System Dynamics Manager

Niche new technical leadership role. Build a small but mighty team
- Support long term planning and ensure stability of the Transmission Grid
- Leverage your technical skill in inverter based renewable generation modelling
- Bring your Power Systems technical expertise and passion for people leadership. Join us and help enable New Zealand's net carbon zero future_

Transpower is New Zealand's National Grid owner and system operator. We take a whole-of-industry view of the electricity sector and operate the system on behalf of New Zealand.

The electricity sector is undergoing rapid transition with the advent of grid scale inverter-based renewable (IBR) generation and further electrification of industry and households.

The transition will require and place higher reliance on advanced power electronic and reactive power control systems. Grid behaviour is becoming more dynamic and new frameworks, models, and tools are required to support Transmission system planning for the transition while maintaining a stable and reliable grid.

**About the Team**

Grid Development is the division in Transpower that identifies the future needs which users of the grid require over the next 20 to 30 years both from planned or potential investment in generation, and from expected growth in electricity demand.

The System Dynamics team in Grid Development is a new team created to focus on:

- Power system modelling (static and dynamic) and engineering to support the stable long-term operation of the power system as a whole, including new control systems and monitoring technologies.
- Frameworks, tools, modelling, and analysis for specialist power system studies, including transient rotor angle stability, Electromagnetic Transients, Control system interaction, and Power Quality.
- Reactive Power Control (RPC), HVDC and Power Electronics engineering, and control systems analysis, including modelling, standard designs, requirements specification, design review, testing and model validation, and project engineering support for new installations.

The team enables the transmission grid to accommodate (and connect) increasing levels of inverter-based resources (securely and reliably) which is critical for decarbonising New Zealand's economy and supports increasing electrification of load.

**About the Opportunity**

In this new role we will support you to recruit and grow your team in addition to coaching and mentoring Graduates/Interns (up to seven engineering experts). Through providing technical and people leadership for the strategic direction, development, specification, delivery, and ongoing support for new advanced grid investments - you'll be part of enabling New Zealand's future Transmission Grid.

The models need to be validated against real world behaviour (measurement systems are developed to support this) to provide confidence that we can maintain a stable and reliable power system as transfer levels are pushed higher - and hence optimise use of the existing and new grid assets.

In the next 18 months you will enjoy challenging and varied work including:

- Recruiting and developing newly created roles in the System Dynamics team (with support from the wider System Planning Group)
- Developing frameworks, processes, tools, and monitoring systems for investigating Power Quality issues
- Developing harmonic allocation methodologies (equitable to all parties wanting to connect to the Grid) to support connection of IBR generation.

This is just the starting point. There are opportunities to work with our Real Time Digital Simulation (RTDS) facility, connected to a replica of our HVDC control suite, and where you can take your technical development to the next level.

**What will you bring?**

You'll have well developed verbal and written English communication skills - including the ability to explain complicated technical issues to a non-technical audience.

Previous roles will have required in-depth experience of transmission planning, or you may have worked for a manufacturer of HVDC or Flexible AC Transmission (FACTS) equipment. You will already be operating at Senior/Principal Engineer or people manager level.

**To be considered (and at a minimum) your CV and cover letter will convey**:

- Demonstrated deep technical competency in power system modelling and analysis techniques/practices, including time and frequency domain analysis; characteristics of power system equipment and loads, with particular emphasis on dynamic performance in the 0.1-10 Hz bandwidth; small signal stability/eigenvalue analysis; development of Electro-Magnetic Transient (EMT) models used to represent high power electronic controllers such as HVDC, SVC, and STATCOM.
- 10+ years relevant experience in power industry engineering roles
- a Washington Accord degree in electrical engineering (additionally CPEng, CEng or equivalent is advantageous)

**Highly regarded but not essential**:

- A relevant post graduate qualification

**This role is based i