Senior Protection Engineer

Accountabilities:

The Senior Protection Engineer will lead protection engineering studies, provide technical oversight, and ensure the accuracy and quality of power system analyses and design recommendations. Key responsibilities include:

• Serve as a subject matter expert in power system protection, providing technical leadership for protection studies, modeling, calculations, and engineering decisions.

• Develop, maintain, and validate protection and short-circuit models using ASPEN OneLiner, PSS®CAPE, or comparable software.

• Perform and support utility interconnection studies and cluster studies for transmission systems, substations, renewable generation facilities, and other electric power infrastructure.

• Conduct short-circuit analyses to evaluate fault current, relay coordination, equipment-duty requirements, and protection-system performance.

• Assess the impact of new generation and transmission facilities on existing power systems, identifying protection gaps, coordination issues, and equipment operating beyond rated fault-duty limits.

• Perform protection studies involving transmission lines, transformers, buses, generators, collector systems, and substation equipment.

• Develop, review, and validate protective-relay philosophies, settings, coordination schemes, and application criteria.

• Review utility protection requirements, interconnection standards, planning criteria, and modeling requirements.

• Prepare technically defensible reports documenting assumptions, methodologies, results, identified risks, and recommended mitigation measures.

• Conduct technical reviews and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of protection studies, short-circuit models, calculations, relay-setting files, and engineering reports.

• Coordinate with utility engineers, clients, project managers, design engineers, and other stakeholders to obtain system data, resolve technical questions, and communicate findings.

• Establish and maintain study templates, modeling conventions, engineering methodologies, QA/QC procedures, and technical best practices.

• Provide guidance and troubleshooting support for ASPEN OneLiner, PSS®CAPE, and related power system analysis tools.

• Mentor engineers and provide technical oversight for protection engineering and system-study assignments.

• Support regulatory and NERC compliance activities throughout applicable project phases, from conceptual design through testing and commissioning.

• Maintain working knowledge of applicable utility requirements, NERC reliability standards, IEEE standards, NFPA requirements, the National Electrical Code, and other relevant codes and standards.

• Review or support the development of one-line and three-line diagrams, protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, SCADA interfaces, grounding designs, equipment specifications, and testing or commissioning documentation as needed.

• Contribute to proposals, scopes of work, project estimates, schedules, budgets, client presentations, and technical meetings.

• Provide occasional support for protective-relay testing, troubleshooting, commissioning, and startup activities.

• Maintain strong client relationships and uphold high standards of technical quality, safety, ethics, and professionalism.

• Participate in industry conferences, technical training, workshops, and continuing education activities.

Requirements:

The ideal candidate is an experienced electrical engineer with strong power system protection expertise, advanced modeling capabilities, and the ability to lead complex technical assignments. The following qualifications are required or preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution; an emphasis in electric power is preferred.

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in protection engineering, power system studies, utilities, consulting, or field engineering.

• Demonstrated subject matter expertise in power system protection.

• Strong experience in transmission-level protection, with generator-protection expertise also considered.

• Advanced proficiency in ASPEN OneLiner.

• Advanced proficiency in PSS®CAPE or comparable protection and short-circuit analysis software.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical findings clearly.

• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) credential required.

• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure preferred.

• Current authorization to work full-time in the United States.

Additional experience in the following areas is highly valued:

• Protection and short-circuit studies for transmission utilities, interconnection customers, renewable energy facilities, or independent power producers.

• Arc-flash analysis and harmonic studies.

• NERC compliance assessments and application of regional or utility-specific protection requirements.

• Reactive-power and load-flow studies.

• Grounding studies and design.

• Dynamic and transient-stability studies.

• Generator interconnection studies.

• Protection and control design.

• Protective-relay testing and commissioning.

• Additional power system analysis tools, including PSS®E, PSLF, PowerFactory, ETAP, SKM PowerTools, EasyPower, PSCAD, CDEGS, WinIGS, or WindMil.

• Professional Engineer licensure in one or more U.S. jurisdictions.

Benefits:

• Work flexibility: Hybrid or fully remote work arrangements depending on location and project requirements.

• Travel and field experience: Typically 15–25% travel, varying by project, with a combination of office-based work and periodic field engagement.

• Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.

• Life and disability insurance: Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability coverage.

• Retirement savings: 401(k) plan with employer matching.

• Paid time off: Paid leave and paid holidays.

• Family support: Paid parental leave.

• Professional development: Opportunities for technical training, continuing education, and participation in industry conferences and workshops.