Protection & Controls Technician

This role supports utility substation testing, commissioning, and protection and controls projects across Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington D.C. metro area, with major activity in Northern Virginia.

About the role

The position offers exposure to large-scale utility infrastructure upgrades driven by significant data center growth, advanced technical training, long-term project stability, and clear opportunities for career advancement.

Responsibilities

• Perform protective relay testing and commissioning activities for transmission and distribution substations and generation facilities.
• Conduct functional relay testing, acceptance testing, maintenance testing, and end-to-end testing on protection and control systems.
• Execute relay commissioning tasks, including verification of protection schemes, relay logic, control circuits, and relay settings.
• Troubleshoot protection systems, identify root causes of issues, and implement effective corrective actions.
• Review and interpret protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams to ensure accurate installation and operation.
• Support utility-level substation projects focused on testing, commissioning, maintenance, and upgrades of protection and controls infrastructure.
• Collaborate with project teams to plan and execute testing and commissioning activities safely, efficiently, and in accordance with utility standards and industry best practices.
• Utilize relay testing platforms such as OMICRON and similar systems to perform diagnostic and verification testing.
• Provide technical support during substation outages, cutovers, and energization events, ensuring protection systems operate as designed.
• Travel regionally to project sites, primarily in Northern Virginia and the Washington D.C. metro area, to support ongoing utility infrastructure upgrades.
• For Relay Technicians: independently lead testing and commissioning activities, manage project execution, and mentor junior and mid-level technicians.
• For Mid-Level Relay Technicians: work under the guidance of Relay Technicians, apply strong relay and protection and controls fundamentals, and develop toward independent project leadership.

Requirements

• Mid-Level Relay Technician: approximately 2–5 years of hands-on relay and protection and controls (P&C) experience.
• Relay Technician: 5–7+ years of relay and protection and controls (P&C) experience, including utility-level relay work.
• Demonstrated experience in protective relay testing, including functional, acceptance, maintenance, and end-to-end testing.
• Proficiency in relay commissioning and verification of protection schemes, relay logic, control circuits, and relay settings.
• Strong protection and controls fundamentals, including knowledge of protection schemes and system coordination.
• Utility substation experience across transmission substations, distribution substations, and generation facilities.
• Ability to troubleshoot relay and protection systems effectively and resolve technical issues in the field.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from electrical schematics, protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams.
• Experience using relay testing equipment and platforms such as OMICRON or equivalent systems.
• Capability to work under a Relay Technician (mid-level) or independently lead testing and commissioning activities.
• Ability to travel regionally as required to support project needs.

Skills

• Experience working with utilities, utility contractors, EPC firms, testing and commissioning firms, or substation service companies.
• Training and testing for NETA certification will be provided by company.
• OSHA safety certifications (such as OSHA 10 or OSHA 30) are preferred.
• Experience with SEL, ABB, Siemens, and GE protective relays.
• Familiarity with SCADA communications and fiber communications in a utility substation environment.
• Experience on major utility projects, including Dominion Energy and Duke Energy infrastructure programs, is preferred.
• Interest in pursuing NETA advancement, supported by structured training and incentive programs.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, and adherence to utility standards and industry best practices.

Work Environment

The role is field-based, supporting utility substations and related facilities across Northern Virginia and the Washington D.C. metro area, with major project activity in locations such as Ashburn, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Manassas, and surrounding regions.

The typical schedule consists of four 10-hour workdays, with regular opportunities for overtime. Sunday work may be compensated at enhanced pay rates. Regional travel is required, and when projects are beyond reasonable commuting distance, travel time is paid, per diem is provided, and hotel accommodations are available.

Technicians receive access to a company vehicle or rental vehicle, a laptop, a company phone, and the necessary testing equipment to perform relay testing and commissioning work. Per diem, vehicle, and gas card are offered for traveling individuals.

The environment centers on large-scale utility infrastructure upgrades driven by data center growth, offering the stability and resources of a large national organization combined with a specialized technical focus on power systems. A dedicated training center and a formal NETA advancement program support ongoing professional development and career growth.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $75.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Benefits

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Schedule

This is a permanent, fully onsite position based in Ashburn, VA. The typical schedule consists of four 10-hour workdays, with regular opportunities for overtime.