Power System Studies Engineer

Why This Role Exists

Every protection scope we deliver starts with studies — arc-flash, short-circuit, coordination — that establish the design basis for relay settings, trip coordination, and safety boundaries. This role exists because the studies define what the protection system must do before anyone writes a settings file. You produce the analytical foundation: fault current calculations, coordination curves, arc-flash incident energy levels, and mode transition power flow analysis for 2(N+1) data center power systems with parallel generation, UPS, and priority-based load shedding.

What You Own

- Short-circuit analysis per IEEE C37 for 2(N+1) medium-voltage distribution with multiple parallel fault sources - Protection coordination studies per IEEE 242 — time-current curves, relay-to-relay and fuse-to-relay coordination - Arc-flash hazard analysis per IEEE 1584 across all operating modes (normal, maintenance, islanded, degraded) - Mode transition power flow analysis — load/generation balance during automatic transitions between operating modes - Load shedding/restoration sequence specifications with UV/OV/UF/OF trigger thresholds and deadband logic - UPS sizing calculations and controls power resiliency analysis - Settings recommendations fed to relay settings engineers — pickup levels, time dial values, instantaneous thresholds

Systems You'll Touch

Software Tools - Vendor Platforms: ETAP or SKM Power*Tools - Standards: IEEE C37, IEEE 242, IEEE 1584, IEEE 80, IEEE 142

What Success Looks Like

First 90 Days - Completed a short-circuit or arc-flash study for an active project — model built, calculations validated - Produced protection coordination curves for at least one medium-voltage feeder/generator zone - Reviewed an existing mode transition analysis and identified improvement areas or validation gaps First 180 Days - Independently delivering full study packages (short-circuit + coordination + arc-flash) for data center power systems - Mode transition power flow analysis delivered and used as design basis for RTAC sequence logic - Settings recommendations accepted by relay settings engineers and validated through secondary injection

Required Background

- 5+ years power system studies for medium-voltage critical infrastructure (data centers, substations, industrial) - ETAP or SKM Power*Tools modeling experience — short-circuit, coordination, arc-flash - Protection coordination per IEEE 242 — relay-to-relay, fuse-to-relay, time-current curve development - Arc-flash analysis per IEEE 1584 — incident energy calculations, PPE category assignments - Short-circuit analysis per IEEE C37 — symmetrical and asymmetrical fault currents - Understanding of generator parallel operation and transfer switch configurations in critical power systems

Preferred Background

- Harmonics analysis per IEEE 519 for VFD-heavy or UPS-heavy distribution systems - Grounding studies per IEEE 80 or IEEE 142 - Load flow analysis for multi-source critical power with automatic mode transitions - FMEA/FMECA analysis for protection and controls systems - PE license (any state)

What to Expect in the Field

- Travel: 10–20% for site measurements, model validation walks, and commissioning support - Site Hours: Standard office hours for study work; occasional site visits for as-built verification and field measurements - Customer-Facing: Interface with prime contractor electrical engineers for one-line review and study assumptions; occasional study result presentations - Documentation: Heavy — study reports, coordination curves, arc-flash labels, incident energy tables, settings recommendation packages - Field Safety: Minimal field exposure; NFPA 70E awareness required for site measurement visits

Why Ziggurat

- Your studies define the protection philosophy — the relay settings, trip schemes, and safety boundaries all trace back to your analysis - Multi-source systems (generators, UPS, ATS) with mode transitions — not simple radial distribution - Direct feedback loop: see how your coordination curves perform during commissioning and witness testing - Small firm means your analytical judgment directly shapes protection design, not filtered through layers of review

Hiring Process

Screen - Background review against role requirements — vendor platform experience, relevant certifications, project types, and standards familiarity. Quick assessment of baseline alignment before investing either party's time. Resume review + 15-min intro call Technical Review - Deeper evaluation of technical depth. We review sample work — relay settings files, protection study reports, commissioning test procedures, or SCADA configuration packages — depending on the role. If samples aren't shareable, we discuss specific project scenarios in detail. Async work-sample review or 45-min technical call Interview - Scenario-based conversation with the principal engineer. Real project situations: how you'd approach a coordination study for a complex switchgear lineup, sequence a commissioning plan across multiple vendor platforms, or troubleshoot a protection scheme failure during site acceptance testing. 60-min video call with founder Exercise / Artifact Review - A practical evaluation matched to the role. Engineering roles receive a take-home exercise — review and mark up a set of relay settings, identify gaps in a protection study, or develop a test procedure for a specific scheme. Field-focused roles walk through a commissioning package or test report they've delivered, explaining their methodology and decisions. Take-home exercise (2–4 hrs) or artifact walkthrough (60 min) Final Conversation - Role scope, current project pipeline, working arrangements, and compensation. This is a two-way conversation — we want to confirm the role fits your goals, not just the other way around. 30-min call This role supports our protection studies and power studies service scopes. Questions about this role? Email us at careers@zigguratautomation.com Not ready to apply? Stay on our radar — we'll reach out when a role matches your background. Let's Talk Engineering Send your background.