The Talley Group has several urgent needs for Electrical and Control Systems Engineers with experience in the Water/Wastewater industry for its Washington State locations.  Current job titles include: Project Manager, Project Engineer, Sr. Electrical Engineer and Sr. Controls Systems Engineer.  All are direct placement positions with well established companies offering competitive salary ranges, outstanding benefits and relocation assistance.  If interested in learning more about these opportunities, please contact Matt Sawicki at Sawickim@thetalleygroup.com.  Job details are as follows:

SR. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

REQUIREMENTS

• Experience with 4.16kV and 12.47kV substation power systems equipment including transformers, circuit breakers, conductors, protective relays, substation automation (SCADA) and power system analysis software such as SKM.
• Water/waste-water experience and a power and control background below 600V is a strong plus.
• Minimum requirements include a BSEE
• 10 years of related industry experience
• Washington State PE license a plus
• Strong project management, business development, leadership, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

SR. CONTROLS ENGINEER

REQUIREMENTS:

• Industrial power and controls experience preferably with water/waste water systems
• experience with 480V power distribution; motor control including VFD’s; lighting; PLC’s; SCADA; relay control logic; and process instrumentation.
• Minimum requirements include BSEE degree
• 10+ years of related consulting experience developing design plans and specifications.
• WA PE license (or ability to obtain within 6- months)
• Strong control system focus, troubleshooting, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

PROJECT MANAGER

REQUIREMENTS

• BS in engineering related to Electrical, Control Systems, Chemical or related field.
• 7-10 years working as a Project Manager in an Electrical Controls environment.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects at one time.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work with internal teams and external customer.
• Well rounded technically to understand the software, hardware and programming requirements of the work.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Effectively manage the complete project lifecycle for 10-15 electrical controls projects at any one given time.

Once project is assigned, handle the following:

• Meet with estimators and learn the scope and definition of the work to be done.
• Handle all contract administration with the customer.  Get customer all necessary PO’s, contracts, credentials of engineers, etc.
• Build project plans and put together forecasts.  Completely lay out the job based on fixed dates and timelines and review overall scope of the job of the job as to how many hours will be involved in each department to finalize the ship date of the project.
• Complete a budget forecast assessing all the quotes made and what the actual will be.
• Define schedule and tasks for project teams to execute on.  Work with sales/estimating team to understand their bid and who they had in mind to assign to the project.
• Work with engineering team to help, create the BOM’s and instruments design.
• Participate in bi-weekly updates analysis of dollars out on a job.
• Manage the schedule of each job.
• Provide monthly updated forecast & actuals to COO.
• Manage the HW submittal design process with the client.  Respond to questions or projections from reviewing engineer.
• Manage expectations of the customer and their interpretation of outlined specifications created in the original estimate.
• Manage the purchase process.  Assist in purchasing negotiations. Transmit all necessary data to vendors when making purchases.
• Write letters of intent to lock in pricing for delivery timeline of the job.
• Review materials received and get necessary documentation into shop for fabrication.
• Oversee the creation of documents necessary to ship out final product.  Manage the production of OEM manuals for customer.
• Coordinate with service group to get the project up and running.  Handle any issues that come up onsite at time of delivery and install.

PROJECT ENGINEER

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Project Engineer is responsible for the engineering, design, integration, programming, and troubleshooting of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Process Instrumentation, Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), SCADA & Telemetry Systems, and Industrial Networks for systems controlling a wide variety of industrial applications including; water and wastewater plants, fish hatcheries, public transit systems, and power plants. This person will also ensure accuracy and completeness of associated technical documentation and support custom panel fabrication and field startup and commissioning processes.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree and three or more years’ experience designing, installing, commissioning, and troubleshooting industrial controls systems to include PLCs, OIT/HMI’s, VFD’s, and industrial networks (specifically Ethernet, Controlnet, Devicenet, and Modbus/Modbus+) preferred.
• Strong working knowledge with control system troubleshooting and tuning skills, experience with Ladder Logic and IEC programming of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and knowledge of Process Control.
• Ability to use electrical test equipment, troubleshoot electrical problems, and be familiar with National Electrical Code (NEC), UL508A design and construction, wiring in Hazardous Areas and related regulations, standards and practices.
• Experience with iFix, Wonderware, Panelview, RS logix, RS View, AutoCAD, Visual Basic, Allen-Bradley Controllogix and Modicon Quantum PLC hardware is preferred.
• Ability to plan, implement and document structured programming is essential.
• Knowledge of process instrumentation, control theory and various types of control systems, data acquisition, and industrial data communication coupled with experience working with industrial process controls, IT / networking processes and general analog and digital electronics required.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication skills and teamwork skills required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop electrical controls design by researching, analyzing, selecting, and applying electric controls engineering concepts, approaches, techniques, and criteria including panel layouts, distributed control systems, Operator Interface Terminals (OITs), Programmable Logic
• Controllers (PLCs), Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA)
• Adapting and modifying electrical controls engineering options
• Developing and evaluating new electrical controls engineering architectures and algorithms
• Preparing layout drawings, schematics, and wiring diagrams; collaborating with related engineering design teams
• Evaluating components, materials, and suppliers; identifying and resolving design integration/interface issues
• Determining and establishing design specifications.
• Develop PLC and SCADA programming with an emphasis on Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Modicon and Siemens in an industrial automation environment. This includes; documentation of programs, implementation, start-up and support.

CONTACT:

Matt Sawicki

Sawickim@thetalleygroup.com

(425)753-5061

Ever wonder who invented Siri, the modern-day equivalent of Hal from 2001: A Space Oddessy? It’s a program that feels so lifelike on your iPhone–that it can answer almost anything on the planet. What would you call this person? A modern-day Thomas Edison? Possibly.

Inc. Magazine called Ray Kurzweil the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” Kurzweil not only invented the artificial intelligence technology and voice recognition that make Siri work, but also works as an entrepreneur, spotting the weaknesses in our world that could be improved by innovation.

Like his predecessors, Kruzweil approaches his work in a nonconventional way. As an entrepreneur, he believes in small business over big–and a do-whatever-it-takes model. He also believes in innovation as problem solving, and comes up with most solutions in his dreams. You could say he even works while he sleeps.

Kruzweil recently spoke with Upstart Business Journal, saying that he has been approached by and could run a large company, but prefers being on the small, invention side.

“Kurzweil Music is now a division of Hyundai, the speech recognition is now a part of Nuance, Kurzweil Education Systems is part of a major educational organization, and in each case the company has not dissipated into the woodwork, which is often what happens. The technology has stayed distinct and the groups have stayed there. At Kurzweil Music it’s the same eight engineers that have been there 20 years—actually 30 years, since 1982.”

Kurzweil is plenty pleased to keep coming up with new technology that other people can use and enjoy. He likes to leave the management to those who have real management skills. He wants to be known for creating, not managing.

And Kurzweil comes up with most of these great ideas by working in his sleep. Kurzweil enjoys looking at industry and cultural trends, and trying to predict what the next big invention or solution needs to be.

The last thing he does before going to sleep is assigning himself a problem to solve. Then his head hits the pillow–working on the night shift. He believes the mind is the most creative when you sleep, as relaxation takes over.

“Censors in your mind are relaxed when you’re dreaming. That’s why you’ll dream about things that are culturally or socially taboo,” he said.

Kurzweil will actually work through engineering problems in his dreams, and wake up when he get to a point of unrest. He awakes and writes his thoughts down. The next day he gets up, sorts out his thoughts and writes out a patent application.

Simple enough, right?

Maybe for an aspiring inventor, entrepreneur, or the next “heir” to Edison.

The Talley Group can help you find the most inspiring engineering positions. Call us today! If you know an aspiring engineer, refer an engineer today!

In Feb. 2011, AeroVironment released its “nano-hummingbird” prototype. The miniature drone flew with a controlled precision hovering motion, much like the two-wings of a hummingbird.

The hummingbird motion was not the greatest achievement of the drone. It went beyond that. The Nano allowed for the aircraft to carry its own renewable energy source, created through the continued propulsion of the bird-like wings and structure.

The prototype was so successful that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contracted AeroVironment to create a drone aircraft for the Nano Air Vehicle program (NAV). According to DARPA, NAV’s are “airborne vehicles no larger than 7.5 cm in length, width, or height, capable of performing a useful military mission at an affordable cost, and gross takeoff weight (GTOW) of less than or equal to 10 grams.”

AeroVironment’s current prototype measures 16 cm and weighs 19 g. It can fly all direction, forward and backward while rotating clockwise and counter-clockwise.

The challenge to build a smaller, better, faster, more efficient drone was born.

Most NAVs are used by the military for defense purposes. Video cameras and sensors can be attached for surveillance, targeting, artillery spotting, mine detection, damage assessment and jamming enemy communications. AeroVironment not only has to make the drone work on a smaller scale, but also continue research on propulsion and energy storage, better aerodynamics, communications systems and manufacturing techniques for greater military use.

Challenges

• NAV propulsion and energy storage systems require a highly efficient power source to be able to fly for long periods of time. Creating a drone powerful enough, yet light enough to meet the requirements is a serious engineering design issue.
• The size of the NAV makes for aerodynamic challenges. The NAV looks to copy the flight aerodynamics of a bird or insect, which is greatly different from a typical aircraft.
• In order to integrate navigation, guidance and control sensors a single chip must be created on a nanoscale to meet the restrictive weight requirements of the NAV design. If NAVs are traveling in groups, that also brings about a sensory communication issue.
• Manufacturing these delicate and complex structures requires not only high tech engineering and design, but applicable manufacturing technology as well.

Contact The Talley Group for the most forward-thinking and challenging positions in engineering.

The engineering industry is open with many possible opportunities, but it is still a highly competitive field. If you are looking to change positions or move up in your own organization, engineering certifications can help.

Certifications can take time, and off-the-clock studying and work, but the general consensus from human resource professionals is that the effort taken to acquire an advanced certification is worth it.

Engineering certificates are a way to diversify yourself from the crowd, as well as to validate your professional skill. Certifications measure you higher in the engineering field against colleagues that may not have them.

The goal of a certification is to define your expertise and acknowledge your individual abilities in your field. They cannot replace a degree or professional license, but add value to your current resume and level of expertise. Some of the best reasons for attaining a professional certification include:

• Increased marketability
• Showcase of knowledge
• Proof of credibility
• Mark of respect

In a survey given by HR.com, 100% of participants preferred engineering certifications when hiring for new positions and for internal promotions. These certifications are guarantees that an employee has great knowledge in their preferred sector, and sets a high standard for the measurement of employee skill.

Engineering certifications can cover an array of topics including thermal system design, computer-aided manufacturing and applied mechanics. Common certificate programs include:

• Advanced material mechanics
• Convection heat
• Stress analysis
• Integrated manufacturing systems
• Advanced control systems
• Finite element analysis

If you are looking for an organization to go to that provides these certifications, there are many that offer product and personnel certifications. Product certification assures that an applicable American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standard is fulfilled. Personnel certifications provide a uniform standard for evaluating professional knowledge. Many can be attained through the ASME. The ASME has certified more than 6,000 manufacturers in 7 countries and serves as the standard for the industry.

Contact The Talley Group for the best positions in the engineering industry and to be represented as a top candidate.