Staff Electrical Engineer - Protection Applications (Vancouver, WA)

About the role

Responsible for leading or executing power system protection applications engineering projects. Projects range in size, complexity, and voltage class from small distribution equipment upgrades to large transmission projects. This position can influence the future of the resiliency, reliability and economic operation of the electric grid. Opportunities to advance into leadership/management roles are available.

Responsibilities

• Executes complex assignments requiring the use of advanced electrical engineering techniques, resulting in the development of new or improved processes, equipment, and/or technological methods
• Develop and evaluate plans for major projects
• Assess feasibility or soundness of proposed applications when data is insufficient or testing is advisable
• Coordinate departmental or divisional project studies, reports, or project design assignments
• Perform power system studies and system protection settings coordination on various projects (up to 500-kV voltage level)
• Develop design basis documentation for protective settings and generate native relay configuration files
• Provide technical guidance to the project team, conduct design reviews, and support quality control
• Act as primary contact for both internal and external client-side communication
• Assist project manager to develop scope of work and conceptual design for the projects
• Train, guide, and mentor less experienced engineers
• Support business development and marketing initiatives

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a directly related field plus 3 years of experience in electrical systems studies in the electric utility or industrial power distribution industry
• Master’s degree plus 2 years of related experience accepted in lieu of bachelor’s degree plus 3 years

Skills

• Professional Engineer licensure strongly preferred
• Knowledge of predominant protection schemes and philosophies in Transmission, Distribution and Renewable Collector Substations
• Application of industry standards for protection of system equipment including power busses, power transformers, HV/MV circuit breakers, capacitor banks, reactors, transmission lines, and distribution feeders
• Power systems modeling and protective relay coordination analysis using ASPEN OneLiner or Siemens CAPE, ETAP, SKM, CYME software
• Designing calculations including short circuit calculation, current transformer performance and ratio selection, over-current element coordination, zone-distance element selection and coordination, and relay loadability calculation
• Developing native relay setting files using SEL’s AcSELerator/Grid configurator and GE’s Enervista and similar vendor software programs
• Providing engineering support with construction and commissioning activities for substations
• Leading multiple engineering teams on engineering design and scope for multiple projects
• Knowledge of FERC and NERC requirements as they pertain to electric utility reliability requirements (plus)
• Knowledge of IEC61850 and its implementation (plus)

Pay

$120,000–$170,000 yearly. The total annual compensation package consists of a base salary and eligibility to participate in a discretionary year-end incentive bonus program. Range based on individual education, qualifications, prior work experience, and work location.

Benefits

Extensive benefits package including insurance, disability, time off, wellness programs, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and 401(k) retirement program.

Schedule

Full-time. Travel required approximately 25% of the time. Primary location: Vancouver, WA.