Job Description

Performance Test Engineer

This position will be in Birmingham, AL.

of Position Duties:

This position is an engineering position in Southern Company Generation / Generating Plant Performance group. This department is responsible for field performance testing and analysis of fossil fuel fired, gas turbine / combined cycle, and nuclear power plant facilities across the Southern Company fleet. This includes plant heat rate and capacity testing, remote monitoring of plant performance, acceptance testing of new plants, and troubleshooting of efficiency issues for the overall cycle as well as individual major components such as gas turbines, steam turbines, feedwater heaters, pumps, condensers, cooling towers and other systems that have a major effect on plant performance.

The position will have a variety of work assignments and a high degree of latitude in testing, evaluating, and recommending solutions for heat rate and efficiency issues on gas turbines, cooling towers, and other major equipment of the Southern Company system in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina.

Responsibilities include:

• Directing, conducting, and evaluating field tests of gas turbine and combined cycle performance (utilizing in-house test systems and instrumentation).
• Troubleshooting of heat rate/performance related issues on gas turbine & combined cycle plant equipment and systems including analysis of test results (using in-house developed data acquisition systems and software).
• Data trending and monitoring of power plant performance using remote plant computer interfaces.
• Simulation of power plant performance using computer modeling software.
• Technical report writing and effective verbal communications to personnel at various levels of the organization.

Education & Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering required
• Experience in power plant environments
• Strong preference given for gas turbine performance testing experience and working knowledge of ASME performance test codes. (particularly PTC 22, 46 and 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.5, 19.6 & 19.22)

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of power plant cycles in electric generating plants.
• High degree of analytical skills (particularly thermodynamics) and computer skills are required (particularly Word, Excel and Power Point).
• Experience with Excel macros, Visual Basic, computer modeling, and any other computer programming experience will be given strong preference.
• Strong teamwork skills and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people at different levels working toward a common objective.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Quick learner, self-starter, strong initiative, self-motivated.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently and work in industrial power plant environments. (25-50% travel)

Behavioral Attributes:

Demonstrate Southern Company Values - Safety First, Unquestionable Trust, Superior Performance and Total Commitment.