Senior Electrical Protection & Controls Engineer

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is seeking a Facilities Electrical Protection & Controls Engineer to design, construct, operate, and maintain electrical protection and control systems for power distribution. The role emphasizes substation protection schemes, relay programming, arc flash analysis, and integration with SCADA/communication systems.

Ideal candidates will have strong experience with ETAP, protection coordination, and cross-functional collaboration across engineering disciplines,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• Minimum five years' experience in electrical protection & controls.
• Proficient with ETAP or similar software.
• Knowledge of communication protocols such as DNP3, Modbus, and IEC 61850/GOOSE.
• Familiarity with electrical power systems and substation automation.
• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessment, design, and technical recommendations for electrical protection and control systems.
• Develop and review protection system settings and one-line/diagrams.
• Conduct power system studies including short circuit analysis and arc flash hazard analysis.
• Design substation protection schemes and implement relay programming (e.g., SEL relays).
• Analyze faults and relay mis-operations; determine root causes and propose mitigations.
• Prepare and review technical plans and specifications for protection design with IEEE/NFPA standards.
• Support project scoping, ICE reviews, and cost estimates for P&C upgrades.
• Design power monitoring, SCADA, and communication systems for protection projects.
• Represent the department on project teams and review committees.

Job description

SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is seeking a Facilities Electrical Protection & Controls Engineer to design, construct, operate, and maintain electrical protection and control systems for power distribution. The role emphasizes substation protection schemes, relay programming, arc flash analysis, and integration with SCADA/communication systems.

Ideal candidates will have strong experience with ETAP, protection coordination, and cross-functional collaboration across engineering disciplines,