Principal Manager - Substation Construction & Maintenance, Test & Technology

Join the Clean Energy Revolution

Become a Principal Manager - SC&M Test & Technology at Southern California Edison (SCE) and build a better tomorrow. This role leads one of the most technically complex operational organizations in the electric utility industry. This role is responsible for the strategy, execution, modernization and reliability of SCE's substation testing, protection, automation, commissioning and operational technology ecosystem supporting approximately 1,000 substations.

This Principal Manager serves as a senior operational and technical leader at the intersection of Grid Operations, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Telecommunications, Digital Substations, Renewable Integration, and Critical Infrastructure Modernization. Success in this role requires executive-level leadership, deep utility expertise, and the ability to influence across Engineering, MPO, Advanced Technology, TS&O Programs, Grid Modernization, Distribution Apparatus, Operations, and enterprise technology organizations. The successful candidate will be expected to influence executive leadership, direct organizational strategy, and provide technical leadership across multiple disciplines that directly impact grid reliability and public safety.

This role requires the ability to operate across engineering, operations, cyber security, telecommunications, protection systems, major capital projects, field execution, regulatory compliance, and enterprise technology organizations. The individual selected will be expected to influence executive leadership, direct organizational strategy, and provide technical leadership across multiple disciplines that directly impact grid reliability and public safety.

As a Principal Manager - SC&M Test & Technology, your work will help power our planet, reduce carbon emissions and create cleaner air for everyone. Are you ready to take on the challenge to help us build the future?

Strategic Leadership Responsibilities

• Establish and execute the long-term vision for testing, commissioning, relay protection, automation and operational technology programs.

• Lead digital substation transformation, virtualized protection and control systems, IEC-61850 architectures and grid modernization initiatives.

• Drive OT/IT convergence and cybersecurity-by-design across critical grid infrastructure.

• Ensure organizational readiness for renewable integration, battery storage, transmission interconnections and advanced protection schemes.

• Lead organizations responsible for testing, commissioning and energization of assets from distribution voltages through the 500kV system.

• Direct safety, reliability, workforce, labor, training, capital and O&M strategies across the organization.

• Provide a safe work environment for approximately 1,000 employees and contractors.

• Oversee testing, commissioning, maintenance and operational readiness of substation and distribution apparatus assets.

• Ensure compliance with NERC, NERC-CIP, CAISO, CPUC and environmental requirements.

• Advance wildfire mitigation and fault detection technologies.

• Lead execution of compact substations, digital substations and telecom-assisted protection schemes.

• Drive enterprise-wide performance, reliability and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the electric transmission system to ensure the grid is operated in a safe and reliable manner according to regulatory requirements, while minimizing costs to customers and the company.
• Manages the coordination and scheduling of system outages to ensure safety for all field personnel while working on electric utility equipment.
• Ensures successful planning and implementation of construction and maintenance of electric transmission facilities and equipment.
• Supports the development of transmission policy and interfaces with key state and federal regulators, to ensure the safe and reliable operation of electric transmission systems across short- and long-term planning horizons.
• Manages the transmission grid, including electrical operations and dispatch, outage planning, design, training, emergency management and asset performance.
• Oversees the execution of outage restoration and response by ensuring that the maximum numbers of customers are restored in the safest, most efficient manner.
• Develops and maintains the clearance process, including developing and implementing proper training for employees and implementing and maintaining initiatives consistent with industry best practices.
• Ensures proper data management for work executed and/or managed.
• A material job duty of all positions within the Company is ensuring the protection of all its physical, financial and cybersecurity assets, and properly accessing and managing private customer data, proprietary information, confidential medical records, and other types of highly sensitive information and data with the highest standards of conduct and integrity.

Minimum Qualifications

• Seven or more years of experience supervising a team of direct reports and/or project management.
• Experience managing field‐oriented operations such as transmission, distribution, generation, substations, contractor operations OR experience in a supporting role through strategy, planning & design, engineering, system operations, safety.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business or related discipline is highly preferred.

• 7+ years leading managers and large technical organizations supporting transmission and distribution operations, testing, commissioning, protection and controls, automation or related functions.

• Demonstrated experience leading large cross-functional strategic initiatives.

• Experience managing major capital and O&M budgets.

• Proven success leading transformational change in highly regulated environments.

• Extensive experience with SCE transmission and distribution operations, substation systems and grid modernization initiatives.

• Demonstrated knowledge of SCE substation architecture, testing and commissioning practices, protection systems, automation platforms and stakeholder environment.

• Experience working directly with SCE Test & Technology, SC&M, Engineering, Grid Operations, Advanced Technology, TS&O Programs, Grid Modernization or MPO organizations.

• Expert knowledge of relay protection, SCADA, telecom-assisted protection schemes, OT systems and substation commissioning.

• Deep understanding of NERC, NERC-CIP, CAISO, CPUC, GO95 and GO128 requirements.

• California PE license preferred.

• MBA or Master's degree preferred.

Additional Information

• This position's work mode is hybrid. The employee will report to an SCE facility for a set number of days with the option to work remotely on the remaining days.  Unless otherwise noted, employees are required to work and reside in the state of California.  Further details of this work mode will be discussed at the interview stage. The work mode can be changed based on business needs.
• Visit our Candidate Resource page to get meaningful information related to benefits, perks, resources, testing information, hiring process, and more!
• Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
• The primary work location for this position is Pomona Innovation Village. However, the successful candidate may also be asked to work for an extended amount of time in Alhambra.
• Position will require up to 25% traveling and being out in the field throughout the SCE service territory.
• This position has been identified as a NERC/CIP impacted position - Prior to being hired, the successful candidate must pass a Personnel Risk Assessment (PRA) or Background Investigation. Once hired, the candidate must complete specified training prior to gaining un-escorted access to assigned work location and performing necessary job duties.
• Relocation does not apply to this position.

About Southern California Edison

The people at SCE don't just keep the lights on. Our mission is so much bigger. We're fueling the kind of innovation that's changing an entire industry, and quite possibly the planet. Join us and create a future with cleaner energy, while providing our customers with the safety and reliability they demand. At SCE, you'll have a chance to grow personally and professionally, making a real impact in Southern California and around the world.

Southern California Edison is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

We are committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodations at AskHR@sce.com or (626) 302-3456 and select option 2.