Deputy Chief Dam Safety Engineer

Job Description

Deputy Chief Dam Safety Engineer

Position Overview

The Deputy Chief Dam Safety Engineer is responsible for providing technical, managerial, and supervisory direction in all engineering and technical activities concerning the evaluation and compliance of dam safety inspections, monitoring, coordination, and reporting regarding water retention structures owned and operated by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). These include Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensed and unregulated projects. Responsibilities may include report development, engineering assessments design, work order preparation, construction, scheduling, and budgeting of proposed and existing engineering projects to ensure the integrity of GRDA dams.

Essential job functions include, but are not limited to:

• Provides a strategic vision, leadership, and oversight of GRDA’s dam safety engineering, evaluation, emergency preparedness, training, and associated responses.
• Assure appropriate and timely communication with GRDA Management and the GRDA Board of Directors as to the safety of the GRDA’s retention structures.
• Assure compliance with regulatory requirements and communications.
• Completes dam safety modification studies, engineering assessments, risk assessments, designs, and engineering construction.
• Provides technical and supervisory direction for studies of technical, environmental, and economic feasibility, engineering field studies, and related studies pertaining to dam design and dam safety studies.
• Provides and/or supports technical direction in preparation of contracts and specifications for dam safety and related engineering and construction services of GRDA dams.
• Review, support and coordinate dam safety related maintenance and construction.
• Coordinates the work of outside consultant and/or engineering firms concerning dam safety projects; monitors work orders, project progress, change orders, and contractor payments.
• Provides technical, managerial, and supervisory direction to develop guidelines for necessary changes in the GRDA dams and coordinates proposed changes with generations operations staff.
• Schedule, perform and report on inspections of all GRDA water retention resources. Develop, maintain and train staff on the inspection requirements and reporting requirements for the structures and programs under the charge of the dam safety responsibilities.
• Support, create, and/or oversee creation of evaluations, reports and presentations.
• Provides supervisor with justification and documentation for sound recommendations on courses of action on projects involving GDRA dams.
• Attends GRDA Board meetings, when required, to present justifications for or other information requested concerning projects conducted by the dam safety group.
• Represents GRDA in industry, regional and internal committees establishing and implementing dam safety policies, practices, and procedures.
• Ensures professional development of assigned staff; organizes department for effective performance.
• Assess, revise, and coordinate the update of departmental dam safety standards, procedures, and other departmental records.
• Recommends the hiring, termination, promotion, or disciplining of dam safety staff.
• After-hours work may be required under system emergency or storm conditions.
  
  

Skills, Knowledge, Qualities:

• Functional competency with personal computers; prefer experience with Excel, Access, and Word.
• Must be capable of methodical analysis of complex technical problems.
• Must possess and demonstrate excellent writing and composition skills.
• Must be comfortable giving verbal presentations before groups.
• Must provide a positive example of the professional attributes required to be a competent, accurate, and dependable engineer.
• Must plan, coordinate, and conduct meetings efficiently and effectively.
  
  

Education, Training, Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required and master’s level degree, preferred in civil engineering or related field with emphasis in structural and geotechnical engineering from an accredited college or university. Additional courses or practical experience in electric utility engineering design and/or consulting is desirable.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience as a dam design or dam safety engineer and 10 years supervisory experience over other engineering personnel.
  
  

Certificates, Registrations, Licenses:

• Valid Oklahoma driver’s license
• Professional Engineer status in Oklahoma is required. Registration in Oklahoma within 6 months of employment is required. Structural Engineering or Professional Geologic registration preferred.
  
  

Physical/Mental Requirements & Working Conditions:

• Must be able to walk, climb stairs, crawl, work from ladders and elevated platforms. Must not have a fear of heights, confined spaces, or working around high voltage equipment.
• Ability to lift, move, and carry weights of up to 50 lb. on an irregular basis.
• Must possess mental, visual, and auditory acuity for attention to visual and auditory detail. Manual dexterity is required for operation of test equipment, small tools, and the installation, adjustment, and repair of relays and control devices.
• Work is usually performed in an office environment with extended outdoor excursions for design, testing, inspecting, and construction observation when necessary.
• Work may be performed outdoors and/or indoors in a high noise/extreme temperature environment with possible work in confined spaces. Emergency repair work may be required during inclement weather and at any time in any season.
  
  

Other information:

• The primary assigned office location can be either at the GRDA Engineering and Technology Center in Tulsa, OK or the GRDA Administrative Center in Chouteau, OK. Specific work site and substation locations exist throughout the northeastern quarter of Oklahoma and/or other locations, as required to facilitate GRDA dam safety duties.
• Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Highly competitive benefits package.