Mechanical Engineer III - Power Generation

Position Overview

OPPD is a publicly owned electric utility committed to providing affordable, reliable, and environmentally sensitive energy services to the communities we serve. The Power Generation Engineering team advances this mission by delivering technical solutions and capital projects that strengthen the safety, reliability, flexibility, and long-term performance of OPPD¿s generation fleet.

As a Power Generation Engineer III, you will lead complex engineering evaluations and manage significant portions of projects involving turbines, pumps, water systems, piping, rotating equipment, and other critical plant systems. A primary responsibility will be supporting the construction of new generation at Cass County Station by leading design reviews, coordinating technical deliverables, resolving complex engineering issues, and confirming that designs meet OPPD requirements.

You will provide technical support across generation sites that may include Cass County Station, Turtle Creek Station, Jones Street Station, and other OPPD facilities. You will lead complex troubleshooting, develop equipment health and reliability strategies, implement major modifications, and guide less-experienced engineers in applying sound engineering practices.

The Impact You¿ll Have

• Lead mechanical engineering support for assigned portions of the new generation construction at Cass County Station, including design reviews, technical issue resolution, construction coordination, testing, and commissioning.
• Apply advanced technical judgment to evaluate complex issues involving turbines, pumps, water systems, piping, valves, heat exchangers, and other mechanical equipment.
• Validate engineering solutions through calculations, modeling, testing, field verification, industry standards, operating experience, and sound engineering judgment.
• Manage project components and engineering deliverables while meeting scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and configuration-control expectations.
• Build and apply deep expertise in assigned equipment and systems, including operating principles, configurations, historical issues, maintenance strategies, and failure modes.
• Evaluate operating data, inspections, test results, maintenance history, and condition-monitoring information to identify emerging reliability risks.
• Develop and implement mitigation strategies that support dependable, efficient, and safe plant operation.
• Lead advanced troubleshooting of high-impact or emergent equipment and system issues that exceed the routine capabilities of operations or maintenance personnel.
• Apply structured problem-solving and root cause analysis methods to identify underlying causes and prevent recurrence.
• Plan and implement equipment upgrades and modifications that improve reliability, safety, maintainability, efficiency, or operational flexibility.
• Develop or refine engineering procedures, specifications, design criteria, and best practices that improve technical consistency and equipment performance.
• Coordinate work among engineering disciplines, operations, maintenance, project management, construction teams, contractors, suppliers, and equipment manufacturers.
• Maintain configuration control by ensuring technical documentation accurately reflects approved designs, equipment modifications, and field conditions.
• Mentor Engineer I and Engineer II team members by providing technical guidance, constructive feedback, design reviews, and structured problem-solving support.
• Communicate technical findings, equipment risks, alternatives, and recommendations to plant and project leadership.

What You'll Bring

• Demonstrated ability to successfully complete essential duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Experiences

• Bachelor¿s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline from an accredited institution.
• Progressive professional engineering experience involving power generation, rotating equipment, fluid systems, industrial mechanical equipment, or comparable facilities.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex engineering analyses, troubleshooting efforts, or significant project assignments.
• Advanced knowledge of mechanical equipment and systems such as turbines, pumps, compressors, piping, valves, heat exchangers, and water systems.
• Experience reviewing designs and verifying compliance with technical specifications, operating requirements, and applicable standards.
• Ability to identify technical and project risks, evaluate alternatives, and develop defensible recommendations.
• Demonstrated project coordination skills, including management of scope, schedule, quality, technical interfaces, and assigned budgets.
• Skill in applying structured troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and equipment reliability methods.
• Ability to guide less-experienced engineers and facilitate collaboration across engineering and plant teams.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and technical documentation skills.
• Ability and willingness to work at and travel among OPPD generation facilities as business needs require.
• Commitment to safety, technical quality, configuration control, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience supporting the design, construction, commissioning, operation, or modification of power generation facilities.
• Experience leading design reviews for generation projects or complex industrial mechanical systems.
• Experience with gas turbines, steam turbines, reciprocating engines, pumps, compressors, water treatment systems, cooling systems, piping, or plant auxiliary systems.
• Experience interpreting vibration, lubrication, thermal-performance, pressure, flow, or other equipment condition data.
• Experience conducting root cause analyses, system health assessments, lifecycle evaluations, or equipment reliability studies.
• Experience planning and leading equipment outages, overhauls, upgrades, or multidisciplinary capital projects.
• Familiarity with applicable ASME, API, NFPA, OSHA, and other industry codes and standards.
• Professional Engineer licensure.

Salary/Wage Info

Grade: S5

Minimum: $98,877

Midpoint: $123,596

Apply online at www.oppd.com on or before November 27th.

Our Culture & Mission

At Omaha Public Power District, everything starts with people - our teams, our communities, and the customer owners who count on us. As the 12th largest public power utility in the U.S., we serve more than 900,000 people across 13 counties, and we take that responsibility seriously.

We lead with integrity, support one another, and do what's right, because how we serve matters just as much as what we deliver. Our goal is simple: provide affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible energy today and for generations to come.

We create power with purpose. Your work here has real impact; on families, on the environment, and on the future of energy. And we believe great ideas can come from anywhere.

If you want to be part of a team that takes care of the community and the people who serve it, you're in the right place. We back up our mission by taking care of our employees, too; which is why our benefits are among the most comprehensive and competitive in the region.

Ready to apply?

When you apply, be sure your resume highlights the skills and experience that will help you succeed in this role.

EOE: Protected Veterans/Disability

If you would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with OPPD, please email OPPD Talent Acquisition at TalentAcquisition@OPPD.com .

Recruiter Information

Recruiter: Michael Fierro - mrfierro@oppd.com