Electrical Engineering Manager - Protection & Controls - Renewable Energy

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction firm based in Phoenix, Arizona, is seeking an Electrical Engineering Manager - Protection & Controls to spearhead the high voltage protection function for their renewable energy projects. This role involves leading protections strategies, ensuring compliance with standards, and overseeing the design and delivery of control systems. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in power systems, with a strong emphasis on renewable energy solutions.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of power systems engineering experience, including 3+ years focused on MV/HV protection and control.
• Demonstrated experience delivering protection and control designs for HV/MV substations.
• Strong working knowledge of protection applications for transformers, lines, and feeders.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of protection and control philosophy for renewable plants.
• Oversee protection and control design deliverables produced by teams.
• Ensure designs comply with applicable codes and standards.

Skills

Power systems engineering experience

Knowledge of protection applications

Experience with relay platforms

Proficiency with power system analysis tools

Ability to lead and mentor engineers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

ASPEN

ETAP

SKM

Job description

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Electrical Engineering Manager - Protection & Controls leads the high voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthys renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gentie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with Preconstruction, Design, Self Perform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover. Voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthys renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gentie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with Preconstruction, Design, Self Perform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover. voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthys renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gentie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with PreConstruction, Design, SelfPerform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover.

This is a fulltime role with periodic travel to project sites and partner offices across the continental U.S.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead development and application of the protection and control philosophy for renewable plants, MV/HV collector systems, substations, and gentie lines, including grounding and lightning protection interfaces.
• Oversee P&C design deliverables (ex: SLDs/threelines, AC/DC schematics, P&C schematics, wiring/logic diagrams, panel layouts, I/O lists, cable/conduit schedules) produced by internal teams and external EORs.
• Direct or review protection and controls schemes and relay settings (e.g., SEL, GE, Siemens/Schneider), including trip logic, coordination, metering, alarming, SCADA points lists, and RTU/PLC/RTAC logic.
• Plan, coordinate, and review power system studies that support P&C and interconnection (short-circuit, protection coordination, arc flash, grounding grid, and where applicable EMT/PSCAD, ETAP, and ASPEN OneLiner studies), leveraging internal and partner resources.
• Ensure designs, studies, and settings comply with applicable codes and standards (NEC, NESC, IEEE/IEC, NFPA 70E), utility/ISO interconnection requirements, and project specific NERC PRC/modeling expectations where in scope.
• Establish and enforce QA/QC procedures for P&C designs, models, and relay settings, including structured peer review, version control, and as-built documentation.
• Lead technical coordination with utilities, ISOs/RTOs, owners, inverter/BESS vendors, and SCADA/telecom teams on protection schemes, ride through and reactive requirements, metering, communications, and OT network topology.
• Support pursuits, estimating, and preconstruction by defining P&C scope, staffing and study assumptions, key risks, and design/study milestones.
• Provide field engineering and commissioning support, including energization plans, relay/FAT/SAT review, setting management, and troubleshooting of P&C, SCADA, and communication issues.
• Hire, mentor, and develop P&C and substation engineers; set expectations for technical depth (e.g., PSCAD/ASPEN/ETAP, grounding, NERC awareness), quality, and schedule performance.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering (power systems focus preferred) or closely related discipline.
• 5+ years of power systems engineering experience, including 3+ years focused on MV/HV protection and control for utility, industrial, or generation/substation projects.
• Demonstrated experience delivering P&C designs for HV/MV substations and collector systems (one lines/threelines, P&C schematics, panel layouts).
• Strong working knowledge of protection applications for transformers, lines, buses, feeders, and breaker failure schemes, including relay settings review.
• Experience with at least one major relay platform (e.g., SEL, GE, Schneider) and common communication/SCADA protocols (e.g., IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus).
• Proficiency with power system analysis tools (e.g., ASPEN, CAPE, ETAP, SKM or similar) for short circuit and protection coordination studies.
• Familiarity with NEC, NESC, IEEE standards, and typical utility interconnection requirements for renewable generation.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor engineers and communicate clearly with technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Preferred

• Direct experience with P&C for utility scale solar, and BESS projects, including inverter based resources and plant level controls.
• Experience in an EPC, owners engineer, or utility environment leading multidiscipline design or serving as a P&C subject matter expert.
• Working knowledge of NERC PRC and related reliability considerations for protection and control (where applicable to project scope).
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Electrical, or ability to obtain within a reasonable timeframe; multistate registration a plus.
• Experience supporting or overseeing FAT/SAT and field testing with NETA or other testing organizations.

McCarthy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status.