Brad Hale Email & Phone Number

Austin, Tx, Us

Austin, Tx, Us

Austin, Texas Area

At an expert level, provides applications and hardware solution support in areas such as configuration, deployment, installation, tuning, monitoring, maintenance and updating. Works with department management to provide oversight for Infrastructure & Control compliance activities related to FERC-approved Mandatory Reliability Standards established by North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Texas Reliability Entity (Texas RE) and/or the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). This position requires specialized depth and/or breadth of expertise. Interprets business issues and recommends best practices. Solves complex problems; takes a broad perspective to identify innovative solutions. Works independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations. May lead functional teams or projects. Provides enhanced department controls and oversight of maintenance operations in compliance with NERC standards for Protective Relaying (PRC) and Cyber Assets (CIP). Develops and runs queries and reporting for users and management.Documents, verifies, monitors, and creates reports related to compliance with NERC reliability standards, ERCOT protocols and operating guides.Monitors work orders pertaining to NERC regulatory requirements for PRC and CIP.Creates and oversees a proactive compliance monitoring process to ensure that activities required by the reliability standards are performed and properly documented in a timely manner.Troubleshoots application and hardware issues and makes configuration changes as required to ensure correct operation.Performs administration of application servers, including backup, recovery, disaster recovery, monitoring, tuning, and documentation to ensure systems are available for customers.Manages departmental SharePoint site providing and updating the status of compliance related activities.Provides written responses and data analysis and collection activities at the request of Texas RE, NERC and/or ERCOT.

At a senior level, provides advanced support for software applications. Provides technical assistance and training on applications as needed to users and IT staff. Leads medium to large sized projects and trains/mentors less experienced staff. Takes a new perspective to solve complex problems. Works independently and receives minimal guidance. Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience. May direct the work of other staff members.- Administers software applications in areas such as configuration, deployment, installation, tuning, monitoring, maintenance, updating, documentation and data archiving.- Works with QA/QC team to test, review and document installation, operation and troubleshooting procedures.- Provides technical assistance, customer service and problem resolution for applications supported.- Develops and runs queries and other reporting for users.- Pursues new technologies, knowledge, training and problem resolutions. Researches, tests and develops these technologies.- Plans and coordinates medium to large sized software application projects and provides documentation for projects.- Proposes and implements system enhancements. Develops recommendations for application purchases and upgrades.- Provides input to the Architecture Review Board in integrating applications into the overall LCRA architecture.- May perform administration of application servers, including backup, recovery, disaster recovery, monitoring, tuning and documentation to ensure systems are available for customers.- Understands and incorporates applicable functional area, field and operational aspects into administration activities.- Adheres to NERC CIP (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Standards, NIST (National Institute of standards and Technology), ISA (Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society), and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) as applicable to application supported.

- At a senior level, develops sustainable, repeatable and quantifiable business process improvements. Analyzes and measures the effectiveness of existing business processes. Researches and utilizes knowledge of best business practices within and outside the organization to establish benchmark data and develop recommendations for process improvement. Collects and analyzes process data to initiate, develop and recommend business practices and procedures that focus on enhanced safety, increased productivity and reduced cost. Develops metrics and cost-benefit analysis to support proposals. Develops and provide training on process changes. Typically works on processes that affect entire business units or are used company-wide. Processes may include external vendors and customers or other stakeholders. This position utilizes in-depth knowledge of best practices and experience in own discipline to provide and improve services. Takes a new perspective to solve complex problems. Works independently and receives minimal guidance. Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience. - Researches, evaluates and documents processes. Develops recommendations for improvements based on research and knowledge of best practices.- Reviews results of past internal audits and existing internal controls to assure that adequate controls are in place and that trackable metrics are established.- Works with process owners to finalize process improvements and document process changes.- Prepares analysis and develops business cases for process changes or capital projects.- Designs and delivers appropriate communications and training programs to ensure that process improvements take place.- Maintains knowledge and awareness of current industry trends, best practices, current methods and technologies related to assigned processes.- May provide on-the-job training and guidance for colleagues with less experience.

- At a senior level, develops and maintains departmental work plan and project schedules, time and cost estimates, work orders, work authorizations, requisitions, bid evaluations, pertinent records and logs, including ProCard documentation. This position utilizes in-depth knowledge of best practices and experience in own discipline to provide and improve services. Takes a new perspective to solve complex problems. Works independently and receives minimal guidance. - Conducts daily and weekly planning meetings to coordinate work plans and schedule maintenance activities with supervisors and management to prioritize work activities; makes recommendations to ensure maximum efficiency of ongoing operations.- Receives and maintains records of work orders; estimates costs for labor, materials, parts and equipment and ensures their availability. Develops job/work scope for contractors.- Works with project and supervisory personnel to determine any special instructions or considerations involving timeliness and/or availability of crews.- Maintains records, executes computer programs and issues reports as directed to ensure equipment and systems are systematically maintained and accurate information is communicated to project managers, supervisors, or others directly involved in carrying out work plans.- Assists with budget development and maintenance by providing reports upon request. Works with management and project managers by keeping them apprised of variances.- Buys equipment, material and services by use of ProCard in accordance with approved Supply Management processes and procedures, reviews and signs off on all invoices for assigned areas up to approved limit. In accordance with approved Supply Management processes and procedures, evaluates bids, recommends best evaluated bidders and develops letters of recommendation for management approval.

- Install, maintain, and monitor protective relay equipment; inspect, clean, test, and make adjustments to relay equipment. Install, test, and maintain digital fault recorders in all generating plants, transmission and distribution substations. Repair and modify relays; involving the replacement or substitution of parts. Operate testing equipment such as oscilloscopes, relay test sets, contact pressure gauges, and power analyzers. Perform routine functional checkouts including but not limited to fault simulations on relay systems in transmission substations and/or power plants. Obtain and coordinate outages in conjunction with Substation Maintenance Systems Operations. Develop and summarize test results and records of relaying and associated equipment including trouble reports. Perform testing, installation, and maintenance on protective panels, battery banks and chargers, and electrical controls for breakers and transformers. Determine the installation or removal of faculty due to safety concerns or equipment not suited for particular job. Troubleshoot malfunctioning relay equipment and fault recording systems; identify improper wiring, incorrect settings or logic equations in relays. Read, interpret, identify and correct errors on blueprints. Occasionally supervise crew when needed; train and direct less experienced personnel in the practice of safe and proper use of tools and procedures for performing work.- Tasks performed for the following applications (AVTS, RTS, and SEL)- Configure, install, perform updates, and maintain software applications. Develop training material and provide support for these applications.- Design and maintain various databases. Perform queries and provide reports to employees upon request. These reports include evidence provided for NERC, ERCOT, and other various regulatory requirements.

- Install, calibrate, and test electrical utility equipment in substations, power plants, and industrial plants. Provide maintenance, evaluation, and documentation of required diagnostic tests which includes circuit breaker operator profile testing, insulation power factor, transformer combustible gas, DC winding resistance, circuit breaker motion and contact analysis. Perform oil analysis for substation electric equipment including but not limited to load tap changers (LTC), transformers, potential transformers (PT), current transformers (CT), circuit breakers, etc. Operate testing equipment such as software driven equipment and power factor (e.g. Doble M4200 controller, Vanguard electronic TTR, etc.). Assists Substation Maintenance in the maintenance and repair of substation equipment; may assist in the replacement of parts or substitution of parts. Troubleshoot control circuits in various types of electrical utility equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, etc. -- Develop and summarize test results and records of substation equipment and associated equipment including trouble reports. Perform low-voltage and high-voltage switching according to standard procedures and in coordination with System Operations personnel. Assists diagnostic survey work including but not limited to infrared, partial discharge measurement, battery impedance, battery strap resistance, acoustic emission, and basic substation inspections.- Tasks performed for the following applications (Doble and Replay Pro)- Configure, install, perform updates, and maintain software applications. Develop training material and provide support for these applications.- Design and maintain various databases. Perform queries and provide reports to employees upon request.

Perform weekly inspections of substations. Troubleshoot and perform maintenance on most equipment inside substations including SCADA, AMR, relays, transformers, breakers and breaker controllers. Prepare and execute distribution switching orders. Calibrate and program various kinds of billing meters. Wire substation control panels from electrical engineering schematics.

Associates Of Applied Science, Instrumentation/Electrical Specialization, 3.2

General Studies