Share with Your Network

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The power systems engineer can also be called  ‘electric power engineer’ and ‘electrical interconnection engineer.’

Regardless of your title, these career roles enable you to work in traditional or renewable energy systems. You’ll be designing and constructing complex electrical systems with various components. 

Power systems engineers create the nerve center of construction. If you like solving problems and math, becoming a power systems engineer might be the right path for you!

What Is a Power Systems Engineer?

A power systems engineer is trained to work in electrical or power engineering. As a power systems engineer, you will work with all aspects of electrical systems and machines that generate, transmit, distribute, and use electricity. 

You’ll be designing and building new power components and systems. This can be three-phase AC power or, less commonly, the conversion of AC and DC power through specialized power systems. You may work for the oil and gas sector or renewable energy such as wind turbines or solar power. 

Responsibilities

Power systems engineers are typically responsible for planning, designing, and supporting the development of power plant projects. They can include: 

  • Design collection systems and develop procurement specifications for substations and transmission lines. 
  • Collect system data for all relevant parties (client, contractors, utility) and use it for system modeling.
  • Prepare drawings of collection systems and switchyards that include applications. 
  • Manage the overall power system aspect of the power plant project. 
  • Monitor and evaluate work done at the job site following local regulations. 
  • Explain designs to customers with little technical expertise and work with other team members to see the design through to development.
  • Technical writing, including specifications, documentation, and status reports.

Who Employs Power Systems Engineers? 

It depends on the type of energy being produced. 

A power systems engineer in the renewable energy sector may be employed by a wind or solar power developer, turbine manufacturer, or utility company. They may be responsible for evaluating current standards, performing studies, or testing new electrical systems.

During construction, you may design of the collection system, interconnection facilities, and generator tie-lines, then implement your design and troubleshoot.

Educational Requirements

Power system engineers require, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Many employers have begun to prefer an engineer with a Master’s degree in a specialty close to the field they are working in. 

High School

High school students interested in becoming a power systems engineer after they graduate should focus on scoring high grades in: 

  • Physics
  • Advanced mathematics
  • Computer science 

These courses can be complemented by hands-on experience in a co-op program or internship in a company you want to work for. Or, enroll in extracurricular activities that promote STEM skills, like robotics competitions. 

Undergraduate

After graduating from high school or obtaining a high school equivalency diploma, post-secondary education should focus on electrical or mechanical engineering. 

Some universities offer more specializations, such as degrees in power analysis, power systems, and energy systems. Colleges offer diploma programs like power engineering technology.

Many employers will also accept a degree in industrial, civil, mechanical, or construction management if you choose that route as an entry point. 

In these degrees, you’ll take courses such as power systems analysis, electrical machines, and renewable energy technology. These courses teach how grids operate, how energy flows, and how machines like generators and motors work so you can use this information to design efficient electrical systems. 

In courses about renewable energy, you’ll learn the principles of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power and the advancements being made in the sector.

University or college is a great time to network and learn the important people in the industry. Connecting with them while you’re still learning can allow you to get a job after finishing your degree.

Postgraduate (Optional)

A Master’s degree and advanced education in a specialization can help you secure an entry-level job. In addition, it might also help you enter the workforce at a higher level directly out of school.

These programs often focus on topics like smart grids, renewable energy storage, and the changeover from traditional to renewable energy systems. 

Key Skills to Learn

The same set of key skills is important to many forms of engineering, with small differences based on the job you’re applying for. 

However, the importance of technical skills to an engineer can’t be overstated. 

Technical Skills

Generally, power systems engineers are detail-orientated people with high math, project management, and document writing skills. These lead to using complex programs to keep track of their designs and all the components they’re made up of.

You’ll need many skills to become proficient in simulation and analysis software that allows you to input a design and make sure it works in the real world before money is spent building it. 

Or, analysis software allows you to input a problem or complex design to troubleshoot it before it’s put into production. 

  • MATLAB: An abbreviation for MATrix LABoratory, a piece of proprietary multi-paradigm programming language software that allows for numeric computing. Engineers use it for plotting functions and running algorithms. 
  • PSS/E: Power System Simulation for Engineering, a suite of programs that allow an engineer to study and analyze the power system transmission network and generation in both a steady and dynamic state. These programs will usually be an entire course in your bachelor’s degree. 

In addition to learning and working with engineering software, you should make sure that your knowledge of regulations is current. Since you’ll be working with electrical systems and building them for new structures, you want to make sure everything you do is to code. 

Staying on top of developing technologies is also key to getting a job out of post-secondary education. Microgrids, distribution models, and the advancement of AI and cyber technology have made breakthroughs in the energy sector. 

Staying curious and knowing how to work with them before entering the workforce can save a future employer time training you.

Soft Skills

Although technical skills are very important, and every engineer should take advantage of learning the tools of the trade, soft skills are just as vital. 

Soft skills are widely broken up into three categories: 

  • Problem-solving skills: Engineers should be able to take the available information and evidence and work to solve problems as they arise. These problems may be simple construction issues or more complex algorithms that need time to work through and solve.
  • Communication: Strong communication skills with team members, management, and clients. This means understanding what you’re doing and being able to speak with anyone, from technical people like you to summarizing complex problems for non-technical stakeholders. 
  • Team Work and Leadership: The energy sector thrives on diverse and multi-level teams to work together and solve problems. You need to be able to present problems as they happen to get feedback on their solutions and help others troubleshoot their issues. As you advance, you may have to take on a leadership role in specialist projects.

Don’t just be technical or a people person. A blend of technical and soft skills will help you stand out to a potential employer and give you the greatest chance of success getting hired.

Getting Experience to Become a Power Systems Engineer

Now that you have the education and you’re working on honing your technical and soft skills, the next step is to experience to demonstrate that you have learned what the industry requires. 

One of the hardest parts of pursuing a new career is getting experience that will allow you to get an entry-level role. 

If you’re coming to the power systems engineer position from another job that shares some of the same skills, they may be transferable. However, if you are a recent graduate, you’ll want some hands-on experience to put on your resume through an entry-level job, internship, or co-op program. 

Internships and Co-op Programs

Internships, whether paid or unpaid, offer practical experience you can put on your resume and demonstrate to a potential employer that you know how to use your education and skills. 

Co-op programs may take on high school students who will work at the job during school hours in exchange for credits. They allow you to put your high school courses into practice and see the practical result. 

Many internships hire post-secondary students in any year of their bachelor’s degree. As you learn about software, you’ll have the chance to use it in an industry setting. 

If you’re looking for an internship position, consider the company offering it and if it aligns with your career goals. You may want to pursue an internship with a renewable energy company. You want to work with solar panels or look into oil and gas because you come from an area that employs many oil and gas companies. 

Certifications and Licensing

The gold standard for power systems engineers is obtaining a professional engineer (PE) certification. Check for other requirements where you work.

Career Path

Power systems engineers begin working in an entry-level role but then move up in responsibilities until they can work alone or in a small team. 

There are plenty of career paths available to power systems engineers. You may return to get a Master’s degree, specialize in renewable energy transfers, microsystems, or smart grids, or even advance into a leadership or managerial role. 

Conclusion

Are you becoming a power systems engineer? It’s never too late to look at a new career path, and if you have math skills or enjoy solving complex problems, a job in engineering may be worth looking into. 


Share with Your Network