Career Path Of A Senior Operations Coordination Engineer At Northeast Power Coordinating Council
Ryan's career path, beginning with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, unexpectedly shifted after "fall[ing] in love" with power systems engineering during their senior year. This led to a graduate degree, an internship at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), nine years as a shift engineer there, and their current role supporting real-time power operations at the Northeast Power Coordinating Council.
Power Systems Engineering, Internships, Graduate Education, Real-time Operations, Career Path in Energy
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ryan McSherry
Senior Engineer, Operations Coordination
Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc.
University of Texas Austin (2009)
University of Texas Austin (Power Systems Engineering)
Engineering - Electrical
Energy & Utilities
Operations and Project Management
Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Ryan's passion for power systems engineering developed late in his undergraduate program, highlighting the importance of exploring different areas of study.
2. His internship at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and subsequent nine-year role as a real-time operation shift engineer demonstrate the value of practical experience in the field.
3. His career progression from ERCOT to the Northeast Power Coordinating Council showcases the opportunities for advancement within the power systems industry.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college, any internships, or jobs you had before your current role.
I went to college at the University of Texas in Austin. My undergraduate degree was in electrical engineering. It wasn't until my last semester that I took my very first course in power systems engineering.
I originally thought I wanted to be a software engineer. A traditional electrical engineer wasn't my first choice. It was only in my senior year that I took a power systems engineering course and immediately fell in love with it.
So, I decided to pursue a graduate degree in power systems engineering. This led me to my first internship at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), just outside of Austin. Currently, I work for the Northeast Power Coordinating Council, which is based in New York City.
My graduate experience as a power systems engineer certainly shaped me and provided the opportunities for my first internship at ERCOT. After graduating, I worked at ERCOT for about nine years as a real-time operations shift engineer in the control room. It was a 24/7 job with 12-hour shifts.
After leaving the ERCOT control room, I sought a Monday-through-Friday, nine-to-five job. I was hired by the Northeast Power Coordinating Council to help support real-time power operations in the northeastern part of North America.