Lead Grid Protection Engineer – Hybrid Role

Sargent & Lundy; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Health insurance

Flexible work arrangements

Paid time off

Job summary

Sargent & Lundy is seeking a Lead System Protection Engineer to join our Grid Services team. The role will lead protection philosophies, relay settings, and power system studies for high‑voltage transmission and substations.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of experience in system protection engineering, with strong skills in CAPE/ASPEN, relay configuration tools, and P&C design documentation. This hybrid position offers relocation support.

Qualifications

• ABET‑accredited Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 10+ years of experience in system protection engineering for transmission/substation projects.
• Strong knowledge of protection philosophies for line, transformer, bus, breaker, capacitor/reactor protections.
• Experience with fault studies and relay coordination using CAPE/ASPEN.
• Proficiency with SEL AcSELerator, EnerVista or other OEM relay software.
• Experience with Powerbase or similar relay databases.
• Ability to read P&C drawings (one-lines, three-lines, schematics, wiring/logic diagrams).
• Familiarity with IEEE, ANSI, and NERC/PRC standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication with utility clients and construction teams.
• Proven project leadership and coordination skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and application of protection philosophies and settings for transmission lines, transformers, buses, and capacitor banks.
• Perform protection studies including short-circuit analysis and time-current coordination.
• Configure and troubleshoot microprocessor-based relays using vendor software.
• Manage relay records and data in Powerbase and align with client standards.
• Support event analysis, misoperation investigations, and recommendations for scheme adjustments.
• Develop and review P&C design documents with substation design teams (one-lines, three-lines, drawings).
• Provide protection requirements and markups for P&C designs (CT/VT ratios, trip/close logic, communications).
• Support commissioning, RFIs, and field questions related to protection and control.
• Work in a hybrid arrangement and relocate as needed.

Skills

Relay settings

Protection philosophies

CAPe/ASPEN

SEL AcSELerator

EnerVista

Powerbase

P&C drawings review

IEEE/ANSI/NERC PRC knowledge

Communication

Project leadership

Education

ABET‑accredited Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

SEL AcSELerator

EnerVista

OEM relay software

Powerbase

Job description

Sargent & Lundy is seeking a Lead System Protection Engineer to join our Grid Services team. The role will lead protection philosophies, relay settings, and power system studies for high‑voltage transmission and substations.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of experience in system protection engineering, with strong skills in CAPE/ASPEN, relay configuration tools, and P&C design documentation. This hybrid position offers relocation support.