Senior Protection Engineer (63444)

NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc; Lakewood (CO); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Life insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

NEI Electric Power Engineering, Inc. in Lakewood, Colorado seeks a Senior Protection Engineer focused on transmission and system studies. You will lead protection studies, modeling, and coordination for utility-scale projects, with emphasis on ASPEN OneLiner and PSS CAPE.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years of protection engineering experience, FE/EIT, and a PE license or eligibility. Hybrid work option available; strong analytical and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with electric-power emphasis preferred.
• Five+ years of protection engineering/power-system studies experience.
• Subject matter expert in power-system protection.

Responsibilities

• Serve as protection engineering subject matter expert and provide technical leadership for protection-related studies, modeling, calculations, and design decisions.
• Develop, maintain, and validate detailed protection and short-circuit models in ASPEN OneLiner, PSS CAPE, or similar software.
• Perform and support utility interconnection and cluster studies.
• Conduct short-circuit studies for transmission systems, substations, renewable-generation facilities, and other electric power systems.
• Evaluate fault current, relay coordination, and impacts of new generation or transmission facilities.
• Develop and review protective-relay philosophies, settings, and coordination.
• Coordinate with utility engineers and clients to obtain data and communicate study findings.
• Maintain QA/QC procedures for protection studies and models.

Skills

Power-system protection

Transmission protection

Generator protection

ASPEN OneLiner

PSS CAPE

FE/EIT credential

Professional Engineer licensure

Strong communication

US work authorization

Analytical troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PSS E

PSLF

PowerFactory

ETAP

SKM PowerTools

Job description

Senior Protection Engineer – Transmission & System Studies

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Protection Engineer to serve as a subject matter expert in power system protection, short-circuit analysis, and protection-system modeling. This position will support utility clients at the individual facility level as well as grid level cluster studies as needed.

The ideal candidate will have transmission-level protection experience; however, candidates with strong generator-protection expertise will also be considered. Advanced proficiency in both ASPEN OneLiner is required and PSS CAPE is preferred, along with demonstrated experience performing short-circuit studies and evaluating protection-system performance.

Additional experience with arc-flash, harmonic, NERC compliance, reactive-power, load-flow, and grounding studies is highly valued.

Essential Responsibilities

• Serve as the company’s protection engineering subject matter expert and provide technical leadership for protection-related studies, modeling, calculations, and design decisions.
• Develop, maintain, and validate detailed protection and short-circuit models in ASPEN OneLiner, PSS CAPE, or similar software.
• Perform and support utility interconnection and cluster studies.
• Conduct short-circuit studies for transmission systems, substations, renewable-generation facilities, and other electric power systems.
• Evaluate available fault current, protection-system performance, relay coordination, equipment-duty requirements, and the impacts of new generation or transmission facilities on the surrounding system.
• Perform protection studies involving transmission lines, transformers, buses, generators, collector systems, and substation equipment.
• Develop, review, and validate protective-relay philosophies, settings, coordination, and application criteria.
• Review utility protection requirements, interconnection standards, planning criteria, and modeling requirements.
• Prepare clear, technically defensible study reports documenting assumptions, methodology, results, identified risks, and recommended mitigation measures.
• Perform technical review and QA/QC of protection studies, short-circuit models, calculations, relay-setting files, and engineering reports.
• Identify modeling discrepancies, protection gaps, coordination issues, overdutied equipment, and other system risks, and develop practical recommendations for resolution.
• Coordinate with utility engineers, clients, project managers, design engineers, and other stakeholders to obtain required system data, resolve technical questions, and communicate study findings.
• Establish and maintain study templates, modeling conventions, methodologies, QA/QC procedures, and best practices for protection and system studies.
• Provide guidance and troubleshooting support for ASPEN OneLiner, PSS CAPE, and related power-system study tools.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical oversight for protection engineering and system-study assignments.
• Support regulatory and NERC compliance activities throughout applicable project phases, from conceptual design through testing and commissioning.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of applicable utility requirements, NERC reliability standards, IEEE standards, NFPA requirements, the National Electrical Code, and other relevant codes and standards.
• As needed, review or support the development of one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, SCADA interfaces, grounding designs, equipment specifications, and testing or commissioning documentation.
• Assist with proposals, scopes of work, project estimates, schedules, budgets, client presentations, and technical meetings.
• Occasionally support protective-relay testing, troubleshooting, commissioning, and startup activities.
• Maintain responsive client relationships and high ethical, technical, safety, and professional standards.
• Participate in relevant conferences, technical training, workshops, and continuing-education activities.
• Perform other job-related responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution, with an electric-power emphasis preferred.
• Five or more years of relevant protection engineering, power-system studies, utility, consulting, or field experience.
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise in power-system protection.
• Strong experience in transmission-level protection or generator protection, with transmission experience strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency with:
• ASPEN OneLiner
• PSS CAPE or other similar software
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, troubleshooting, and organizational skills.
• Engineer-in-Training/Fundamentals of Engineering credential required; Professional Engineer licensure preferred.
• Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting protection and short-circuit studies for transmission utilities, interconnection customers, renewable-generation facilities, or independent power producers.
• Experience with one or more of the following:
• Arc-flash analysis
• Harmonic studies
• NERC compliance assessments
• Reactive-power and load-flow studies
• Grounding studies and design
• Dynamic and transient-stability studies
• Generator interconnection studies
• Protection and control design
• Relay testing and commissioning
• Working knowledge of additional power-system analysis tools, such as PSS E, PSLF, PowerFactory, ETAP, SKM PowerTools, EasyPower, PSCAD, CDEGS, WinIGS, or WindMil.
• Experience applying NERC reliability standards and regional or utility-specific protection requirements.
• Professional Engineer licensure in one or more U.S. jurisdictions.

Work Environment

• Hybrid or fully remote work model depending on location and project needs
• Travel typically ranges from 15-25% and varies by project
• Combination of office-based work and periodic field engagement

Benefits & Total Rewards

NEI offers a comprehensive benefits and total rewards package that include medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability; a 401(k) with employer matching; paid time off; paid holidays; and paid parental leave. Benefits eligibility and details may vary by role and location and will be provided during the interview process.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or genetic information. NEI Electric Power Engineering participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your completed Form I-9 to confirm your work authorization in the United States.