Utilities Regulation Engineer

Utilities Regulation Engineer

The Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) is a public agency dedicated to promoting transparency, accessibility, and accountability in utility regulation. Our work ensures Iowans are informed and engaged in the regulatory processes that affect their daily lives. Through effective oversight, we help safeguard public safety, reliability, and fairness in utility services. As part of our team, you’ll play a key role in ensuring compliance, supporting safe operations, and protecting Iowa communities.

As a Utilities Regulation Engineer, you will:

• Participate in appraisal, evaluation, and depreciation studies of utility properties and engineering cost studies.

• Examine and evaluate information submitted with new service offerings to recommend approval, modification, or denial.

• Conduct or direct investigations of customer complaints and of operation, service, and public safety conditions of utility facilities.

• Provide information for Department presentations and formulate cross-examination questions for public utility company witnesses.

• Present and support the staff position in formal proceedings by testifying and submitting to cross‑examination on technical issues.

• Inform the public of anticipated major utility facility additions by acting as the agency representative at informational meetings.

• Provide interpretations of professional engineering and regulatory codes to agency and public utility personnel.

• Utilize computer models and engineering applications to analyze information regarding various aspects of utility operations for policy making, rate cases, staff training, long‑range planning, or drafting administrative rules or legislation.

• Perform as a project leader or project staff member in conducting research projects concerning public utility regulation issues.

• Identify and/or develop criteria and evaluate utility data to assure reasonable and adequate utility service to the public at the lowest possible cost.

• Review engineering data contained in franchise petitions, pipeline permits, and service modification requests to determine compliance with engineering standards and federal and state regulations.

Individuals who can perform operations research and evaluation or specialized engineering work for the Utilities Division of the Iowa Department of Commerce in the investigation and regulation of one or more types of utility operations, under general supervision.

• Required Knowledge:

  • Engineering and Technology:
    Practical application of engineering science and technology, including principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to design and production.

  • Utilities:
    Utility valuation principles, techniques, and standards in areas such as depreciation methods, cost allocation, production cost allocation, rate design, and classifying/allocating utility cost of service.

  • Design:
    Design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

  • Mathematics:
    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

  • Customer Service:
    Principles and processes for providing customer services, including needs assessment, quality standards, and satisfaction evaluation.

  • Law and Government:
    Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

  • English Language:
    Structure and content of the English language, including meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand

At the State of Iowa, we are committed to your well‑being. As a valued team member, you'll enjoy a…