Lead Substation Engineer 1 - Grid

Sargent Lundy; San Juan (PR); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive healthcare plans

Generous paid time off

401(k) plan

Tuition assistance

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Lead Substation Engineer with a strong background in protective relaying for high voltage substations. The role involves leading design teams, coordinating engineering work, and mentoring junior staff. This position offers hybrid work options and an extensive benefits package including comprehensive healthcare and paid time off, reflecting the company's commitment to employee well-being and professional growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in protection and control for high voltage substations.
• Experience serving as a firm/client liaison.
• Familiarity with design codes like NEC, IEEE, ANSI.
• Experience serving as firm/client liaison in a support or lead engineering role.
• Experience in relay calculations documentation.
• Experience with design techniques, tools, and principles for producing technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Proficiency with SKM, ETAP, ASPEN, CDEGS or vendor software.
• Familiarity with NEC, NESC, NEMA, IEEE and ANSI codes/standards.
• Experience with vendor protective relay equipment (SEL, ABB, GE, Areva, Basler).
• MS Office proficiency.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Responsibilities

• Lead an engineering and design team for substation upgrades.
• Prepare relay philosophies and develop SCADA concepts.
• Guide junior engineers in detailed design phases.
• Investigate and resolve a wide range of engineering issues.
• Analyze single line diagrams, substation relaying and metering diagrams (AC/DC schematics).
• Prepare engineering studies for client and peer reviews.
• Conduct independent reviews of others' work, including calculations and drawings.
• Coordinate with engineers, project managers, clients and suppliers to ensure timely design.
• Review existing facilities to propose upgrades and replacements with client presentations.
• Share knowledge via Communities of Practice and mentor less experienced engineers.
• Travel to client/vendor offices for design reviews and field verifications when needed.

Skills

Protection/control telecommunications

Bilingual in Spanish and English

Excellent written and verbal communication

Proficiency with SKM, ETAP, ASPEN, CDEGS

Communication Skills

Bilingual Spanish/English

MS Office

Education

Bachelor of Science degree from an ABET-accredited program

PE license

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

MS Office applications

CDEGS

Vendor software

Job description

Description

This position will offer you the ability to directly apply your knowledge of protective relaying and controls systems for HV and EHV substations. As a Lead Substation Engineer, you will:

• Lead an engineering and design team, working on a wide range of substation modifications and upgrades to support client requirements and reviews, including creating calculations, document designs, and specifications.
• Prepare relaying philosophies, including selecting relay, control, and communications equipment, developing SCADA and telecommunication concepts and configurations, and overseeing the preparation of I/O assignments and connection diagrams.
• Guide junior and senior-level engineers and designers in protection and controls engineering design efforts, including providing guidance with the coordination of detailed design phases for all aspects of the engineering work.
• Support assignments that include investigating, trouble‑shouting, and solving a wide variety of engineering issues.
• Perform analysis and design of single line diagrams, substation relaying & metering diagrams (i.e. A.C. schematic diagrams), and D.C. schematic diagrams.
• Prepare engineering studies for client and peer review.
• Perform independent reviews of work performed by others including calculations and drawing preparation.
• Coordinate and provide guidance to other engineers, project managers, client personnel, and suppliers to ensure a complete and timely design.
• Perform reviews of existing facilities to propose upgrades and replacements, and present findings and recommendations to clients and peers.
• Develop your career via peer‑learning through sharing of knowledge with other experienced engineers by way of Sargent & Lundy’s systems of process and associated “Communities of Practice.”
• Provide guidance as a mentor in the development of less experienced engineers.
• There is the potential for you to travel to client and vendor offices for design reviews and to plant site locations for construction coordination and field verification of designs.

This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, with the expectation of spending three days a week in the office, giving you the flexibility to work remotely for two days.

Dependent upon your location, this opportunity offers a generous relocation package.

Qualifications

We do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Essential skills and experience:

• This position requires a Bachelor of Science degree from an ABET‑accredited engineering program.
• 10 or more years experience with a focus on protection / control / telecommunications for high voltage substations; including design, installation, and coordination.
• PE license.
• Experience with serving as firm/client liaison in a support or lead engineering role.
• Experience in writing and providing support documentation for relay calculations.
• Experience with the design techniques, tools, and principles involved in the production of technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Proficiency with any of the following programs: SKM, ETAP, ASPEN, CDEGS, or vendor software.
• Familiarity with design codes and standards, such as NEC, NESC, NEMA, IEEE and ANSI.
• Experience with various vendor protective relay equipment typically used in substation protection, including SEL, ABB, GE, Areva, and Basler.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be fully bilingual in Spanish and English (read, speak, and write).

Valued but not required skills and experience:

• A BSEE degree is preferable.
• Prior experience is desirable to include in‑line, bus and equipment protection, breaker, transformer and similar equipment control, RTU and data concentrator based SCADA systems, telemetering and communications (fiber optics, microwave, power line carrier, etc.).
• AutoCAD or MicroStation experience.
• Construction and start‑up experience.
• Testing or commissioning experience.

Award‑Winning Benefits

At Sargent & Lundy, we care about the health and well‑being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans and generous paid time off to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work‑life balance, which is why we are proud to provide competitive, award‑winning benefits. Our dedication to employee satisfaction has earned us the prestigious Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for compensation and benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Health & Wellness

• Health Plans: Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life & Accident Insurance
• Disability Coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Back‑Up Daycare
• FSA & HSA

Financial Benefits

• 401(k)
• Pre‑Tax Commuter Account
• Merit Scholarship Program
• Employee Discount Program
• Corporate Charitable Giving Program
• Tuition Assistance
• First Professional Licensure Bonus
• Employee Referral Bonus

Work‑Life Balance

• Paid Annual Personal/Sick Time (PST)
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Bereavement Leave
• Flexible Work Arrangements

Awards & Recognition

Equal Opportunity

Sargent & Lundy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by applicable law.