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Senior Utilities Engineer (Specialist) - Public Advocates Office/ Safety/ Safety Policy

California Public Utilities Commission

Details

Posted:

December 29, 2025

Location:

Sacramento, California

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Salary:

$11,437 - $14,315 per Month

Level:

Experienced

Required Education:

4 Year Degree

The Safety Branch within the Public Advocates Office is seeking a Senior Utilities Engineer (Specialist) to join its Safety Policy team.

The Senior Utilities Engineer (SUE) will conduct engineering and analytical work within the Public Advocates Office. Under supervision of the Program and Project Supervisor in the Safety Policy Section of the Safety Branch, the SUE will analyze utility safety issues, with a principal focus on utility safety culture and on de-energization policy. The SUE will advocate for efficient, transparent, and effective programs to improve energy utility safety, while avoiding harm to the public and reducing the environmental consequences of catastrophic safety incidents. The SUE will also participate in enforcement cases related to wildfires or other safety incidents, where the Public Advocates Office promotes safety improvements and pushes for outcomes that hold utilities accountable for negligence or mismanagement.

In addition, the SUE may perform a wide variety of engineering and analytical assignments related to the risk mitigation and safety of utility infrastructure in the electric, gas, telecommunications, and water sectors. The SUE may work on general rate case proceedings and perform relevant economic and policy analysis.

The specific duties of this position are as follows:

Serve as lead technical engineer/analyst on utility safety issues (primarily safety culture issues and de-energization policy) and provide in-depth analyses. Perform thorough analysis and make recommendations to management for regulatory solutions.
Analyze and critique electric and gas utilities’ safety culture filings.
Analyze and critique filings and reporting relating electric utilities’ safety related de-energization programs and policies.
Advocate for strong enforcement of safety standards and investigate utility safety failures in proceedings where the Commission considers penalties.
Plan and execute complex projects to ensure timely completion.
Occasionally lead small teams of analysts and engineers, coordinating the work of several engineers, policy analysts, and attorneys.
Collaborate with engineers, policy analysts, and attorneys to develop and write policy recommendations supported by evidence.
Write testimony, comments, reports, and memoranda to be submitted in proceedings before the Commission and the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety.
Examine utilities’ safety inspection records, spending records, and audit reports to ensure effective implementation of utility safety programs.
Perform field inspections to assess the effectiveness of safety culture improvement programs and compliance with safety standards. This may entail occasional overnight travel to visit utility worksites.
Represent the Public Advocates Office in conferences, workshops, and other forums.
Other job-related duties as required, including travel.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This advertisement is listed specifically for Sacramento (LA, SF, SAC) location. All identified locations will be considered as one candidate pool to fill one position.

Los Angeles location, please apply to JC# 491694
San Francisco location, please apply to JC# 491676

Apply to only those location(s) in which you are willing to work.

This position requires travel.

This is a hybrid position that will require the selected candidate to report to their assigned headquarter office a minimum of two (2) days a week. Hybrid positions may be eligible for telework under California Government Code Section 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California. In accordance with CPUC Telework Policy, telework arrangements are subject to change and may be reevaluated at any time.

Prepare and submit a response for each question below. The SOQ should provide specific details and examples that clearly demonstrate how your training, experience, and education qualifies you for the position. Refer to the job description and duties, and duty statement to prepare your response. Applicants who do not submit a completed SOQ and writing that exceeds the page limit will not be considered or scored. All information in the SOQ is subject to verification. The SOQ must be no smaller than 11-point Arial font, single-spaced, and no more than two pages.

Please write your SOQ to address the following three questions:

Please describe your experience conducting engineering analysis to identify problems and recommend effective solutions.
Please describe your experience in analyzing data and performing risk assessments, including using spreadsheets and other quantitative tools to analyze data and visualize results.
Please describe your experience writing clear, persuasive, and concise recommendations, including the ability to explain research findings and policy recommendations to lay audiences.

NOTES:

Hybrid/Remote work is allowed.

Additional Salary Information: Effective July 1, 2025, CalHR launched the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025 with Pay Differential 386. PLP 2025 temporarily reduces state employee pay in exchange for leave hours to help address budget shortfalls. Salary ranges in this posting exclude the temporary reduction. For details, visit CalHR’s Personnel Leave Program (PLP) page. New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Internal Number: (JC-491686)

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Senior Utilities Engineer (Specialist) - Public Advocates Office/ Safety/ Safety Policy

California Public Utilities Commission

Working Conditions

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