Design Engineer – Protection & Controls

Strategic Staffing Solutions; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Staffing Solutions is seeking a System Protection Engineer in Topeka, KS. The role involves designing reliable and safe electric substation, transmission line, and generation equipment control systems. Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and utility experience is preferred. Strong knowledge of protection systems and ability to work effectively under stress are essential. The company offers a collaborative environment where communication and organizational skills are key.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited program in electrical engineering.
• Utility experience with control and protection systems preferred.
• Knowledge of Generation, Transmission, and Distribution relays and protections.

Responsibilities

• Perform design for electric substation and transmission line control systems.
• Gather and analyze system ratings for reporting agencies.
• Produce project scopes and cost estimates for multi-year projects.

Skills

Electric power engineering

Schematic and wiring diagrams

Basic engineering principles

Advanced mathematics

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (ABET accredited)

Tools

Word processing

Spreadsheets

Databases

Job description

Under the direction of the Manager, System Protection Engineering and/or Sr Manager TS Engineering, perform engineering design related to the company's electric substation, transmission line, and generation equipment control and fault protection systems.

Works closely with other System Protection Engineers in developing P&C designs for assigned project work. Initial duties will include familiarization with the engineering documents and drawings.

Summary of Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform design relating to the company's electric substation, transmission line and generation equipment control systems and fault protection systems to ensure reliability and safety. Specify substation equipment using substation ratings (e.g., bus, ground mat, conduit, switches, power circuit breakers, transformers, relay panels, instrumentation, capacitor banks, reactor banks) to ensure reliability and safety.
• Design protective relay systems, metering and SCADA by referencing standards, past projects, new research, regulations and system requirements in order to ensure reliability and safety.
• Gather and analyze system ratings (e.g., voltage, power ratings, ampacity, system impedance, CT ratios, and relay settings) by researching substation current conditions and configurations to provide data to reporting agencies (i.e., SPP, NERC, FERC) and meet new system requirements.
• Produce detailed system protection and control project scopes and cost estimates to assist in multi-year projects and budget planning by using data from previous projects, bids, and research to ensure accuracy and completion of tasks on time and on budget.
• Support both operations and construction personnel as needed in troubleshooting, failure analysis, mis- operations, testing assistance, commissioning assistance and other technical duties by analyzing data and providing findings to resolve problems (e.g., equipment failures, construction issues, drawings, event reports).
• Prepare and study technical drawings and specifications of electrical systems and equipment to ensure that installation and operations conform to requirements (e.g., Company, protection, code).
• Direct designers and technicians by reviewing work and monitoring progress in order to ensure compliance with safety and regulations.

Required:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an ABET accredited program.
• The preferred candidate will have utility experience directly related to electric substation, generation, and transmission line equipment control and fault protection systems.
• Successful candidate requires knowledge of basic engineering principles and advanced mathematics.
• Requires knowledge of and skills in electric power engineering including: Understanding of schematic, wiring, and logic diagrams.
• Requires the ability to learn major systems in a timely fashion. Knowledge of Generation, Transmission and Distribution system relays and associated protection schemes.
• Ability to develop elementary drawings, relay logic and settings for system protection designs.
• Must be dependable, self-motivated, and detail-oriented and have excellent organizational and proofreading skills.
• Must possess the ability to work and communicate effectively with other company personnel.
• Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets and databases preferred.

Must be able to handle multiple priorities and operate efficiently and effectively in high stress environment:

• Ability to learn company s design philosophy related to protection and control designs
• Review and redline substation protection and transmission line protection and control drawings related to the company s typical designs.
• Review detailed system protection and control project bills of material.