Natural Gas Distribution Technical Consultant

Role: Evaluate the distribution investments (and investment plans) of for-profit monopoly natural gas utilities regulated by state and federal authorities. Identify investments and spending plans that are unnecessary, premature, unsupported, or that will not deliver (or are unlikely to deliver) benefits (including risk reductions) of sufficient value to outweigh costs to utility customers. “Risks” primarily include reliability or safety risks. Please note that this is a contract position. Work will be sporadic, not consistent. Applicants must be individuals. "Company to Company" (C2C) is not possible for this role. All C2C inquiries will be ignored.
Minimum Qualifications: The candidate must have a minimum of 10 years’ natural gas utility work experience and/or significant exposure in the following areas:
Natural Gas distribution network planning and investment decisions.
Natural Gas distribution operations
Natural Gas distribution asset management and maintenance practices
Bachelor’s degree in mechanical (or other) engineering
Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have experience working for large non-profit natural gas distribution utilities. Candidates with experience working for a for-profit utility that has a history of capital constraint will also be considered. Other industry experience, including contacts and/or experience working with industry associations and/or state/federal government agencies, is a plus. Recent retirees are encouraged to apply.
Critical Duties
Review and analyze recent utility investments/capital spending and planned investments/capital spending, and accompanying utility technical witness testimony.
Review and analyze utility operations & maintenance practices, historical spending, and future budgets and accompanying utility technical witness testimony.
Develop and analyze discovery (data requests of utility and utility responses) to understand utility regulatory applications, spending, and investment plans and justifications in detail.
Serve as an expert witness, developing outlines for, and drafting, written testimony on findings.
Appear at hearings in state and federal regulatory proceedings involving utilities, defending written testimony under cross-examination by opposing parties (typically utilities).
Make presentations on technical topics to laypersons at association meetings, industry conferences, and workshop settings.
Complete business development activities, including outreach to state utility consumer advocates and regulatory Staff, and development of proposals.
Helpful Skill Sets and Competencies
Analytical and critical thinker with an independent streak.
Strong English writing and grammar skills.
Comfortable speaking in public/under pressure with an ability to think on one’s feet.
General business, financial, and legal acumen, ideally with business development aptitude.
Ability to educate and persuade those without a technical background.
Compensation: Hourly rate based on experience. Most applicants will consider hourly rates available highly attractive.
Benefits: No benefits are available to part-time workers, who are paid as independent contractors.
Location: The selected candidate may work from anywhere in the United States. Occasional air travel to anywhere in the U.S. will be required, meaning that locations near larger airports can be helpful.
Company: The Wired Group is a niche consultancy whose associates serve as advisors and expert witnesses to consumer, business, and environmental advocates, and sometimes government agencies, participating as intervenors in state utility regulation and ratemaking proceedings. The Wired Group has a history of revenue growth and highly satisfied clients. The Company is currently presented with business opportunities in excess of those that can be successfully addressed by current staffing levels.

Work arrangement
Yes