Senior Substation Protection & Control Field Engineer - Greater Chicago, Illinois Area

About the role

The Senior Substation Protection & Control Field Engineer supports projects in the Greater Chicago area, with responsibilities ranging from installation and testing of protection and control systems to troubleshooting and maintenance. This position is responsible for ensuring that all substation electrical equipment operates correctly and safely.

Responsibilities

• Reviews project design drawings and verifies field wiring to ensure proper protective relaying practices and Orbital or customer standards.
• Provides onsite engineering support and directs various operating and construction personnel to ensure that all substation electrical equipment is installed, tested, and operates properly.
• Designs control scheme logic and creates protective relaying schematic diagrams for new substations or renovation projects for temporary protection purposes during construction outages.
• Performs acceptance, calibration, functional testing and final load checks of protective relays and control schemes for new substations or renovation projects.
• Performs field acceptance testing of new substation equipment (power transformers, high voltage circuit breakers, instrument transformers, voltage regulators, circuit reclosers, capacitor banks, and motor operated switches).
• Maintains, calibrates and repairs the system monitoring equipment (Digital Fault Recorders and Sequential Event Recorders) located at critical transmission substations.
• Maintains, calibrates and repairs the electronic controls used in voltage regulating, power factor correction and circuit recloser equipment.
• Provides technical assistance and engineering services to various departments within the organization and to industrial and commercial customers.
• Documents all equipment test data and maintains the most current version of substation electrical prints.
• Conducts substation power transformer loading and voltage surveys and maintains system distribution voltage levels in proper adjustment.
• Responds promptly to investigate and provide solutions to field problems with protective relaying control schemes or other substation equipment.

Requirements

• BS Degree in Electrical Engineering or BS Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology.
• Minimum of 7 years of total relevant experience with 5 years Substation Field Engineering Experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of total relevant experience with 8 years Substation Field Engineering Experience for Sr. Level II Engineer.
• Minimum of 15 years of total relevant experience with 12 years Substation Field Engineering Experience for Sr. Level III Engineer.

Qualifications

• Ability to investigate and analyze assigned technical issues and apply basic electrical engineering principles to recommend sound solutions.
• Knowledge of electrical engineering principles including: 3-phase circuit theory, energy systems, electronics theory and equipment troubleshooting concepts.
• Specific knowledge of system configuration and operation of electric transmission and distribution facilities.
• Specific knowledge of protective relaying principles and testing concepts.
• Ability to devise and apply specific test procedures related to protective relay control systems and their associated elements.
• Ability to troubleshoot relay control schemes in a logical manner.
• Ability to operate complex electrical test and measurement equipment and accurately interpret results.
• Organizational and planning skills to plan workload and logically layout project schedules.
• Good and written communication skills for interfacing with company personnel or outside customers.
• Working knowledge of electrical equipment clearance request procedures.
• Working knowledge of safety policies/procedures, material/supply systems, and electric/material standards.
• Specific knowledge of both typical and engineering PC applications.
• Basic knowledge of SCADA/RTU control systems and microwave/power line carrier/fiber optic communication systems.
• Ability to plan, organize and complete complex projects on schedule with minimal supervision.
• Ability to effectively complete multiple projects concurrently.
• Ability to effectively work independently or as a member of a team or as a team leader.
• Communication and motivation skills to lead technical personnel.
• Ability to work with customers or contractors on major projects and explain complex technical issues.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• A 401(k)-retirement savings plan.
• Supplemental insurance options.
• Company-paid life and AD&D insurance.
• Company-paid short-term disability coverage.
• A generous paid time off program.