Distribution Protection Engineer

WSP•Richmond, VA

16d

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Senior Professional Electrical Engineer with an emphasis on distribution protection for its Richmond, Virginia office; Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, are also considered. The role is part of the Distribution Advanced Studies Team and supports electric utility clients through project-based engineering work focused primarily on distribution protection systems, typically at 34.5 kV and below. The engineer will lead and support the development, review, and implementation of protection solutions and technical recommendations for utility distribution systems. Work includes relay settings and coordination, distributed energy resource (DER) interconnection protection, circuit breaker and recloser protection, protection for line equipment, arc flash support, event and root-cause analysis, and grid modernization applications such as wildfire mitigation and FLISR. The role involves evaluating system conditions, coordinating with clients, vendors, and internal teams, and delivering recommendations that improve safety, reliability, and operational performance. The position also includes coordinating work across multiple projects, providing technical guidance and quality reviews for junior engineers, collaborating across disciplines, and supporting proposal and business development efforts. The engineer may contribute to industry working groups, standards committees, technical publications, and conference presentations. Some travel is expected. The role may also support other disciplines such as grid modernization, planning, and SCADA.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience.
7–10 years of relevant post-education experience as an electrical engineer providing design deliverables for large capital projects.
Understanding of basic to advanced engineering theories and principles.
Ability to research engineering and design issues, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare and present recommendations.
Ability to work across teams, self-motivate in assigned tasks, and take initiative to learn new topics.
Strong command of English and demonstrated written and oral communication skills, including presenting information, facilitating meetings, and providing direction to others.
Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to comply with WSP health, safety, drug/alcohol, and harassment policies.
Ability to successfully pass client background screening processes.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Engineering.
Professional Engineer (PE) licensure.
Experience managing small to mid-size projects.
40-hour OSHA Health & Safety Training (HAZWOPER), 29 CFR 1910.120.
Basic First Aid and Adult CPR training.

Responsibilities

Perform electrical protection engineering for utility distribution systems, typically defined as 34.5 kV and below.
Develop, review, and implement protection philosophies, relay settings, and technical recommendations for safe, reliable, and efficient utility distribution operations.
Support distribution circuit breaker, DER interconnection, line recloser, and line equipment protection, including transformers, capacitor banks, and regulators.
Support grid modernization protection applications, including wildfire mitigation and FLISR.
Perform arc flash support, event analysis, and root-cause analysis.
Interact with utility clients, equipment vendors, and internal stakeholders to obtain information, develop study assumptions, and support project execution.
Lead and perform engineering tasks for complex technical projects requiring specialized knowledge of protection, automation, and utility operations.
Execute and coordinate engineering work on multiple projects simultaneously.
Provide technical guidance, mentoring, and quality reviews for junior engineers and project team members.
Collaborate across disciplines on project execution, proposal development, and business development opportunities.
Support technical leadership through industry working groups, standards committees, technical publications, and conference presentations.
Support other disciplines such as grid modernization, planning, and SCADA as needed.
Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and follow WSP's Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Travel as required.

Benefits

Medical coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Disability coverage
Life insurance
Retirement savings
Paid sick leave
Paid vacation or other personal time
Paid parental leave
Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings