Job Description and Duties Under the general direction of the Program and Project Supervisor, the Mechanical Engineer independently performs mechanical engineering tasks, with an emphasis on worker safety and fire protection analyses associated with the planning, siting, design, construction, and operation of power generation plants and related facilities. These responsibilities include evaluating fire protection systems, fire and life safety considerations, and measures to prevent and mitigate fire-related hazards, especially those related to battery energy storage system thermal runaway events. The incumbent will also perform engineering analyses involving noise and vibration, facility design, power plant efficiency, power plant reliability, and generating capacity determinations. With training, the incumbent will perform mechanical engineering-related analyses of average difficulty and other related work. The incumbent will review environmental documents and prepare written and oral testimony for proposed additions to the energy infrastructure as California moves toward a 100 percent clean energy future. The incumbent may function as a member or leader of an interdisciplinary team or coordinate the efforts of representatives of various governmental agencies. The incumbent's assignments will focus primarily on worker safety and fire protection, including reviewing proposed facility designs, identifying potential fire and life safety hazards, and evaluating the adequacy of proposed fire prevention, detection, suppression, and emergency response measures. The incumbent will also be responsible for performing engineering analyses relating to noise and vibration, facility design, power plant efficiency, power plant reliability, and generating capacity determinations for energy facility siting proposals under the Energy Commission's regulatory program jurisdiction. Minimum Qualifications (MQs): The MQs for this classification can be found at CalHR. The documents you submit in your application package must highlight how you meet the MQs. If the MQs are not met, you will not be considered for this position. Education Information: If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications for this classification, please provide your unofficial transcripts. Applicants who completed their education outside of the United States (with foreign degrees/transcripts) must provide evaluated transcripts. The transcript evaluation must state the number of units to which foreign coursework is equal. Foreign education evaluation services can be found at https://www.naces.org. Official transcripts and official foreign degree transcripts will be required prior to appointment. If you are not using education to qualify for this classification, you do not need to submit transcripts. To bypass the required document, select Choose/Upload and select Bypass File. Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking a brief survey at CEC Recruitment Survey.You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. Working Conditions The CEC supports a hybrid workplace model with office-based and remote-centered workers. Limited in-person attendance and occasional travel may be required based on the needs of the division. Regular and consistent attendance is essential to successful performance. This position is remote-centered, which means the incumbent works 50 percent or more of their time from an alternate work location. Teleworking is only available for employees who reside in California. You must be located in California and provide your in-state address prior to your start date. Minimum Requirements You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
- MECHANICAL ENGINEER Additional Documents
- Job Application Package Checklist
- Duty Statement Department Information The CEC was established by the Legislature in 1974 to address energy challenges facing the state. Today, the CEC is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency and is leading the state to a 100% clean energy future. Serving all Californians, the CEC embodies diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has taken an active and meaningful role in creating an environment that enables each employee to thrive. The CEC operates under the umbrella of the California Natural Resources Agency and shares offices with the agency in a LEED Platinum Certified Building in downtown Sacramento. The California Energy Commission seeks a Mechanical Engineer in the Siting, Transmission and Environmental Protection Division, Engineering Branch, Facility Design Unit. If you are interested in a challenging and exciting career in clean energy and are passionate about renewable, efficient, and reliable energy that addresses climate change, join our diverse team of global energy leaders! The California Energy Commission plays a lead role in creating the energy system of the future, not just in California, but globally. This position is open to interested applicants who qualify. This can be a multi-step process. To be eligible to be hired:
- Create an online CalCareer account. For a tutorial on the state application process, visit California State Hiring Process Instructional Video Series – YouTube or contact Careers@energy.ca.gov.
- Complete and pass the Mechanical Engineer exam to be eligible to be hired for available positions. See information on Energy Commission Assessments and Exams.
- To apply for this position, submit an application package through your CalCareers account. An application package must include all items under the “Required Application Package Documents” section. Resumes will not be accepted in place of a State Examination and Employment Application (STD. 678). Applications must include “to” and “from” dates (month/day/year), time base (full-time/part-time/number of hours per week/month), and applicable civil service classifications. State employees are subjected to a temporary reduction in pay in exchange of 2025 Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific reduction rate and hours were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit agreement.
Department Website:
https://www.energy.ca.gov Special Requirements You must include the following if you are applying by mail or in person:
- How you are eligible (list eligibility, transfer within state service, reinstatement, SROA/surplus, etc.) in the Explanations box on the first page of the STD. 678.
- The Job Control number 537962 and the title of the position you are applying for in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) box on the first page of the STD. 678.
- Request for Personnel Action Number RPA 770-115 in the Explanations box of the STD. 678.
- Your original signature at the bottom of the first page of the STD. 678.
- Include unofficial school transcripts with your application package if the position you are applying for has an educational requirement. You may be required to provide official transcripts if hired. Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
- Experience applying engineering principles and practices under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
- Knowledge of or experience with fire protection engineering principles, including fire prevention, detection, suppression, and mitigation systems.
- Familiarity with applicable fire and life safety codes, standards, and regulations, including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards and California Fire and Building Codes.
- Knowledge of or experience evaluating fire hazards, industrial safety risks, and protective measures associated with power generation facilities, battery energy storage systems, or other industrial facilities.
- Familiarity with engineering principles related to mechanical systems, facility design, equipment reliability, and industrial processes.
Benefits
Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.