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Kinectrics takes pride in being consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the energy and utility industry, where purpose and people mean as much as innovation and growth. That’s why we choose only the best and brightest to join us. To keep pace with Canada’s expanding energy and utility sector, Kinectrics has grown from a company of 300 to over 1,000 in only the last few years - and we aren’t looking to slow down. Join our diverse, supportive workplace for a rewarding career in the electricity industry.

 

Visit our website to learn more:  www.kinectrics.com

 

The Opportunity

 

Position: Engineer/Scientist HVST

Employment Type: Permanent

Employment Level: Intermediate

Location: 800 Kipling Avenue, Toronto, ON

Department: High Voltage and Safety Testing (HVST)

Reports to: Managing Director – High Voltage & Safety Testing (HVST)

Hours per week: 37.5

Number Required: 1

 

What We Offer

 

At Kinectrics, employees are recognized for their knowledge, experience, and contributions while working in a highly technical and challenging environment. Kinectrics puts you in the driver’s seat of your own career, setting you up alongside industry experts who will help you develop the skills essential to your professional growth in a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and rewarding work culture.

  • Purpose: The work we do each day helps communities around the world. Find satisfaction in work that really matters, working alongside and as part of the best and brightest in the industry.
  • Growth: To keep pace with Canada’s expanding energy and utility sector, we are growing more each day, which means more opportunities for you. We encourage our employees to grow alongside our company thanks to a number of significant training and personal development opportunities.
  • Innovation: Our staff proudly develop innovations that push the industry forward.
  • Diversity: The company is dedicated to promoting diversity in its workforce, up to and including the senior management level. Our diversity committee ensures we stay up to date on leading trends and best practices, creating a desirable workspace for each and every one of our employees.
  • Competitive Compensation: We offer a competitive total compensation package unmatched by most industries throughout North America.

 

If you want to work for a purpose-driven company where you’ll see the real impact of your work, apply today.

 

Accountabilities: How You Will Make an Impact

 

Accountability Objective: Under the direction of, and reporting to, the Managing Director – High Voltage & Safety Testing (HVST):

  • Lead or support project execution for laboratory-based electrical testing, applied research & development (R&D), component failure analysis / forensics, new product development or electromagnetic simulation primarily related to high-criticality low voltage (LV), medium voltage (MV) or high voltage (HV) electrical assets. This will involve work across multi-disciplinary facilities as appropriate.
  • The equipment focus of this role will initially be on extruded and oil-paper insulated LV/MV/HV power cables, but eventually other electrical assets including MV Switchgear and HV/EHV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) may be included.
  • Support the implementation of programs such as the Company Quality, Safety and Project Management processes.

 

Technical

  • Support senior staff in client consultations defining the scope of project requirements and assisting in making recommendations with respect to laboratory electrical testing, applied R&D, forensics, new product development or advanced simulation projects.
  • Prepare technical reports and recommendations for senior staff on findings arising from the prescribed testing, analysis, design, or other tasks carried out.
  • Anticipate the needs of upcoming projects to ensure that Kinectrics resources are available (staff and equipment).
  • Cooperate and work with internal / external customers on the resolution of technical problems.
  • Remain abreast of technical developments in core areas of work, particularly as related to LV/MV/HV cables.
  • Ensure Kinectrics provides a leading-edge service to the Energy Sector.
  • Assist in providing support for technical articles or papers for publications in scientific conferences or journals, under the direction of senior staff.
  • Assist with field-based electrical testing / condition assessment projects as directed by senior staff.

 

Client Relationships 

  • Build relationships with current and potential clients, using oral and written communication skills.
  • Provide feedback and client intelligence (i.e. quality, customer satisfaction, safety, technical problems and competitive intelligence).
  • Identify sales leads and work with sales team in sales planning, follow through and support as needed.
  • Support senior staff with technical sales support through assisting in technical quotation / proposal development, presentations as needed.
  • Support senior staff in identifying and supporting service and market development priorities when requested.

 

Delivery and Profitability

  • Ensure effective project management processes on each assigned project.
  • Ensure commitments and related technical work are completed on time, within budget, and meet standards for quality and value.
  • Contributory responsibility for gross margin that meet or exceed budget expectations.
  • Ensure client satisfaction.
  • Contribute timely input and regular reports on progress to senior staff.
  • Meet personal billability targets.

 

Safety & Continuous Improvement Related Activities

  • Development and refinement of technical, safety and operational procedures for execution of laboratory electrical testing, applied R&D, forensics, new product development or electromagnetic simulation-based projects.
  • Prepared, conduct or lead Job Safety Analysis, Risk / Hazard Assessments, and pre-job briefs with project personnel as needed.
  • Support senior staff with the preparation of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) submissions for procurement of equipment to meet strategic and/or business growth objectives.
  • Support senior staff with preparation of New Product Development (NPD) submissions for internal R&D efforts to meet strategic and/or business growth objectives.
  • Interact with equipment OEMs to benchmark technical product improvements and new developments to improve Kinectrics’ independent, leading-edge technical service offerings to the Energy Sector.
  • Support technical and business staff with new equipment procurement.

 

Leadership

  • Facilitate internal relationships and effective use of resources and equipment
  • Maintain good relationships with internal staff to motivate and build a strong team.
  • Deliver the annual goals as set out by the Managing Director
  • Identify personal, business and supporting staff growth and development opportunities.

 

What You Need to Succeed

 

Education/Professional Qualifications:

  • B.Eng. degree in Electrical Power Engineering or educational equivalent.
    • Individuals with other engineering or scientific backgrounds such as Engineering Physics, Nanotechnology, Nuclear Engineering, or Materials Engineering will also be considered.  
  • Evidence of post graduate education in MV and HV engineering, dielectrics, electromagnetic simulation, or non-destructive examination (NDE) techniques will be considered a strong asset.
  • Eligible to register as a Professional Engineer in Ontario.

 

Professional Experience:

  • 2 – 5+ years experience in one or more of the following areas:
    • Laboratory testing, applied R&D, forensics and/or advanced electromagnetic simulation
    • Electrical power equipment design and manufacturing.
    • Electrical diagnostic test equipment product design and manufacturing
    • Field-service / condition assessment of electrical power assets
    • Utility, generation or industrial electrical system / component design engineering or related engineering consultancy.
  • Experience working in a testing or forensic laboratory (independent or OEM), testing equipment product development environment, or applied R&D organization will be considered a strong asset.
  • Experience working with nuclear clients will be considered a strong asset.
  • Lower range of professional experience will be considered for individuals with advanced education (Master’s or Ph.D.) or key skills / capabilities / knowledge in preferred areas (see below).

 

Key Knowledge:

  • Specialized knowledge of the theory, principles and practices associated with electrical power engineering. Additional knowledge regarding dielectric materials is strongly preferred.
  • Foundational technical background in transmission and distribution (T&D) or generation plant electrical equipment, ideally including LV/MV/HV cable systems.
  • Knowledge of engineering mathematics, scientific graphing, statistical analysis of large data sets and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) based electromagnetic simulation is strongly preferred.
  • Knowledge in the application of the following laboratory-based electrical testing methods is strongly preferred:
    • AC (60Hz) or VLF (0.1Hz) Withstand
    • AC (60Hz) Partial Discharge – Using conventional IEC 60270 and non-conventional, broadband methods
    • Dielectric Loss / VLF (0.1Hz) Tangent Delta
    • Dielectric Spectroscopy (Frequency Domain or Time Domain)
    • Polarization / Depolarization Current (PDC) and DC Insulation Resistance Measurement
    • Time & Frequency Domain Reflectometry (TDR, FDR, including LIRATM)
    • AC and DC Metallic Resistance Measurements
    • Dielectric Material AC/DC Characterization (σdc, ε’, ε’’)
    • AC (60Hz) Timed Breakdown Testing
    • Accelerated Water Treeing Testing (AWTT)
  • General knowledge in the application of one or more of the following laboratory-based material-testing methods would be considered a strong asset:
    • Tensile Strength / Elongation at Break
    • Oxidation Induction Time / Temperature
    • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
    • Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR)
    • Indenter Modulus
    • Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
    • Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
    • Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA)
    • Optical or Scanning Electron Microscopy

 

Key Skills / Capabilities – Technical:

  • Professional experience providing technical advice, guidance, consultation and services related to specialization / field of work, ideally related to LV/MV/HV electrical power cables.
  • Experience with mathematical and statistical programming, data analytics, scientific graphing and instrument control including specific experience (academic or industrial) with MATLAB, VBA, or COM programming tools is preferred.
  • Experience using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) based tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics or ANSYS for AC, DC and RF electromagnetic simulations is strongly preferred.
  • Skilled in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Visio or equivalent computer-based tools for preparing reports, email, presentations and for general communication.
  • Excellent research skills, including utilization of on-line and library-based research and scientific conference and journal databases.
  • Direct experience with power cable system (or accessory) installation, commissioning, maintenance, troubleshooting, forensic or system design activities is preferred.
  • Hands-on experience using AC, DC or RF electrical equipment / instrumentation including impedance analyzers, electrometers, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, and network analyzers is preferred.
  • Hands-on experience in AC/DC/RF circuit simulation, design or fabrication (including Printed Circuit Board applications) is preferred.  
  • Experience in creating 2D or 3D electrical or mechanical drawings using AutoCAD or SolidWorks is preferred.

 

Key Skills / Capabilities – General:

  • Excellent collaborative and independent problem-solving skills.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in verbal and written communications is required for preparation of technical reports, proposals, recommendations, and presentations.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and experience working co-operatively with a variety of multi-disciplinary staff including engineers, technologists and managers.
  • Rigorous commitment to comprehensive safety assurance. Experience with managing on-site or in-lab job safety (e.g., preparing Job Safety Analysis, Risk / Hazard Assessments, leading pre-job briefs) is preferred.
  • Demonstrated high level of commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
  • Experience in people management, resource management and internal / external customer relations.
  • Availability for assignments with short notice.

 

Kinectrics welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

 

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