Engineer, High Voltage Reliability

Basic Function

The High Voltage Reliability Engineer is a role in the LyondellBasell LaPorte site Reliability department. This engineer reports to the O&P Reliability Manager. The role focuses on assessing, analyzing, and improving the reliability and performance of the high-voltage infrastructure used at the LyondellBasell LaPorte site, such as power generation, transmission, distribution, and industrial applications. It carries responsibility for providing strategic direction to the high-voltage maintenance and reliability teams, implementing advanced reliability techniques, and conducting thorough evaluations to enhance the efficiency, safety, and longevity of the site’s high-voltage systems.

Roles & Responsibilities

•    Develop and manage High Voltage Reliability Long Range Plans for the LaPorte site
•    Prioritize reliability opportunities/threats and prioritize work based on the cost of unreliability or threat
•    Drive reliability engineering principles and preferred practices within high-voltage
•    Perform reliability analysis of high voltage systems and components to identify potential failure modes, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Use various tools and methodologies to assess system reliability, such as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD)
•    Gather data on high-voltage equipment performance, failures, and maintenance records. 
•    Establish monitoring systems to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and reliability metrics to address issues proactively
•    Conduct root cause investigations for high voltage system failures and develop corrective action plans to prevent recurring issues
•    Perform risk assessments to identify critical assets and vulnerabilities in high-voltage infrastructure
•    Propose and implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure continuous and reliable operation of high-voltage infrastructure
•    Collaborate with maintenance and reliability teams to establish effective maintenance strategies, including predictive and preventive maintenance plans, to reduce downtime and increase reliability
•    Design and oversee reliability testing programs for high-voltage equipment and systems. Interpret test results and use the findings to improve design and reliability
•    Drive continuous improvement initiatives for high voltage reliability by evaluating and implementing emerging technologies, best practices, and industry standards
•    Work closely with design and capital project teams to ensure reliability considerations are integrated into the design of high-voltage systems and equipment

Min. Qualifications

•    BS degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent degree
•    A minimum of 8 years of plant engineering experience working directly with industrial electrical equipment and infrastructure
•    Proven experience in high voltage systems and reliability engineering, with a focus on reliability analysis and improvement
•    Effective leadership and organization skills
•    Willingness to coach, develop and hold others accountable
•    Familiarity with high-voltage equipment and systems used in power generation, transmission, distribution, or industrial settings
•    Strong interpersonal leadership skills are critical due to the requirement for effective communication of complex issues across the organization as well as for mentoring and consensus-building
•    Proven experience driving reliability improvement initiatives in a plant environment
•    Excellent communication skills with various teams and stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

•    Previous experience in conducting reliability analysis for high voltage systems or other critical infrastructure
•    Familiarity with condition monitoring techniques and predictive maintenance technologies
•    Protective relay programming and coordination (Schweitzer, A/B E3/E300, GE Multilin)
•    Performing and maintaining arc flash and coordination studies
•    Implementation of NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
•    Knowledge of relevant industry standards and regulations related to high voltage systems reliability.

Competencies