Electrical Power Distribution (EPD) Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Position Title: 

Electrical Power Distribution (EPD) Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Pay Rate: 

PL range16-18 

$118,400 – $183,200

Multiple factors, including individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.

Category/Shift: 

Salaried Full-Time 

Physical Location: 

Remote

Extensive domestic travel required (up to 75%)

The Job You Will Perform: 

• As an Electrical Power Distribution (EPD) Subject Matter Expert (SME) you will act as the primary technical authority for the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) power distribution networks in critical facilities within our Mills.
• Working within the Reliability Team of International Paper’s Technology Group, the Electrical Power Distribution SME serves as a corporate technical expert responsible for ensuring maximum uptime, safety, and reliability of our complex electrical infrastructure. This role bridges field operations, maintenance execution, and engineering to mitigate operational risks and optimize power distribution performance.
• Key Responsibilities
  • Technical Authority & Oversight: Act as the lead technical resource for LV/MV switchgear, transformers, turbine generator controls, backup generators, UPS battery systems, and protective relaying.
  • Maintenance & Procedures: Plan, author, and approve safety and operating procedures for high-risk electrical troubleshooting, repair, and retrofit activities.
  • Safety & Compliance: Enforce strict adherence to internal & external electrical safety programs, National Electrical Testing Association (NETA) standards, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, and local/national/global electrical codes.
  • Root-Cause Analysis: Lead forensic investigations and root-cause analysis (RCA) for any electrical anomalies, equipment failures, or system trips that exceed facility capabilities.
  • Project & Quality Oversight: Provide Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QAQC) for ongoing electrical construction, capacity upgrades, and component modifications.
  • Training & Mentorship: Train critical facility engineers / champions, technicians, and cross-functional teams on equipment operations, system changes, and best practices.

• Support EPD asset-management efforts by analyzing reliability, maintenance and operating data, conducting field assessments and recommending improvements that prevent failures and reduce maintenance costs.

• Support effective execution of the Reliability System elements, with an emphasis on those that impact the care, operation, and precision repair of electrical power distribution equipment.

• Support planned and unplanned outages through on-site and remote technical assistance.

• Apply reliability life-cycle knowledge and engineering standards to capital projects, including specifications, Capital Investment Proposals, necessary factory acceptance testing, installation quality and commissioning.

• Partner with Global Sourcing to support value-added supplier contracts and maintain quality standards for electrical power distribution equipment.

• Deliver hands-on technical training and transfer knowledge through one-on-one, small-group, classroom and field instruction.

• Develop and validate reliability standards and best practices, build technical networks across manufacturing locations and mentor facility champions.

• Ability to respond to manufacturing facilities on short notice. 

The Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge You Will Bring: 

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a similar engineering discipline is preferred, industry experience will be considered. 

• Industry certification in EPD technology, maintenance, or reliability is preferred. Candidates without certification must obtain it within their first year.

• 5-15 years of combined maintenance and technical experience in EPD & Turbine Generator equipment and operations; pulp and paper industry experience is preferred.

• Thorough knowledge of EPD equipment design, construction and operation.

• Working knowledge of reliability systems, root cause failure analysis, predictive maintenance techniques and computerized maintenance management systems such as SAP-PM is preferred.

• Demonstrated leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively with team members at all levels of the organization.

• Excellent written, verbal, consulting and technical-training skills, including the ability to teach in classroom and field settings.

• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally (by exception) up to 75% of the time and provide support to manufacturing facilities, as needed.