Substation Protection & Controls Engineer

eastrivercoop; Madison (SD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement pension

Health Savings Account

Paid training

Wellness program

Generous PTO

9/80 schedule

Job summary

East River Electric Power Cooperative is seeking a Protection and Controls Engineer in Madison, SD. You will design protection and control systems, create substation diagrams, and coordinate with experienced engineers to ensure reliable power delivery.

The role offers hands-on training and opportunities to grow within a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative. You will work on projects for substations, protection coordination, and field activities, using relays, RTUs, meters, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering is required.
• Professional Engineer license or ability to obtain within four years preferred.
• Working knowledge of IEEE, RUS, NESC, NEC, and NERC standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to collaborate across teams.
• Some direct utility or general engineering experience is a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

• Design and work on protection and control projects, including substation one-line diagrams, protective relaying, control plans, and wiring layouts for new or upgraded substations.
• Assist with system protection coordination, analysis, and planning studies under senior engineers.
• Review power system events to understand relay and equipment operation in real scenarios.
• Program protective relays, RTUs, meters, and other smart devices using standard software.
• Contribute to project schedules and task layouts for internal and external teams.
• Collaborate with team members and outside consultants to meet project goals and standards.
• Support development of project budgets and forecasts.
• Participate in field construction activities to gain hands-on engineering experience.

Skills

Protection design

Substation diagrams

Relaying knowledge

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Professional Engineer license or ability to obtain

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

East River Electric Power Cooperative is seeking a Protection and Controls Engineer in Madison, SD. You will design protection and control systems, create substation diagrams, and coordinate with experienced engineers to ensure reliable power delivery.

The role offers hands-on training and opportunities to grow within a not-for-profit generation and transmission cooperative. You will work on projects for substations, protection coordination, and field activities, using relays, RTUs, meters, and