Deputy Utility Manager – Electrical Distribution

Los Alamos County, NM (19,675) is seeking a highly skilled Deputy Utility Manager for their Electric Distribution Division in the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). This recruitment is the result of the retirement of the previous deputy manager who served 24 years with the county.

There are two communities within Los Alamos County: Los Alamos Townsite and White Rock. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is the largest employer (14,150) in the County with an annual budget of 2 billion dollars. Approximately 9,000 people commute to the Laboratory from the surrounding area. LANL supports high levels of job stability, income and education, with the highest number of PhDs per capita in the nation and a median household income of over $80,000 per year. The public school district is in the top 4% in the nation, the University of New Mexico has a local branch, and the community has a large, home-schooled population.

Los Alamos is also the Gateway to Three National Parks: the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Bandelier National Monument and the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The four-season climate, with an average annual temperature high of 70 degrees and an average annual low of 42 degrees, promotes exceptional recreation opportunities year-round. With 57 years as a local government, Los Alamos County is relatively young in its role as an incorporated county. It has spectacular scenery, diverse wildlife, uncommon high-altitude recreational opportunities, small-town friendliness, numerous and diverse cultural activities, fascinating history and world-changing science and technological development.

The Deputy Utility Manager – Electrical Distribution will be an experienced leader who understands all aspects of electric utilities; federal state and local compliance requirements; asset management and collaborating with outside agencies. The challenges and opportunities for the Division are: Assist DPU in implementing the Board of Public Utilities and County Council Environmental Sustainability goals and objectives; establish a plan to upgrade electric supply and distribution systems to meet the needs of all-electric buildings and electric vehicles and maximize the benefit of distributed energy resources; support electrification of and solar installations in the community; maintain system reliability and a high standard of customer service; and strengthen existing partnerships.

The division is comprised of 17 positions with 12-line crew and 5 engineering positions which maintain 2 sub-stations and service approximately 8,000 meters. The DPU has a FY26 budget of $107.3M and the electric production and distribution division budget is $71.7M. The County recently adopted their Distribution System Electrification Study (Study Link).

In seeking to fill this position, the County desires a candidate who will have the ability to work in a participatory democracy with a highly involved, well-educated citizenry who has high expectations for service delivery from the local government and a passion for involvement in the governmental process. The following list provides the required attributes a candidate must have to be successful in working for Los Alamos County:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Electrical Engineering. Master’s Degree preferred.
• Registered Professional Engineer in NM or ability to acquire within 12 months.
• Seven (7) years of combined experience in engineering related field or experience related to power distribution. At least Four (4) years of supervisory experience in a leadership or management role.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and must be able to obtain a non-cleared U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) badge.
• Project Management Certification is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in electric distribution design, operations and maintenance.
• Experience working in a unionized environment is a plus.

The salary range for this position is $128,520 to $209,275. A generous benefit and retirement package is also offered by the county, details are available at Los Alamos County Employee Benefits. A relocation allowance is also available.

Candidates must apply online at www.GovHRjobs.com by January 23, 2026, with resume, cover letter and contact information for five work-related references. Questions may be directed at the attention of Sarah McKee, MGT Senior Consultant, (847)380-3240 ext. 120.

Los Alamos County is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diversity and inclusion are critical to their success. They seek to recruit the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool and strongly encourage all qualified candidates to apply.