Systems Administrator - Distribution Systems
FirstEnergy Corp

JOB DESCRIPTION

FirstEnergy

FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of 3,780 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. [SC00]

Candidates must reside within 60 miles of reporting company locations in Akron, OH; Greensburg, PA; Erie, PA; or Holdmel, NJ.

Members of the Dx SCADA Systems team manage the application software to support FirstEnergy's Distribution (Dx) SCADA (a component of the DMS) environment. The team focuses on ensuring a world class SCADA system for use by Distribution Operations. This position is focused on the administration and development of the Dx SCADA platform, LiveData interfaces, Oracle NMS interfaces, eterraSource interfaces, and related systems administration, scripting, and development to ensure a cohesive DMS system built with components from various vendors.

System Administrators have a fundamental responsibility to ensure the computing health of the overall Dx SCADA system. Members of the team must ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities Include:

COMMUNICATIONS:

• Support GE (legacy Alstom) eterraControl module running on the EMS Front End Processors (FEP)
• Support real-time Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) via Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) communications to FEPs
• Work with EMS communications hardware and FirstEnergy's IT Network groups to ensure robust, redundant and real-time system and data collection architectures
• Develop and execute SCADA system standardizations that reduce time to delivery, efficiency and agility to deploy Distribution SCADA enabled technologies

SOFTWARE MANAGEMENT:

• Manage third-party vendor and internal custom software on FirstEnergy's standard infrastructure and network platforms. Manage integrations between software components.
• Manage the testing and deployment of patches and software upgrades
• Support real-time SCADA software and database configurations in Habitat
• Maintain interfaces between FirstEnergy IT systems, including LiveData RTI platform and integrations to the Oracle NMS platform
• Perform system security administration tasks

DATA MANAGEMENT:

• Support GE (legacy Alstom) eterraHabitat database platform, eterraArchive based Oracle platform, PI Historian and/or LiveData RTI interfaces.
• Support data extraction and transformation through the GE (legacy Alstom) eterra provided tool set as well as PERL scripts.
• Develop scripts to perform complex data analysis and increase productivity of the Dx SCADA Modeling team.
• Develop data queries and reporting solutions to meet customer requirements both internal and external to the team.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Ensures high level of reliability and availability of the Dx SCADA systems.
• Installs, Manages and Tunes a mission-critical real-time architecture that supports distribution operations 24x7x365 with zero downtime - utilizing real-time databases, software and networking technologies.
• Manages the testing and deployment of patches and software upgrades.
• Performs system security administration tasks.
• Solves complex problems and troubleshoot functionality for issue identification (including debugging); work in conjunction with other IT personnel.
• Develops and maintains integration scripting, code or interface APIs.
• Creates and maintains system documentation and procedures to ensure governance and standards.
• Utilizes version control in configuration and/or development activities to ensure tracking during development.
• Utilizes available technologies to administer, automate, test and deliver systems and tools for use by the Dx SCADA Modeling and Design team.
• Passionately pursues configurations that increase the productivity of the team, and improve the user experience of the Dx SCADA system.
• Actively engages in complex technical, standardization and procedural discussions to advance Dx SCADA platforms and ensure they remain highly available, redundant and performant.
• Clearly communicates in both written and oral mediums to peers on the team and department leadership.
• Eager and active participant in training activities - including training activities at remote vendor locations as required by supervision to become proficient in vendor tool sets.
• Executes work to assure on-scope, on-schedule, deliveries with excellent attention to detail.
• Exhibits FE's Core Values & Behaviors

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, Information Systems Management, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technologies or a similar related technical discipline along with 7 years of related experience.
  • Related experience includes, but is not limited to, experience working with EMS/DMS systems.
• Required experience from at least one of these two experience categories:
  • A minimum of 1.5 years of experience with GE (legacy Alstom) eterra systems - including but not limited to one or more of the following: eterraHabitat, eterraPlatform, eterraControl, eterraSource and associated tools. Experience in the following specific areas is preferred:
  • Experience with GE (legacy Alstom) eterra EMS/DMS system components, software and management principles.
• Ability to manage PROCMAN, CFGCTRL, NETIO, ISD and associated system configurations, code, and architectures.
• Experience performing Habitat system builds
• Experience with hdbrio, hdbimport/export, HabConnect tools
• Familiarity with eterra database schemas including SCADAMOM and/or ALARM
• A minimum of 4 years architecting, developing, or administrating in a major SCADA vendor's platform that is not the eterra system:
• Major vendors shall be determined to be acceptable based on similar data sizes, application complexities and deployment methodologies.
• Similar technical complexities to the various areas requested for eterra administration tasks above shall be able to be explained by applicants.
• Direct SCADA design experience, (DNP, RTU configurations, etc) while potentially helpful for this position, does not count as experience in a System Administration Role.
• Experience administrating and/or configuring high availability of complex software applications through configuration, version management and innovating with vendor tool sets.
• Experience with real-time systems, real-time architectures and databases including modeling and revising data through software applications or bulk/batch import/export processes
• Proven track record of managing and implementing major IT software projects or upgrades.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance custom full stack .Net applications that interface with the various systems used within FirstEnergy.
• Familiarity with client/server environments.
• Ability and willingness to travel to company sites, work flexible hours, and be available for call-in and after-hours support (7X24 operations).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with people at all levels and with varying backgrounds.
• Highly motivated to work independently and productively within a virtual environment (i.e. working with remote co-workers using virtual technologies).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize and plan work, work on multiple concurrent tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and solve non-routine problems with little or no guidance.
• Willingness to openly share knowledge with others on the team.
• Preferred:
• Understanding of IT software development life cycles
• Experience with IT general controls which include but are not limited to change management, release management, and Cyber Security policies and procedures
• Knowledge in areas such as security, network, integration.
• Knowledge of dynamic routing protocols such as EIGRP, OSPF, BGP.
• Knowledge of MPLS transport systems.
• Working knowledge of IP network communications architectures including routing and switching.
• Knowledge of firewall ruleset management practices.
• Knowledge in Active Directory integration activities such as multi-domain forests and their interaction with complex applications.
• Experience with databases, particularly Habitat and/or Oracle. Database replication, partitioning and failover experience preferred.
• Computer programming or scripting skills such as Microsoft Visual C++, C# , .Net, PERL, etc.
• Electrical background in Power Systems Engineering or Communications Engineering
• Experience with DNP3.0 SCADA protocol.
• Experience with RS232, RS485 communications.
• Working knowledge of industry standard SCADA Commissioning practices

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety

Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

Position Classification

Exempt

FirstEnergy Human Resources Team

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