coordinates with Utility Service Planners, customers, contractors, field staff, and PWP crews to ensure timely, cost-effective, and code-compliant project delivery, including resolving technical issues during construction and maintaining accurate system documentation and as-built records.

Ensures full compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations and industry standards, including Pasadena Electric Service Requirements (Reg. 21 and Reg.

23), CPUC General Orders 95, 128, and 165, NERC and WECC reliability standards, and Cal/OSHA safety requirements.

Enforces safe work practices, quality assurance protocols, and proper documentation standards.

Directs contract and consultant management activities, including preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bid evaluations, contractor selection, contract negotiation and administration, review of change orders, and oversight of consulting and construction agreements.

Prepares and delivers presentations and reports to executive management and City Council, including agenda reports and project status updates; may identify grant opportunities and prepare complex grant applications.

Leads staff development efforts by interviewing and selecting personnel, establishing clear performance expectations, providing training and mentoring, conducting performance evaluations, recognizing achievements, and addressing performance issues in accordance with City policies and labor agreements.

Trains subordinate staff in a broad range of engineering and administrative functions and promotes an equitable, inclusive, and collaborative workplace consistent with the City’s commitment to equal employment opportunity.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES

The following list represents the core competencies needed for success in this position.

• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products.
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability.
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue.
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers.
• Project Management: Ensuring that projects are on time, on-budget, and achieve their objectives.
• Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal.
• Managing Performance: Ensuring superior individual and group performance.
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a major in electrical engineering or a related engineering discipline AND
• At least eight (8) years of progressively responsible electrical engineering experience, including three (3) years at the level of the City's Electrical Engineer class; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Progressively responsible Electrical Construction experience is highly preferred.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process will consist of a training and experience evaluation, interview panel, department-level interviews and may be required to complete a brief soft-skills assessment during the selection process.

The candidate assessment provides insight into core interpersonal skills, behavioral traits, and preferred work environment—helping us support your success in the role.

VACANCY INFORMATION

There is currently (1) one vacancy in the Power Delivery division of the Water and Power Department.

The resulting eligibility list from this recruitment may be used to fill this vacancy and similar vacancies in the future.

Probationary work period is (1) one year.

Additional Information

A valid California Class C driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the City's vehicle insurance program.

A certificate of registration as a Professional Electrical Engineer issued by the California State Licensing Board.

Professional Electrical Engineer certificate from another state, or Canada, that can be reciprocated within six months is also acceptable.