WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Respect. Professionalism. Integrity. Accountability.

Energy/Utilities Engineer 3

Help protect the consumers of Washington state!

Salary Consideration: Range 67, Step A ($82,872) – Step L ($108,780) annually.

The starting employment offer will be determined based on the successful candidates’ qualifications. Typically Step M of the pay range is a longevity step.

This recruitment is open until February 08, 2026, at 11:59pm.

UTC reserves the right to render a hiring decision and/or choose to close or extend this recruitment at any given time. Applications for this recruitment could be used to fill comparable positions that open within the next 60 days.

The Opportunity:
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) is seeking to fill the role of three (3) Energy/Utilities Engineer 3 positions within the Energy Transformation Section of the Regulatory Services Division. These advanced positions contribute to the commission’s statewide public safety engineering programs in areas such as electric utility wildfire mitigation, utility-scale electrical distribution planning, and energy resource interconnections.

Hybrid:

Although this is a hybrid opportunity, the successful incumbent must reside within Washington state and must be available to report to the Lacey, Washington headquarters building when needed. 

Travel: 

Travel will be a required, essential component of this position and typically occur within Washington state at a utility office or infrastructure/operational locations. Occasionally, travel outside of the state may be required. Travel may occur outside of normal work hours.

Who We Are:

Our Mission is to protect the people of Washington by ensuring that investor-owned utility and transportation services are safe, equitable, available, reliable, and fairly priced. 
 

Our Vision is to strive to achieve equitable and fair outcomes as a regulator of utility and transportation services and prioritize inclusion and belonging in the workplace.
 

The UTC is continually recognized for its excellence and integrity as a regulatory agency, as we challenge the status quo and ourselves to ensure equitable outcomes for our customers and the people of Washington State.
  
We recognize that our employees are the key to the agency’s success. We are committed to our work but value balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth, and offers continuing learning opportunities, meaningful work, and a comprehensive benefits package. For more information about our benefits or working at UTC, please visit our website.
 

What We Offer Our Employees:

• UTC fosters an environment of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, while striving to hire and retain a workforce from the communities we serve. 
• We place importance on a healthy balance between personal and professional lives; offering flexible work schedules, wellness programs, and mobile/telework opportunities.
• Through the state, our employees (and their families) are offered options for medical, dental, vision and basic life insurance. 
• We offer enrollment into the state retirement programs and a deferred compensation plan. 
• Throughout a calendar year, employees receive a minimum of 14 days of vacation leave per year and 11 paid holidays and 1 personal holiday in addition to accruing sick leave.

Our Values:

• Respect - We treat every person and interaction with consideration and goodwill.
• Professionalism - We are committed to excellence in our work and conduct.
• Integrity - We do the right things for the right reasons - trusting others to do the same.

How to Apply:

Interested in joining the UTC team? Apply on careers.wa.gov. We only consider candidates for further screening if the following documents are attached to your completed application packet. 

1. Letter of Interest describing how you meet the position qualifications and why you believe you are the ideal candidate. 
2. Resume detailing your applicable experience and education. 
3. References: At least three (3) professional references with current telephone numbers and email addresses. One (1) contact MUST be your current or most recent supervisor.

The initial screening of candidates will be solely based on the contents and completeness of the application, including answers provided to the Supplemental Questionnaire, along with the required attachments - letter of interest, resume, and references submitted as part of the application process.

Please note, see resume will not substitute for completing the "work experience" section of the application or supplemental questionnaire.

Duties

What you’ll do:

Reporting to an Engineer/Utilities Engineer 4, the Energy/Utilities Engineer 3 role directly supports the agency's mission by performing a full range of engineering duties, analysis, and makes recommendations necessary for the commission’s decision-making processes with respect to electric and natural gas utility services. These positions work individually and on teams to produce and review high-quality work products within the Energy Transformation Section, and perform complex engineering, economical, statistical, and technical analysis. 

Additional duties include, but aren’t limited to the following: 

• Program planning of statewide utility engineering projects with electrical utility wildfire mitigation planning, electrical distribution system planning, and grid interconnection planning.
• Plan, execute, and monitor statewide regulatory programs that involve significant technical complexity in areas of electrical utility wildfire mitigation, electrical distribution planning, grid interconnection planning, and other electrical and/or gas system technical issues as assigned.
• Prepares and presents written and oral testimony, technical analyses and memoranda, recommendations, and presentations to leadership, policymakers, and public audiences.
• Conducts comprehensive technical reviews and analyses of utility filings, programs, and infrastructure to ensure safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. 
• Reviews and provides feedback on technical reports, studies, and filings submitted by utilities and consultants to verify compliance with commission requirements.
• Communicates technical and regulatory information to utilities, customers, and other stakeholders, with an emphasis on engaging external technical experts and consultants.

Supplemental Information

READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION COMPLETELY: 

• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). 
• This position is exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Ensure the accuracy, spelling, and grammar of your application and any requested attachments before submitting.

If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again! Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the UTC, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the candidate needed for this or other roles.

All information may be verified; additional documentation may be required. Candidates may be disqualified if the education and/or work experience does not include information used to meet the minimum qualifications of the job.

The UTC is an equal opportunity employer. We want to make sure you have an equal opportunity to join our team. Our commitment is making sure current and future employees are treated fairly and equally without regard to age, sex (including gender identity), race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or religious or political affiliation.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact humanresources@utc.wa.gov. For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

For more information about the UTC, please visit:

www.utc.wa.gov, www.twitter.com/wautc and www.facebook.com/wautc

The State of Washington: 
 http://access.wa.gov

Required Qualifications: 

• A bachelor’s degree involving major study in engineering or related field from an accredited institution whose accreditation is recognized by the US Dept. of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or a foreign equivalent; and two (2) years of progressively responsible engineering experience in utilities, energy systems or regulatory oversight. An advanced degree in one of the fields listed above may substitute for one (1) year of the desired experience.

OR

• Six (6) years of progressively responsible engineering experience in utilities and energy systems.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities in:

• Advanced knowledge of utility systems, electrical distribution, transmission, interconnection, and wildfire mitigation technologies.
• Excellent written, oral, and visual communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical information clearly to varied audiences.
• Knowledge of where and how to access required data and information; anticipates additional resources. Reviews gathered materials, drawing out, and accurately documenting/recording relevant information. Recognizes when additional sources of information should be consulted and when information is suspect, vague, or needs to be supplemented or verified. Organizes, documents, and communicates research results and information in a way that can be understood, interpreted, and acted upon by end-users.
• Exercises insight and wisdom when using the Analytical Skills and Critical Thinking, and Fundamental Regulatory Skills core competencies; Recognizes underlying or indirect issues within a recommendation, field engineering operation, proposal, or filing and accurately describes relevant context using the Writing and Communication core competencies. Develops, negotiates, and advocates appropriate compromises and solutions while demonstrating interpersonal understanding and an ability to encourage, coach, and support individuals; enables the Energy Regulation section to seize opportunities and learn from mistakes.
• Independently formulates judgments on complex technical issues, conclusions, and assertions through the identification, organization, and analysis of quantitative, qualitative, anecdotal data, evidence, and research; reaches conclusions through the holistic review of multiple forms of evidence and identifies connections, gaps, discrepancies, and key data necessary to reach an informed decision; distinguishes information that is and is not pertinent to a decision or solution. Assesses the workload impact versus the value to the public interest of new proposals or program implementations.
• Applies sound scientific and engineering principles, economic theory, accounting standards and principles, commission policy and interpretive statements, legal precedents, administrative rules, and statutes in a manner consistent with the subject matter; examines issues to understand and discuss historical context; researches general fields of study to understand implication on regulatory mechanisms and practices including: engineering, public safety, economics, accounting, business administration, and computer science. Effectively persuades others to voluntarily accept recommendations or advice.
• Writes clearly and concisely using analytical skills and critical thinking and holistically reasoned arguments; independently translates complex technical concepts into messages non-technical audiences can readily understand; listens carefully, reflects upon what is being said, and responds appropriately; presents information clearly, accurately, and in an audience-specific manner; demonstrates situational awareness by adapting communication styles and tools to ensure that information is accessible to everyone.
• Takes responsibility for actions and impacts; works collaboratively as a part of a team; respects the point of view of others and approaches disagreements about work matters with active listening and good will; ensures individual interactions incorporate equitable treatment of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Council and other marginalized communities and promptly reports incidences of inequity to a supervisor or leader; demonstrates UTC’s Values at all times, through the lens of antiracism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Leads by example, always demonstrating the Inclusive Excellence and Allyship core competency, exhibiting balance and fairhandedness in considering various perspectives, maintaining composure and level-headedness in difficult situations; demonstrates emotional intelligence and intellectual humility; pursues compromise and collaboration.
• Plans, designs, organizes, leads, and executes the work of an individual or team project, ensuring a high-quality work product within specific time constraints; leads the development of project and statewide program plans which include establishing realistic timelines, identification of attainable project deliverables, articulating clear roles and responsibilities for team members, and specifying criteria for successful project completion; regularly monitors progress and provides updates to direct supervisor and applicable leaders on the status of the project and program development/implementation including risks and issues that affect the completion of project deliverable(s) and general status updates; displays the Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships core competency, and facilitates the building and managing of interpersonal relationships to ensure project program-wide success; demonstrates personal accountability and commitment to the success of the program and each project; responsible for managing and facilitating internal and external feedback processes.
• Explains and teaches a non-expert how to conduct analysis and reach a recommendation on the employee’s area of expertise; demonstrates the Inclusive Excellence and Allyship and Communication Skills core competencies; acknowledges that peers may have differences in how they best receive information due to personal, cultural, or linguistic preferences and modifies mentorship approach so that it is accessible to the recipient.
• Feedback is expected to demonstrate Inclusive Excellence and Allyship and the Communication Skills core competencies; be completed within a reasonable timeframe with reasonable accommodations as necessary consistent with section guidelines; be mindful of the personal, cultural, and linguistic preferences of the recipient.
• Demonstrates communication skills (reading comprehension, writing, listening, speaking) appropriate to the position, including the ability to communicate technical subjects to both technical and non-technical audiences. Shows respect and courtesy in interpersonal communications.
• Open to new ideas. Responds constructively to change and stressful situations. In consultation with supervisor, adjusts plans to meet changing needs.
• Demonstrates proactive learning. Keeps knowledge and skills up to date. Solicits and accepts constructive feedback. Seeks developmental assignments to improve skills. Turns challenges into learning opportunities.
• Uses Lean tools and principles to continuously identify improvements, solve problems, and improve work processes. Participates on process improvement projects/teams and thoughtfully engages in section/division meetings.

Demonstration of DEI Competencies (expected of all employees):

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others. 

Demonstration of UTC Core Competencies (expected of all employees):

• Accountability 
• DEI Knowledge, Understanding, & Commitment
• Self-Awareness and Commitment to Growth 
• Cultivating Mutually Beneficial and Trusting Strategic Partnerships 
• Inclusive Excellence & Allyship 
• Measuring Success and Improvement 
• Customer Focus 
• Results Focus 
• Communication 
• Adaptability/Flexibility 
• Self-Development 
• Continuous Process Improvement 

Desired Experience, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

One or a combination of the following:

• An advanced degree in electrical engineering, civil, mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering and physical sciences.
• Professional work experience in large industrial, and/or electric power systems adjacent fields involving large industrial, networking, and/or electric power systems.
• Progressive experience and knowledge in an engineering or technical field involving large scale industrial and/or electric power systems.
• Experience developing, managing, and implementing large-scale engineering or technical programs, including in-office engineering analysis as well as field operations.
• Experience designing and troubleshooting electrical circuits and power systems, with an emphasis on work in and around renewable energy systems.
• Experience analyzing engineering schematics and diagrams in areas such as protection and control, power conversion, motor control, or sensory/feedback systems.
• Experience with industrial-scale monitoring systems such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) to observe system behavior/status.

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