Pitch Aeronautics Inc. Power Flow Engineer Boise, ID · Remote · Full time
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Pitch Aeronautics helps utilities push more power through existing lines, reduce wildfire risk, and improve grid reliability. WireWeather, our dynamic line rating (DLR) forecast product for the bulk electric system, turns high resolution weather forecasts and WireWarrior sensor data into hourly ratings for transmission lines, and our Astria drone installs WireWarrior sensors on energized lines without an outage. WireWeather is deployed on more than 24,000 transmission line miles. Ratings only matter once they reach a power flow. WireWeather already embeds the open source Sienna power flow stack, written in Julia, and uses it to put hourly DLR, AAR, CLR, and SLR ratings into DC contingency and interconnection studies. We are hiring a transmission planning engineer who writes code to take that capability further: full AC solutions that agree with PSS/E and PowerWorld on real WECC and MISO cases, controls and all, and the transfer, voltage stability, and multi period studies planners expect. You will own the engine and the studies that run on it, defend the results to utility and RTO planners, and work with our weather and software engineers in Boise and with the Sienna maintainers upstream. This position is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy. Pitch is a veteran owned small business. This role can be performed on-site in Boise, hybrid, or remote. Up to 10% travel is required.

About Pitch Aeronautics Inc.

Pitch Aeronautics (www.pitchaero.com) is a rapidly growing startup creating game-changing solutions for the utility industry. Pitch has developed a drone to install our line sensor, bird diverters, and other equipment on power lines. Our drone-deployable line sensors wirelessly transmit environmental and line characteristics to an online secure API to help utilities push more power through existing lines, prevent wildfires, and improve grid reliability.

At Pitch we’ve fostered a collaborative, fun, “get-stuff-done” working environment. We believe in moving fast and creating products and prototypes rapidly. If you’re looking for a place where you can make a difference on day one, be empowered to achieve, and love working in small teams, we want to meet you!

Description

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain WireWeather's Julia power flow service on Sienna: PSS/E and PSLF case ingest, contingency decks, monitored sets, and RAS definitions.
  • Bring its AC solutions to parity with PSS/E on large cases: tap, switched shunt, and var limit controls, area interchange, HVDC, island handling, and diagnosis of cases that do not converge.
  • Validate the engine against commercial tools, log every gap, fix what needs fixing, and send general fixes upstream to Sienna.
  • Mature the contingency engine: N-1 and N-2 screening, classification of each contingency, violations against normal and emergency ratings, and reconciliation with PTDF and LODF sensitivities.
  • Extend the engine to planner workflows: transfer stepping and TTC, PV and QV curves, injection studies, and hourly multi period solves with WireWeather ratings.
  • Run interconnection and transfer studies for customers from base case validation to a report a senior planner will sign off on.
  • Keep the engine integrated with WireWeather's Python pipelines and dashboards through a tested API.
  • Handle CEII correctly and write methodology notes planners can audit.


Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field.
  • 3+ years running power flow and contingency studies on real transmission planning cases (WECC, MMWG, or an RTO's) in PSS/E, PSLF, or PowerWorld, including building cases and contingency files.
  • Working understanding of how a commercial power flow solver reaches its answer: Newton and fast decoupled methods, control adjustment loops, island handling, and why a case fails to converge.
  • Strong Python, including scripting a planning tool through its API (psspy, PSLF Python, SimAuto, or TARA automation). Julia experience is not required, but you will work in Julia every day.
  • Experience with DC power flow, PTDF, LODF, and transfer capability concepts.
  • Clear technical writing.
  • Comfortable with git, code review, automated tests, and Linux.
  • Able to pass a NERC CIP-004 personnel risk assessment (identity verification and a seven year criminal history check) for CEII access. This check occurs only after a conditional offer.


Desired Qualifications

  • Master's or PhD in power systems.
  • Julia, or hands on work with Sienna, PowerModels.jl, pandapower, PyPSA, or MATPOWER.
  • Generator interconnection studies, TPL-001 assessments, TTC and ATC methodology, or voltage stability limits.
  • Working knowledge of NERC FAC-008, IEEE 738, FERC Order 881 ambient adjusted ratings, or DLR programs.
  • Familiarity with TARA, PROMOD, or PLEXOS, and with WECC, MISO, or SPP planning processes.
  • Transient stability experience with .dyr or .dyd models.
  • PE or EIT.


Benefits

  • 120 hrs of paid time off
  • Health Insurance
  • Dental & Vision Insurance
  • Short term disability insurance
  • Long term disability insurance
  • Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • 401(k)
  • Equity eligibility
  • Paid holidays
  • Flexible work schedule
  • Relocation assistance may be available


In accordance with applicable federal nondiscrimination laws and regulations, Pitch Aeronautics does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age.



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