Thermal Performance Engineer, Heat Balance - Kiewit Power Engineering Job Details | Kiewit

Summary

Kiewit is an engineering and construction company serving infrastructure and engineering markets, including power facilities. The Thermal Performance Engineer will analyze and model power plant performance, develop heat balances and correction curves, coordinate with equipment vendors, support thermal design, and assist with field performance testing and related calculations.

Responsibilities

• Develop power plant heat balances to support proposal efforts, plant guarantees, risk and liability calculations as well as project team detailed design efforts, and performance test correction curves
• Prepare and assess Plant Thermal Performance development and design using plant thermal performance modeling and estimating software tools like Ebsilon software
• Coordinate with equipment vendors for thermal sizing and performance evaluations, including combustion turbine, heat recovery steam generator, steam turbine, steam surface condenser, wet cooling tower, air-cooled condenser, and pump vendors
• Assist with development of thermal performance test procedures based on project requirements
• Support execution of performance tests in the field
• Assist calculations to determine plant emission guarantees and plant start-up times guarantees
• Assist combined cycle power plant startup curves preparations
• Perform non-compressible and compressible fluid flow calculations including pressure drop, choked flow, bypass valve sizing

Skills

• 2-10+ years' experience in power plant performance analysis and performance modeling and/or performance testing using ASME Performance Test Codes
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (or other engineering discipline with strong thermodynamic component) from an ABET accredited four-year college or university program
• Proficiency in thermodynamics, thermodynamic cycles, and fluid mechanics
• Understanding of power plant equipment operation from a thermodynamic perspective
• Highly self-motivated, with a demonstrated passion for excellence and taking initiative
• Strong work ethic, willing to do what it takes to get the job done right the first time
• Demonstrated commitment to ethics and integrity
• Passion for safety, with the ability to help us ensure that nobody gets hurt
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Team player with the ability to work independently to meet deadlines, goals and objectives
• Strong organization, time management, and attention to detail
• This position may require approximately 20%-40% travel in 1-4 week intervals to project sites across North America. Travel percentage is highly dependent on project schedules
• Regular, reliable attendance
• Work productively and meet deadlines timely
• Communicate and interact effectively and professionally with supervisors, employees, and others individually or in a team environment
• Perform work safely and effectively. Understand and follow oral and written instructions, including warning signs, equipment use, and other policies
• Work during normal operating hours to organize and complete work within given deadlines. Work overtime and weekends as required
• May work at various different locations and conditions may vary
• Experience with industrial instrumentation and data acquisition systems. Familiarity with distributed control systems a plus
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills. Experience in development of XLL add ins a plus
• Familiarity and working knowledge of heat balance calculation software (Ebsilon/GateCycle/Thermoflex or similar in-house software) a plus

Qualifications

Must Haves

• 2-10+ years' experience in power plant performance analysis and performance modeling and/or performance testing using ASME Performance Test Codes
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (or other engineering discipline with strong thermodynamic component) from an ABET accredited four-year college or university program
• Proficiency in thermodynamics, thermodynamic cycles, and fluid mechanics
• Understanding of power plant equipment operation from a thermodynamic perspective
• Highly self-motivated, with a demonstrated passion for excellence and taking initiative
• Strong work ethic, willing to do what it takes to get the job done right the first time
• Demonstrated commitment to ethics and integrity
• Passion for safety, with the ability to help us ensure that nobody gets hurt
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Team player with the ability to work independently to meet deadlines, goals and objectives
• Strong organization, time management, and attention to detail
• This position may require approximately 20%-40% travel in 1-4 week intervals to project sites across North America. Travel percentage is highly dependent on project schedules
• Regular, reliable attendance
• Work productively and meet deadlines timely
• Communicate and interact effectively and professionally with supervisors, employees, and others individually or in a team environment
• Perform work safely and effectively. Understand and follow oral and written instructions, including warning signs, equipment use, and other policies
• Work during normal operating hours to organize and complete work within given deadlines. Work overtime and weekends as required
• May work at various different locations and conditions may vary

Nice to Haves

• Experience with industrial instrumentation and data acquisition systems. Familiarity with distributed control systems a plus
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills. Experience in development of XLL add ins a plus
• Familiarity and working knowledge of heat balance calculation software (Ebsilon/GateCycle/Thermoflex or similar in-house software) a plus

Benefits

• Candidates may work remotely from anywhere in the U.S.
• Top-tier medical, dental and vision plans covering eligible employees and dependents
• Voluntary wellness and employee assistance programs
• Life insurance
• Disability coverage
• Retirement plans with matching
• Generous paid time off