Power System Engineer (Relay Engineering)

austintexas; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Austin Energy is seeking a Power System Engineer to design electric utility facilities, including generation, substations, and SCADA/EMS. You will prepare construction drawings, coordinate protective relays, and support field installations to maintain a safe, reliable grid.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 5 years of related experience, with collaboration across Engineering, Construction, and Project Management teams to drive projects from design to execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 5 years of related engineering experience.
• Knowledge of electric utility operations, codes, and standards.
• Ability to perform complex engineering calculations and analyses.

Responsibilities

• Prepares standards, equipment specifications, design procedures, test procedures.
• Performs power system studies such as protective relay coordination, fault studies, load flows, and reliability analyses.
• Develops drawings and documents for generation, transmission, distribution, substations and SCADA/EMS.
• Collaborates with field personnel and other City Departments on technical matters.

Skills

Power system design

Protective relay coordination

SCADA/EMS knowledge

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Job description

About This Position

At Austin Energy, you'll have the opportunity to apply your engineering expertise to projects that directly impact the reliability and safety of the city's power grid. You'll work with a collaborative team, tackle complex technical challenges, and contribute to building a smarter, more resilient energy future for one of the fastest-growing communities in the nation.

Step into a key engineering role with Austin Energy's Relay Engineering Team, where you'll apply your expertise in electric utility design, protection, and control systems to keep our power grid safe and reliable. In this position, you'll prepare detailed construction drawing packages, troubleshoot and support microprocessor relay installations in the field.

Your day-to-day will involve close collaboration with colleagues across Engineering, Construction, and Project Management, giving you the opportunity to see projects through from design to execution. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy blending technical design with hands‑on problem solving—and who want their work to make a direct impact on powering the City of Austin.

Job Description

Power System Engineer

Purpose

Under minimal supervision designs and assists in the design of electric utility system facilities, including generation, electric substations, overhead and underground transmission and distribution lines, network systems, protection systems, supervisory control systems (SCADA), market operation and settlement systems, street lighting, and other electric system facilities. This position exists only in the Power Production and Electrical Services Delivery department of Austin Energy.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities

• Prepares standards, equipment specifications, design procedures, test procedures
• Performs power system studies such as protective relay coordination, fault studies, load flows, service reliability, power quality, voltage stability, power system market operations and settlement studies, etc.
• Prepares engineering design and develops drawings and other documents for generation, transmission, distribution, substations and SCADA/EMS.
• Prepares circuit maps, control diagrams, charts, data bases, and plans for different electrical facilities.
• Provide assistance to all classes of customers, developers, and to other City Departments on technical matters relevant to electric utility services
• Provide technical and financial inputs for projects in electric utility planning and budget process
• Investigate and analyze engineering design problems; develop appropriate solutions; draft reports and make presentations
• Prepares safety procedures for electric facilities
• Assist in efforts to keep up with the latest developments in the utility industry, to meet North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and Texas Public Utility Commission (TX PUC) standards and regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with field personnel to support project energization.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised

• May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
• Knowledge of engineering design principles applicable to electric utility operations such as, generation, transmission, distribution, market operations and other related fields.
• Knowledge of advanced mathematical techniques such as trigonometry, calculus, and coordinate geometry.
• Knowledge of engineering standards, codes, practices, procedures, materials, and equipment used in the design, construction, and operation of the electric utility systems.
• Knowledge of established engineering principles and methods.
• Knowledge of preparation of cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports.
• Ability to perform more complex engineering calculations and to analyze engineering problems.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements within the local and state ordinances and laws.
• Skill in oral and written technical and/or general communication including preparation of written reports.
• Skill in negotiations and handling conflict resolution.
• Knowledge of City of Austin purchasing and contract policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering, plus five (5) years of experience related to engineering.

Licenses and Certifications Required

• None.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of and experience with electric utility protection schemes
• Experience developing or applyi