Relay Field Engineer — West

Ziggurat Automation Inc.; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Ziggurat Automation Inc. seeks an experienced Testing Engineer to conduct secondary injection testing for protection relays and automation controllers across California, Oregon, and Nevada. The role demands rigorous documentation and adherence to NFPA 70E safety standards while working on active project sites.

Qualified candidates will have over 5 years of relay and electrical testing experience. Responsibilities include preparing test reports, conducting wiring verification, and ensuring compliance with arc-flash PPE requirements. Travel is expected 40–60% during testing campaigns.

Qualifications

• 5+ years relay testing and electrical testing on medium-voltage power systems.
• Experience with secondary injection testing.
• Familiarity with generating test report documentation per NETA/ANSI standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform secondary injection testing for SEL protection relays.
• Document as-found/as-left settings for relay replacements.
• Conduct wiring continuity checks and trip timing measurements.

Skills

Secondary injection testing

Electrical testing

Wiring verification

NFPA 70E compliance

Test report documentation

Tools

Omicron CMC

Doble F6150

AcSELerator

Wireshark

Job description

Why This Role Exists

Every protection relay and automation controller on a Tier III/IV data center must pass secondary injection testing before the system goes live — wrong trip timing or missed wiring means a failed witness test and a schedule slip. This role exists because our West Coast pipeline across California, Oregon, and Nevada needs dedicated device-level testing coverage on the ground. You test every relay and controller before energization. When the owner's witness testing coordinator asks for trip timing data, you produce it.

What You Own

• Secondary injection testing for SEL protection relays — 50/51/50N/51N elements, trip timing verification
• As-found/as-left settings documentation for relay replacements and retrofits
• CT/PT ratio verification and wiring continuity checks from relay terminals to switchgear
• GOOSE subscription verification post-installation — publish/subscribe validation on PRP networks
• Trip timing measurement against coordination study curves
• FAT bench testing: DTSC-200 ATS controllers, relay parameter verification, I/O wiring validation

Systems You'll Touch

Vendor Platforms: SEL, Woodward, Omicron, Doble

Software Tools: AcSELerator, QuickSet, Wireshark

Protocols: IEC 61850 GOOSE

Standards: IEC 62439-3 (PRP/HSR), NFPA 70E, IEEE 1584

Test Phases: Secondary injection testing, Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), Site Acceptance Test (SAT), Functional performance testing

What Success Looks Like

First 90 Days

• Performed secondary injection testing on SEL relays on an active West Coast project site
• Produced test reports in NETA/ANSI format with as-found/as-left settings comparison
• Demonstrated NFPA 70E compliance during energized MV switchgear testing

First 180 Days

• Independently executing relay-level SAT on West Coast project sites
• Bench FAT testing for controllers (DTSC-200, easYgen 3400) with parameter and I/O verification
• Contributing to ZSI GOOSE functional testing on PRP networks

Required Background

• 5+ years relay testing and electrical testing on medium-voltage power systems
• Secondary injection testing with Omicron CMC or Doble F6150 (or equivalent)
• Test report documentation per NETA/ANSI standards — as-found/as-left format
• Wiring verification: CT/PT ratio checks, continuity testing, relay-to-switchgear terminal verification
• NFPA 70E compliance: working on or near energized MV switchgear with arc-flash PPE

Preferred Background

• NETA Level II or III certification
• SEL relay testing (AcSELerator QuickSet for settings verification)
• IEC 61850 GOOSE verification — Wireshark capture, publish/subscribe validation
• PRP network failover testing
• Based in or willing to relocate to Northern California or Pacific Northwest

What to Expect in the Field

Travel 40–60% during testing campaigns. West Coast sites (CA, OR, NV, WA, AZ).

Site Hours: early starts for LOTO, occasional weekend milestones.

Customer‑Facing Interface with prime contractor commissioning leads during witnessed testing.

Documentation Heavy — test reports, as-found/as-left records, wiring verification checklists, trip timing data sheets.

Field Safety: NFPA 70E compliance mandatory — arc‑flash PPE, approach boundaries, LOTO per relay position.

Benefits (Why Ziggurat)

• Your test data proves the protection system works — settings, coordination curves, and GOOSE messaging validated by your measurements.
• Multi‑vendor relay testing: SEL, Woodward, CAT — broad platform exposure.
• Direct collaboration with the engineers who wrote the settings you test.
• West Coast data center growth puts you at the center of critical infrastructure construction.