Protection and Control Engineer

Hydro Ottawa; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 89,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Hydro Ottawa in Ottawa, ON is seeking a Protection and Control Engineer to drive safety, reliability, and data-driven protection decisions across the distribution system.

You will coordinate studies, troubleshoot relay issues with field crews, and manage RTU configurations while supporting capital programs and asset management aligned with ISO 55001.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate engineering degree from an accredited university.
• Professional Engineer, licensed or eligible in Ontario.
• Knowledge of Protection and Control philosophies is an asset.
• Knowledge of power engineering software CYME, EasyPower, ETAP is an asset.
• Knowledge of Ontario energy sector and regulatory framework is an asset.
• PM skills and system planning experience is an asset.
• Lean Six Sigma or other continuous improvement frameworks is an asset.
• Knowledge of ISO55000 is an asset.
• Strong computer skills; proficient with office productivity and collaboration tools (Google Workspace).

Responsibilities

• Conduct protection coordination studies, short-circuit analyses, and load-flow reviews to update system settings and quickly isolate faults.
• Serve as the primary technical resource for field operations, troubleshooting relay malfunctions and supporting commissioning tasks.
• Oversee lifecycle of protection system settings and RTU programming.
• Formulate rigorous test plans for P&C devices and provide guidance to enable safe field work.
• Investigate power quality events and disturbances and provide actionable recommendations.
• Propose and manage capital programs for P&C equipment upgrades.
• Champion ISO 55001 asset management objectives and track KPIs.
• Develop internal standards, guidelines, and procedures for grid-wide consistency.
• Identify engineering projects to reduce losses and improve reliability.
• Manage operating and maintenance agreements and communicate technical requirements.
• Provide mentorship on P&C procedures to foster safety and technical excellence.
• Oversee engineering software and data integrity for protection studies.
• Represent Hydro Ottawa at external groups and conferences.
• Participate in Electricity Emergency Response Program (EERP) including on-call responsibilities.
• Lead special projects as required.

Skills

Protection coordination

Short-circuit analysis

Load-flow analysis

Relay troubleshooting

RTU programming

Test planning

Power quality analysis

Asset management

Project management

Lean Six Sigma

ISO 55001

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.Eng) in Ontario

Tools

CYME

EasyPower

ETAP

Google Workspace

Job description

At Hydro Ottawa, we empower the lives of the people in the communities we serve. We help to power your professional growth at every step of your engineering career. For those starting out, we provide the training and skills needed to achieve your P.Eng. designation, and for established engineers, our structured framework offers a clear, transparent pathways to intermediate and senior levels. Wherever you are in your career, there’s a path for growth ahead of you here. As the electricity distributor to the Nation’s Capital, our work powers the essential activities that make up our lives - at home, at work and at play. And as Ontario’s largest municipally-owned producer of green power, we are leading the way to a greener tomorrow.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Supervisor, Technical Standards, the Protection and Control Engineer drives the safety, intelligence, and reliability of Hydro Ottawa’s distribution system by overseeing comprehensive protection and control (P&C) philosophies and system-wide setting frameworks. Functioning as a vital bridge between technical standards and field operations, this role ensures that grid protection decisions are practical, data-driven, and aligned with asset management objectives. Additionally, the Protection and Control Engineer provides real-time technical support to operations staff and field crews, ensuring that fault troubleshooting, equipment commissioning, and power quality investigations are executed safely and efficiently.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct comprehensive protection coordination studies, short-circuit analyses, and load-flow reviews to prepare and update system settings, ensuring faults are isolated swiftly to minimize customer impact and safeguard system assets.
• Serve as the primary technical resource for field operations, collaborating directly with crews to troubleshoot relay malfunctions, investigate system deficiencies and outages, and support complex commissioning tasks.
• Oversee the complete lifecycle of protection system settings and control logic programming, ensuring accurate configuration for relays and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs).
• Formulate rigorous test plans for P&C devices, offering expert guidance on design and maintenance to enable field teams to execute work safely and efficiently.
• Investigate power quality events and system disturbances, analyzing fault records to provide actionable recommendations that prevent recurrence and enhance system stability.
• Propose and manage capital programs for P&C equipment upgrades, prioritizing investments that improve system safety, reliability, and grid observability.
• Champion Hydro Ottawa’s ISO 55001 Asset Management objectives by maintaining Asset Management Plans for P&C devices, tracking Key Performance Indicators, and directing annual maintenance programs.
• Formulate risk-mitigation strategies and contingency plans to address P&C equipment and reliability vulnerabilities, ensuring the continuity of service delivery.
• Own and evolve Hydro Ottawa’s P&C philosophy by leading the development of internal standards, guidelines, and operating procedures to ensure grid-wide consistency.
• Identify and develop engineering projects aimed at reducing system losses and optimizing overall grid efficiency and reliability.
• Manage operating and maintenance agreements and procedures, ensuring all technical requirements and revisions are accurately integrated and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance regarding P&C procedures, fostering an operational culture of safety and technical excellence.
• Oversee the management of engineering software and modeling tools to guarantee that the data used for system protection studies remains accurate and reliable.
• Represent Hydro Ottawa at external working groups and conferences to stay aligned with evolving industry best practices and regulatory changes.
• Participate in Hydro Ottawa’s Electricity Emergency Response Program (EERP) including potential after-hours and or on-call responsibilities, as required.
• Lead special projects and perform other related duties as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Undergraduate degree in Engineering from an accredited university
• Professional Engineer, licensed or able to be licensed in the province of Ontario
• Knowledge of Protection and Control philosophies considered an asset
• Knowledge of Power Engineering Software tools such as CYME, EasyPower, ETAP considered an asset
• Knowledge of Ontario’s energy sector and regulatory framework considered an asset
• Project Management skills and System Planning experience considered an asset
• Experience in Lean Six Sigma or other continuous improvement frameworks considered an asset
• Knowledge of ISO55000 considered an asset
• Strong computer skills; proficient in the use of office productivity and collaboration tools, preferably Google Workspace

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• English essential, both oral and written;
• Bilingual (English/French) considered an asset

Hydro Ottawa offers a Hybrid Work Model. Hybrid work is position specific, details of the hybrid model will be discussed with successful candidates.

Hydro Ottawa may use artificial intelligence (“AI”) during the recruitment process to aid in the screening and selection of candidates.

Location: Ottawa, ON

This is a management group opportunity and salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

The annual salary range for this position identified below depends on experience, education, and professional designation.

Pay Range Minimum: $89,420.99

Pay Range Maximum: $134,130.81

Posting End Date (if applicable): September 30, 2026

Why choose a career at Hydro Ottawa Group?

Our creative, innovative and forward-thinking employees are blazing the trail to a better tomorrow as we work towards our ambitious goal of achieving net-zero operations by 2030. Hydro Ottawa Group is committed to employing a diverse workforce that better reflects the communities we serve; we want our employees to be their true selves. We are recognized year over year as a National Capital Region Top Employer, one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, and one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People. Together we are shaping the future - join us!

Hydro Ottawa is committed to establishing a qualified workforce that reflects the diverse population it serves and we encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We are also committed to preventing and removing barriers to employment for people with disabilities, and we invite you to inform us should you have any accessibility or accommodation needs. Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.

This is a management group opportunity.