Major Projects - Director, Digital Modernization

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Job Summary

The Director, Digital Modernization leads the portfolio of digital control, instrumentation, and modernization upgrades across Vistra's nuclear fleet — coordinated with the Extended Power Uprate (EPU) program.
The role owns strategy and capital execution for digital plant controls (Emerson/Westinghouse Ovation DCS), GE Mark VIe turbine controls, and I&C obsolescence retirement, and ensures the resulting data optimally feeds Vistra's Power Optimization Center (POC) for analytics, early fault warning, and troubleshooting. Working with Site Directors, engineering, the engineering-of-choice partner, constructors, and field and testing teams, the Director executes upgrades that build margin, improve reliability, and make the sites easier to operate and maintain.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities

• Own the fleet digital modernization roadmap and its capital portfolio, sequencing Emerson/Westinghouse Ovation DCS, GE Mark VIe, and I&C obsolescence upgrades across the three sites and their outage windows.
• Lead design and execution with Site Directors, design and site engineering, the engineering-of-choice partner, constructors, and testing and field teams — from scope and 50.59 screening through installation, testing, startup, and turnover.
• Optimize the telemetry provided to the Power Optimization Center so new digital systems deliver the signal quality and coverage needed for analytics and early fault warning.
• Build margin and modernize the sites: retire legacy analog equipment and single-point vulnerabilities, reduce operator and maintenance burden, and improve unit reliability.
• Drive platform and standards commonality across Perry, Beaver Valley, and Davis-Besse to reduce lifecycle cost and simplify long-term support including skill development for outage/troubleshooting improvement based on commonality of technology.
• Integrate digital scope with the EPU program so uprate and control upgrades share design basis, schedule, and testing strategy.
• Manage OEM and EPC relationships — including Emerson/Westinghouse and GE — negotiating scope, cost, and schedule and resolving stakeholder conflicts.
• Develop the digital and I&C talent pipeline and represent Vistra in INPO and industry modernization forums.
• Capital-funded position within the Major Projects organization
• Three-site nuclear scope: Perry, Beaver Valley, and Davis-Besse, coordinated with the EPU program; fossil fleet alignment expected but outside direct accountability
• High-consequence technical scope: reactor and turbine control platforms (Emerson/Westinghouse Ovation, GE Mark VIe) where errors carry direct generation and safety risk
• Owns the capital portfolio and its prioritization; delivers through matrixed site and fleet engineering teams without direct authority over site organizations

Education, Experience, & Skill Requirements

• At least 12 years in the nuclear or fossil power industry with increasing responsibility in engineering, projects, operations, or maintenance, including 5–7 years leading capital modification programs such as digital I&C, DCS, or turbine control upgrades.
• Working knowledge of digital control platforms (Emerson/Westinghouse Ovation, GE Mark VIe, or equivalent), plant I&C, and the NRC digital I&C path (10 CFR 50.59, cyber security, qualification). Familiarity with INPO standards, equipment reliability and obsolescence programs, and plant telemetry analytics.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required (Electrical, I&C, Nuclear, or Mechanical focus preferred); advanced degree desirable.
• PMP, SRO license/certification, or equivalent strongly preferred.

Key Metrics

• Safety & Compliance – Zero violations; adherence to NRC, INPO, NQA-1, and cyber security requirements.
• Schedule – On-time digital upgrade milestones with no outage critical-path impact.
• Cost – ≥95% budget adherence across the modernization portfolio.
• Execution Quality – Upgrades tested and turned over with minimal post-modification corrective actions.
• Margin & Reliability – Measurable gains in margin and capacity factor; reduction of obsolete equipment and single-point vulnerabilities.
• POC Enablement – Growth in quality telemetry to the POC and documented predictive-maintenance saves.

Job Family

Plant Operations

Company

Vistra Nuclear Operations Company

Locations

Shippingport, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

If you currently work for Vistra or its subsidiaries, please apply via the internal career site.

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