System Operator Development Program

At ERCOT, our diverse and dynamic work environment provides a platform on which employees can work together to build the future of the Texas power grid and wholesale market utilizing the latest technologies and resources. We encourage you to join our talented, dedicated workforce to develop world‑class solutions for today and tomorrow’s energy challenges while learning new skills and growing your career.

ERCOT is committed to fostering inclusion at all levels of our company. It is the cornerstone of our corporate values of accountability, leadership, innovation, trust, and expertise. We know that individuals with a wide variety of talents, ideas, and experiences propel the innovation that drives our success. An inclusive and diverse workforce strengthens us and allows for a collaborative environment to solve the challenges that face our industry today and in the future.

ERCOT is the independent system operator for the Texas region, and schedules power on the electric grid which connects more than 52,700+ miles of transmission lines and 1,030+ generation units, including Private Use Networks. The ERCOT System Operator Development Program (ODP) is a 12-14 month program for entry‑level System Operators. The program provides specialized training, one‑on‑one mentorship and shadowing by seasoned Operators on the control room floor, exposure to work performed by critical groups that support the Control Room, and an opportunity to gain experience and a core set of competencies that will lead to certification to begin a career as a System Operator at ERCOT.

The ODP program is intended to combine real‑time daily operations work in an exciting work setting to prepare participants of the program with the vital skills necessary to be successful in a critical position which provides 24x7x365 on demand support to manage the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers. If you are new to the industry, this program introduces you to the Bulk Electric System by combining introductory courses with the NERC Certification Exam Preparation Program in preparation to pass the NERC Certification Exam.

Stage 1 of the program focuses on ODP1 participants successfully completing knowledge training and the NERC Reliability Coordinator (NERC RC) exam. This program provides the training that ODP1 participants will need to launch their power industry careers through training on the fundamentals of the electric power system and the requirements needed to pass the NERC Certification Exam. Once onboarded, the employee will have six (6) months to successfully complete the requirements and pass the NERC Reliability Coordinator exam to become NERC RC certified.

Stage 2 of the program begins once the System Operator Trainee has successfully completed Stage 1, and the NERC Certification is achieved. ODP2 participants will rotate through assignments across several functional groups within ERCOT, including Operations Training, Outage Coordination, Operations Support, and the System Operators in the control room. While on rotation with each group, the ODP2 participant will perform some of each group’s day‑to‑day tasks to gain an understanding of how their work supports critical Control Room operations.

Participants in the program will be required to demonstrate an understanding of each functional area and then move forward to on‑the‑job training (OJT) for the control room. In some cases, Stage 1 and Stage 2 may be completed concurrently.

During the On‑the‑job Training (OJT) portion in the ERCOT Control Room, the ODP2 will work directly under the Supervision of a Certified System Operator that has completed Task Qualification for the specific desk assigned. During this time frame the ODP2 will temporally be…