Principal Engineer- Protection & Automation Strategy- Substation

Alliance of Professionals & Consultants, Inc.; Tempe (AZ); Hybrid; USD 194,000 - 324,000; Full time

Job summary

Alliance of Professionals & Consultants, Inc. seeks a Principal Engineer to lead protection, automation strategy for substations, and modernization efforts for a major utility client.

The role focuses on substation virtualization, integration of inverter-based resources, and advanced protection systems, with emphasis on standards, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance (NERC CIP).

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent.
• 16+ years of professional power systems experience.
• Deep expertise in substation and protection & control systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead PAC strategy roadmaps, substation virtualization, and inverter-based resource integration.
• Develop and maintain engineering standards; ensure NERC O&P and CIP compliance; support cybersecurity.

Skills

Substation protection & control

Power systems engineering

NERC CIP compliance

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

ASPEN

ETAP

SKM

PSS/E

PSLF

Job description

Job Title: Principal Engineer- Protection & Automation Strategy- Substation

Job Type: Direct Hire

Work Location: Hybrid position in Tempe, AZ (2 days in office), Relocation Assistance provided

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Principal Engineer- Protection & Automation Strategy to lead the strategic direction and modernization of protection, automation, and control systems for a major utility client. This is a senior technical leadership role responsible for shaping the future of grid technology including digital substations, virtualized PAC systems, and the integration of inverter-based resources. If you are passionate about substation virtualization, advanced protection systems, and leading high-impact engineering initiatives, we would like to connect.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Lead Substation Virtualization Initiatives: Define and execute PAC strategy roadmaps including substation virtualization, and integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs).
• Standards & Compliance: Develop and maintain engineering standards and ensure compliance with NERC O&P and CIP requirements while supporting cybersecurity and vulnerability assessments.

Required Skills & Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent 16+ years of professional engineering experience in power systems Deep expertise in substation and protection & control systems

Big Bonus Points if you Have:

• MBA or Master’s Degree in Engineering
• Professional Engineering (PE) license
• Substation design and protection & control engineering
• Protective relay coordination and settings analysis
• Power system analysis tools (ASPEN, ETAP, SKM, PSS/E, PSLF)
• IEC 61850 digital substation architecture
• SCADA, real-time grid control, and industrial networking
• NERC O&P and CIP compliance
• Emerging Technology Experience: Virtualization and edge computing
• Cloud-native architectures and containerization
• Software-defined networking
• Distributed energy resources (DER)
• Microgrids and grid flexibility solutions
• Energy storage and inverter-based resources

Compensation

A reasonable estimate of the Base Salary for this role is $193,500 - $324,000 per year. The disclosed pay range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. The compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case, such as skills and experience levels.