JOB SUMMARY
This position will be filled at an exempt Level 4-6 depending upon the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the successful candidate.
This position will serve as part of a multi-disciplinary team supporting Southern Company’s dam safety program for Georgia Power hydroelectric generating plants. On occasion it may be required to assist in the inspection of storage ponds, ash ponds and other related dams at fossil plants and interaction with the Fossil Dam Safety Group in Birmingham, Alabama. The dam safety related activities include:
- Conduct regularly scheduled dam safety field inspections of soil, concrete, and steel structures associated with the dams and appurtenant structures.
- Monitor and plot dam safety instrumentation data such as piezometers, weirs, drains, and deformation monuments, and review and interpret the data.
- Track compliance with plant operating licenses associated with dam safety and inspection recommendations and other compliance issues.
- Interface with federal and state dam safety officials.
- Become familiar with and implement the requirements of the Southern Company Generation “Safety Procedure for Dams and Dikes at Hydroelectric Generation Plants” .
- Become familiar with and implement the requirements of the Southern Company Generation “Dam Safety Program for FERC Licensed Projects”.
- Become familiar with and implement the requirements of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Engineering Guidelines and Title18 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter B, Part 12 - Safety of Water Power Projects and Project Works (Subparts A through F) as they pertain to the company’s hydroelectric projects.
- Prepare annual dam safety monitoring status reports for the FERC.
- Review engineering calculations of dam stability and hydrologic/hydraulics that are required to demonstrate compliance with the FERC dam safety Engineering Guidelines.
- Prepare, coordinate and review engineering analyses, designs, specifications, and requests for proposals as applicable.
- Assist the generating plants with oversight of any needed repairs at the dams associated with recommendations resulting from internal and external dam safety inspections.
- Coordinate and interface with independent dam safety consultants for the performance of FERC-mandated five-year inspection reports (Part 12D).
- Coordinate and interface with external dam safety consultants for the performance of technical investigations and analyses as required.
- Interface with external specialty contractors and engineering consultants for regularly scheduled spillway gate inspections and underwater inspections at regularly scheduled intervals (typically preceding the Part 12D inspection).
- Perform detailed review of engineering reports prepared by external consultants and contractors.
- Actively participate in internal and external assessments and audits of the company’s dam safety program.
- Participate in meetings and conference calls related to dam safety issues.
- Participate in Alabama Power dam safety inspections with our counterpart Hydro Services group in Birmingham, Alabama.
Other duties assigned may include assisting with hydro plant relicensing efforts, hydrology studies, hydraulics studies, slope stability analyses, seepage analyses, contract management, etc. depending on the needs of the subject facilities.
This position reports to the Dam Safety Supervisor in the Southern Company Generation Hydro Services group in Atlanta.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- At a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering is required.
Experience:
- At least five (5) years of direct experience in the civil engineering field is required.
- Professional engineering registration is preferred.
- At least one (1) year of experience interfacing with government regulators or other governmental agencies is preferred.
- One to two (1-2) years of experience working with dams (design, construction, inspection, analyses) is required.
- Experience in writing technical reports, letters and field inspection reports.
Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Basic understanding of the principles of concrete structures, soil mechanics, and hydraulics is required.
- Proven ability to develop excellent working relationships with clients is required.
- Strong observational skills are required.
- Strong organizational skills are required.
- Strong written communication skills are required. The successful candidate must have the ability to produce coherent documents that will withstand regulatory scrutiny.
- Strong oral communication skills are required. The successful candidate must be able to communicate effectively and to work constructively with other groups within Southern Company and with outside agencies and consultants.
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, are required.
- The ability to read and interpret engineering drawings is required.
- Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with government regulators is required.
- The proven ability to be a self-starter and to work harmoniously with multi-disciplinary teams is required.
- Leadership skills and enthusiastic attitude towards professional development are encouraged.
Essential Job Functions:
- Carry out all job requirements with strict adherence to Southern Company safety policies and procedures.
- Travel is required within Georgia (about 20-30% of the time), including some overnight travel, for site and dam safety field inspections and meetings at Georgia Power hydro dams and occasionally at GPC fossil plants dams, as needed.
- This position requires extensive walking along dams, including up and down earthen slopes and climbing up and down stairs and ladders at the hydro dams and powerhouses. This position may require safely accessing narrow concrete trenches, steep slopes, drainage galleries, spillways, and other difficult access areas to perform inspections.
- Occasional use of a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) and safety harness/fall arrest will be required depending on field inspection requirements.
- Routine dam safety field inspections and site visits would be approximately 20 to 30 percent of the job function. The frequency of these field inspections may increase for attending to unusual dam safety issues as they arise or when a dam safety construction projects underway.
- Office work is related to letter and report writing, preparation and review of engineering analyses, dam safety instrumentation data review, responding to plant inquiries for dam safety issues, interaction with regulatory agencies as noted in the Job Summary above.
BEHAVIORAL ATTRIBUTES
- Demonstrates Southern Company’s “Our Values” (Safety First, Unquestionable Trust, Superior Performance, Total Commitment).
- Self-starter, self-motivated.
- Ability to work independently on assigned projects under the overall direction of both the Hydro Services Dam Safety Principal Engineer and Supervisor.
- Diplomatic.
- Organized.
- Strong customer focus.
- Team player.
- Strong work ethic.
- Attention to details, accuracy and follow-up.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED:
The following information will be requested of individuals selected for an interview:
- A report you have authored. (These may be redacted to obscure the client’s name and other identifying information if necessary.)
- A listing of any conference papers that you have presented.
- A listing of national or state professional organizations to which you belong and any leadership positions that you have held in them.
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million residential and commercial customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network, and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience, and sustainability, we are taking action to meet our customers’ and communities’ needs while advancing our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com .
Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf . Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.
Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.
Job Identification: 11059
Job Category: Engineering
Job Schedule: Full time
Company: Southern Company Services
