Distribution Planning Staff, Senior, or Principal Engineer
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.
Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.
Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.
The below job summary and responsibilities reflect the duties of the Distribution Planning Senior Engineer; Staff and Principal Engineer will differ as less or more skills and/or experience will be required. The successful candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with the candidate's skills and experience.
Position Summary
This role is within the Integrated Planning Delivery team and will be focused on understanding the current state of planning processes and driving toward integration through tools and automation. The engineer will collaboratively set assumptions and perform integrated technical analysis as an electric distribution planning subject matter expert to develop new insights, recommendations, and reports to support business decisions and major initiatives. In this role, the engineer will be expected to communicate technical concepts effectively, using appropriate data visualization. A successful candidate will have experience running electric distribution planning studies, capacity checks, or DER studies.
Applies extensive technical expertise and has full knowledge of other related disciplines. Performs as a staff advisor and consultant in a technical specialty, a type of facility or equipment, or a program function. Carries out complex or innovative assignments requiring the development of new or improved techniques and procedures. Work is expected to result in the development of new/improved techniques and procedures or new/refined equipment, materials, processes, products, and/or scientific methods. Represents the organization as the prime technical contact on contracts and projects and interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination between organizations. Work is performed without appreciable direction and considerable latitude is exercised in determining technical objectives of assignment. Guidance relates largely to overall objectives, critical issues, new concepts and policy matters. Completed work is reviewed from a relatively long- term perspective, for desired results. May assign tasks to and direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and administrative staff, including coordination and review of work assignments. Responsible for (and may lead) multiple projects of moderate to large size or portions of major projects.
Essential Responsibilities
- Applies extensive technical expertise and has an understanding of the basic principles of other related disciplines. Fully demonstrates the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level by applying technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to lead projects of moderate to large size, scope and complexity.
- Largely self-directed work is expected to result in the development of new or improved techniques, procedures and standards. Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.)
- Without appreciable direction exercises considerable latitude in determining ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics and Regulatory. Provides field engineering oversight and direction for activities such as support, testing, installation, inspections, commissioning etc.
- Coordinates/leads multiple projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement, installation and commissioning). May lead more critical projects with oversight of a higher-level engineer or supervisor.
- Represents the organization as the prime technical contact in the bid/evaluation processes including preparation of bid documents, completion of technical evaluations for proposals and providing recommendations for selection. Interacts with senior external personnel on significant technical matters often requiring coordination with internal and external organizations.
- Effectively and with precision resolves difficult technical/business matters both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors with all formats of communication.
- May assign tasks to and/or direct engineers, technicians, craft personnel and other support staff including coordination and review of work assignments. Provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies.
- Leads activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.
Minimum Requirements: Principal Engineer ($112,000 - $178,900)
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering from ABET accredited curriculum (or recognized equivalency).
- 9+ years relevant engineering experience with a PE (Professional Engineer) registration required, or 15+ years relevant engineering experience without a PE (Professional Engineer).
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Minimum Requirements: Senior Engineer ($97,000 - $145,400)
- Required Bachelor's degree in Engineering from ABET accredited curriculum (or recognized equivalency)
- 5+ years relevant engineering experience with EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering) required, or 7+ years relevant engineering experience without EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering).
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills and core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Minimum Requirements: Staff Engineer ($81,800 - $118,500)
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering from ABET accredited curriculum (or recognized equivalency).
- 2+year's relevant engineering experience.
- Demonstrated broad knowledge & proficiency in specialty area, knowledge of related specialties, & general knowledge of other related disciplines.
- Ability to demonstrate the unique technical skills & core competencies for this engineering level established & documented by the organization.
Preferred Requirement
- PE (Professional Engineer) registration may be required depending on business need.
- EIT/FE (Engineer in Training/Fundamentals of Engineering).
- Distribution planning / business experience - Experience performing distribution planning and/or interconnection studies for a utility or consultant.
- Tools - CYME, Synergi Electric or similar.
- Data - Experience working with power flow models, GIS data, ratings/equipment database, CIM.
- Python/SQL
Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.
Our Values
Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe
Our Employee Commitments
- Work that makes a difference
- A team you can count of
- Opportunities to grow
- Rewards that help you thrive
Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.
Non-Bargaining
The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $81,800.00 to $178,900.00 per year
This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, Health Care Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave
Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.
In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Deadline to Apply: 10/22/26
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy is an electric and natural gas energy company that offers a portfolio of energy-related products and services to customers.
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