Okay, I've searched for System Protection Engineer roles in Texas City, TX requiring a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, full-time schedule, 3+ years of experience, and skills in ASPEN Oneliner. I have found 42 positions matching your criteria.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The System Protection Engineer role at Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) is fundamentally centered on safeguarding the electrical power system's reliability and integrity through precise protection system design, analysis, and compliance. This job requires a deep technical mastery of power systems engineering principles, particularly in short circuit analysis, relay coordination, and compliance with stringent NERC and CIP standards. The candidate will confront complex challenges around system disturbances and protection settings modifications, which are critical to preventing outages and equipment damage in a high-voltage environment (up to 345kV). Success in this position means not only delivering technically sound, code-compliant protective relay settings but also anticipating and mitigating risks through proactive analysis and collaboration with field personnel and other stakeholders. The role demands a balance of strong analytical skills, hands-on technical proficiency with tools like ASPEN Oneliner, and the ability to communicate complex engineering ideas clearly across internal teams and external partners. Leadership and mentoring responsibilities indicate a strategic expectation that the engineer will help elevate team capabilities and contribute to continuous improvement of standards and procedures. Autonomy in decision-making, combined with the need to navigate regulatory requirements and operational safety, underscores the importance of sound judgment and attention to detail. Early success would likely be measured by the timely delivery of accurate coordination studies, effective disturbance analyses, and smooth NERC/CIP compliance, leading to enhanced system reliability and regulatory alignment.

Company Analysis:

Texas-New Mexico Power occupies a vital role within the Texas electricity transmission and distribution market as a mid-sized provider serving over 270,000 customers. As a subsidiary of PNM Resources, TNMP benefits from the stability of being part of a larger utility holding company while operating with localized focus across Texas communities. This context suggests a company that values operational excellence, customer responsiveness, and regulatory compliance, especially given Texas’s competitive retail electricity market environment under the Texas Electric Choice program. TNMP’s culture appears safety-driven and community-oriented, emphasizing reliability, employee well-being, and inclusivity—as reflected in its core values around safety and DEI initiatives. For someone in the System Protection Engineer role, this environment means working in a company that expects precision and accountability but also collaboration and continuous learning, particularly in safety-critical and customer-impacting processes. The engineer’s position likely resides within a technically specialized yet cross-functional team, bridging operations, engineering, and compliance units, with visibility to senior technical leaders given the role’s involvement in standards and regulatory matters. Strategically, this role underpins TNMP’s mission to deliver safe, reliable electricity and maintain grid stability amidst evolving regulatory demands and infrastructure challenges—making it a key technical contributor to the company’s growth and service excellence goals.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you identified a protection system issue that could have caused a reliability problem. How did you approach solving it?
• Behavioral: Describe an instance where you had to explain complex technical information about system protection to a non-engineering audience. How did you ensure understanding?
• Behavioral: Can you share a situation where you led or mentored junior engineers on protection system projects? What strategies did you use?
• Behavioral: Give an example of how you handled working under pressure when a system disturbance occurred and immediate corrective action was required.
• Technical: How do you approach performing a short circuit and relay coordination study using ASPEN Oneliner? What key factors do you consider?
• Technical: Explain your process for developing or modifying protective relay settings to maintain system reliability while ensuring NERC PRC-004 compliance.
• Technical: What steps do you take when reviewing relaying one-line diagrams and schematics to verify their accuracy and regulatory compliance?
• Technical: Describe your experience and approach to addressing CIP cyber security standards in system protection engineering tasks.
• Situational: Imagine you receive a report of a system disturbance affecting protective relaying in a high-voltage area. What is your immediate plan of action and follow-up?
• Situational: How would you handle a conflict between maintaining system reliability and complying with new regulatory changes impacting relay settings?
• Situational: If you find that a contractor's relay design deliverables do not meet company or NERC standards, how do you proceed?
• Company Fit: Why does Texas-New Mexico Power’s mission and customer-focused approach resonate with your professional goals?
• Company Fit: How do you see your values and working style aligning with TNMP's emphasis on safety and diversity, equity, and inclusion?
• Company Fit: Given TNMP’s position in a competitive and regulated Texas market, what motivates you to contribute here versus other utilities?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe how system protection engineering integrates with field operations and other departments at TNMP?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does TNMP support ongoing professional development and technical growth for engineers in this role?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are the biggest challenges TNMP currently faces in system protection and reliability, and how is this role expected to address them?