Operations Planning Engineer / Senior Engineer
Transpower New Zealand
Date: 1 week ago
City: Hamilton, Waikato
Contract type: Full time
At Transpower, we plan, build, operate, and maintain the National Grid — $5B of critical infrastructure that forms the high-voltage backbone transmitting electricity around the country 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In our dual role as Asset Owner and System Operator, we run the wholesale electricity market and operate the power system in real time. We connect electricity generators with retailers through the wholesale market and manage the flow of electricity across Transpower's high-voltage transmission network to local lines companies and large industrial customers connected directly to the grid.
Across our enterprise, people are united by a shared purpose: Whakamana i te mauri hiko tū mai Aotearoa - Empowering the energy future for New Zealand.
About The Team
The Operations Planning team coordinates and assesses outages and provides engineering advice to enable the safe and secure operation of the power system. The team prepares plans and advice for the real-time power system coordination centres, focusing on operational engineering matters that maintain system security.
The team works across different time frames - from near real-time to looking at major projects and changes on the Grid over the longer term.
About The Opportunity
Working for the System Operator will immerse you in the exciting changes and technical challenges that come with delivering New Zealand's net zero carbon energy future by 2050.
The shift toward a more distributed, renewables-based electricity system—alongside rising consumer demand—presents the sector with both significant opportunities and complex challenges.
What You'll Be Doing
You'll work closely with real-time coordination centres and other engineering teams to support the adoption of new technologies and changes driven by the shift toward decarbonisation.
Your key responsibilities will include:
You're a problem solver who enjoys piecing together complex challenges. Your ability to collaborate and communicate will help you thrive in a team spread across five major cities in New Zealand.
Naturally curious, you're eager to understand how your work contributes to the bigger picture, while staying focused on the task at hand.
To be considered, your CV, cover letter and experience to date will demonstrate:
For an Engineer
Join us at Transpower
Aotearoa is powered by the people who work here. Every home, every marae, every electric vehicle, every hospital relies on the electricity we manage and deliver. This is your opportunity to join us on a mission that affects all New Zealanders, every day, and long into the future.
With over 28 nationalities, our people provide diverse perspectives, knowledge, and rich experience which they love to share. We work in the office or on-site for a minimum of three days each week, which helps is build and maintain relationships, support learning, deliver outcomes and sustain our culture. This approach also offers staff the flexibility they need for both work and personal commitments, with adaptable daily start and finish times.
We prioritise employee wellbeing with a range of health and wellness benefits - check them out here: https://www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/careers-transpower/staff-benefits.
Next steps
If you are a collaborative and outcome-oriented engineer looking to advance your career with the System Operator, we invite you to review the position description in full and apply without delay.
Role closes Sunday 11 May. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and exploratory conversations may commence prior to the close date to facilitate shortlisting.
In our dual role as Asset Owner and System Operator, we run the wholesale electricity market and operate the power system in real time. We connect electricity generators with retailers through the wholesale market and manage the flow of electricity across Transpower's high-voltage transmission network to local lines companies and large industrial customers connected directly to the grid.
Across our enterprise, people are united by a shared purpose: Whakamana i te mauri hiko tū mai Aotearoa - Empowering the energy future for New Zealand.
About The Team
The Operations Planning team coordinates and assesses outages and provides engineering advice to enable the safe and secure operation of the power system. The team prepares plans and advice for the real-time power system coordination centres, focusing on operational engineering matters that maintain system security.
The team works across different time frames - from near real-time to looking at major projects and changes on the Grid over the longer term.
About The Opportunity
Working for the System Operator will immerse you in the exciting changes and technical challenges that come with delivering New Zealand's net zero carbon energy future by 2050.
The shift toward a more distributed, renewables-based electricity system—alongside rising consumer demand—presents the sector with both significant opportunities and complex challenges.
What You'll Be Doing
You'll work closely with real-time coordination centres and other engineering teams to support the adoption of new technologies and changes driven by the shift toward decarbonisation.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Carrying out power flow analysis to assess the impacts of taking grid assets out of service and conveying the outcomes to internal and external customers.
- Advising customers on the impacts of taking assets out of service and changing their capabilities on the electricity market.
- Using asset capability information to update network models and advanced engineering applications in response to changes in the transmission network.
- Assessing transmission asset commissioning plans to ensure commissioning activities are carried out safely and without compromising power system security.
- Assisting in the implementation of tools and process changes due to technological and industry developments.
You're a problem solver who enjoys piecing together complex challenges. Your ability to collaborate and communicate will help you thrive in a team spread across five major cities in New Zealand.
Naturally curious, you're eager to understand how your work contributes to the bigger picture, while staying focused on the task at hand.
To be considered, your CV, cover letter and experience to date will demonstrate:
For an Engineer
- A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Power Electronics or equivalent experience.
- A minimum of 3 years of experience in electrical engineering or a related field, such as the electricity market, energy industry, or technical/analytical roles.
- Experience in conducting power system studies (e.g. primary or secondary electrical designs, new connection studies, transmission or distribution studies, electrical building services)
- A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, Power Electronics or equivalent experience.
- A minimum of 5 years of experience in electrical engineering or a relevant field, such as the electricity market, energy industry, or analytical/technical roles.
- Strong knowledge and experience in power systems operations, transmission networks, and high- voltage equipment studies.
- Experience in conducting load-flow studies and/or power system studies (e.g. primary or secondary electrical designs, new connection studies, transmission or distribution studies, electrical building services)
- Specialist knowledge and experience in a related field or subject (e.g. protection systems, transmission planning, generation plant operations).
- Strong analytical skills, time management, and attention to detail
- Ability to step up and successfully lead tasks.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, time-bound environment.
- Strong collaboration skills within a team and across the organisation.
Join us at Transpower
Aotearoa is powered by the people who work here. Every home, every marae, every electric vehicle, every hospital relies on the electricity we manage and deliver. This is your opportunity to join us on a mission that affects all New Zealanders, every day, and long into the future.
With over 28 nationalities, our people provide diverse perspectives, knowledge, and rich experience which they love to share. We work in the office or on-site for a minimum of three days each week, which helps is build and maintain relationships, support learning, deliver outcomes and sustain our culture. This approach also offers staff the flexibility they need for both work and personal commitments, with adaptable daily start and finish times.
We prioritise employee wellbeing with a range of health and wellness benefits - check them out here: https://www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/careers-transpower/staff-benefits.
Next steps
If you are a collaborative and outcome-oriented engineer looking to advance your career with the System Operator, we invite you to review the position description in full and apply without delay.
Role closes Sunday 11 May. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and exploratory conversations may commence prior to the close date to facilitate shortlisting.
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