Senior Protection & Controls Engineer — East

Why This Role Exists

Every multi‑vendor Tier III/IV data center protection system we deliver requires an engineer who owns the full protection & controls (P&C) scope — coordination studies, relay settings, automation logic, and commissioning — under one accountability. Splitting that scope across firms creates handoff gaps that surface as retests during witness testing. Our East Coast pipeline serves Virginia, North Carolina, and the Southeast data‑center corridors — the densest concentration of hyperscale construction in the country. The work spans the same multi‑vendor protection architecture: 2(N+1) medium‑voltage with IEC 61850 GOOSE, staged commissioning on live critical infrastructure.

What You Own

• Protection coordination studies for 2(N+1) medium‑voltage distribution per IEEE 242
• SEL‑751/700G relay settings packages with trip‑scheme logic diagrams
• Woodward easYgen 3400/LS‑6 generator controller programming and Modbus integration
• IEC 61850 GOOSE configuration for zone‑selective interlocking across PRP networks
• SEL RTAC‑3530 automation logic: mode transitions, load‑shed/add sequencing, SOE concentration
• Commissioning procedures and witness‑test support through owner acceptance
• As‑built documentation packages for turnover to operations

Systems You’ll Touch

• Vendor Platforms: SEL, Woodward, CAT (Caterpillar), ABB
• Software Tools: AcSELerator QuickSet, AcSELerator RTAC, SEL Architect, ETAP
• Protocols: IEC 61850 GOOSE, DNP3, Modbus TCP, IRIG‑B
• Standards: NFPA 70E, IEEE 242 (Buff Book), IEEE 1584, IEC 61850, IEC 62439‑3 (PRP/HSR)

Test Phases

• Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)
• Site Acceptance Test (SAT)
• Secondary injection testing
• Functional performance testing
• Witness testing

What Success Looks Like

First 90 Days

• Onboarded into an active East Coast project — reviewed protection philosophy, existing settings, and one‑line diagrams
• Delivered first relay settings package (SEL‑751 or SEL‑700G) through internal review
• Participated in site commissioning or witness testing on a current project

First 180 Days

• Owning a full protection scope end‑to‑end on an East Coast data‑center project
• Leading witness‑testing sessions with prime contractor and owner representatives
• Contributing to IEC 61850 GOOSE or RTAC automation logic on at least one project

Required Background

• 7+ years protection & controls engineering for medium‑voltage power systems
• SEL relay programming experience (QuickSet, 751/700G families) with delivered settings packages
• Protection coordination study experience per IEEE 242 — time‑current curves, relay coordination
• Secondary injection testing with Omicron or Doble test sets — trip timing, coordination validation
• Commissioning experience on energized critical facilities (data centers, substations, or industrial power)
• Working knowledge of NFPA 70E arc‑flash safety and energized work practices

Preferred Background

• IEC 61850 GOOSE configuration experience — SCL files, publish/subscribe, multi‑vendor interoperability
• Woodward generator controller programming (easYgen 3400, LS‑6, DTSC‑200)
• SEL RTAC‑3530 automation logic (IEC 61131‑3 Structured Text)
• NETA Level III or IV certification
• Arc‑flash study experience per IEEE 1584

What to Expect in the Field

Travel

• 30–50 % during commissioning phases, project‑dependent
• East Coast sites primarily (VA, NC, GA, TN)

Site Hours

• Standard office hours for design
• Site hours during commissioning (early starts, occasional weekends near milestones)

Customer‑Facing

• Direct interface with prime‑contractor project managers and commissioning leads
• Owner witness‑testing coordinators during acceptance

Documentation

• Heavy documentation load — settings packages, coordination studies, trip‑scheme logic diagrams, commissioning procedures, as‑built documentation

Field Safety

• NFPA 70E compliance required — arc‑flash PPE for medium‑voltage switchgear, approach boundaries, LOTO procedures

Why Ziggurat

• Own the full scope — protection studies, relay programming, and commissioning under one accountability, not fragmented tasks
• Work across 10+ manufacturer platforms (including SEL, Woodward, CAT, ABB, Eaton, Cisco, EIG, UPS OEM), not confined to a single vendor ecosystem
• Anchor a growing East Coast practice serving the densest hyperscale corridor in the country — your projects shape the regional pipeline
• Direct access to the principal engineer — your technical judgment shapes project outcomes, decisions happen in conversations

Hiring Process

• Screen: Background review against role requirements (vendor platform experience, certifications, project types, standards). Resume review + 15‑min intro call.
• Technical Review: Deeper evaluation of technical depth. Review sample work (relay settings files, protection study reports, commissioning test procedures, SCADA configuration packages) or discuss project scenarios. Async work‑sample review or 45‑min technical call.
• Interview: Scenario‑based conversation with the principal engineer. Real project situations (coordination study, commissioning plan, troubleshooting). 60‑min video call with founder.
• Exercise / Artifact Review: Take‑home exercise (2–4 hrs) or artifact walkthrough (60 min) to review relay settings, identify gaps, or develop a test procedure.
• Final Conversation: Role scope, current project pipeline, working arrangements, and compensation. 30‑min two‑way conversation.