Field Service Engineer, L5

PwrQ Holdings LLC•Richmond, VA

121d•Onsite

About The Position

A Level 5 Switchgear Field Engineer leads complex field service activities for medium- and high-voltage switchgear systems and serves as a technical authority on installation, commissioning, maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and modernization. The role provides on-site leadership, ensures safe work execution, interfaces directly with customers and project teams, mentors junior engineers and technicians, and drives quality, schedule adherence, and continuous improvement. The position is primarily field-based at customer facilities such as industrial plants, utilities, data centers, commercial facilities, and substations. Travel is typically 50–80% depending on region and workload and may include nights, weekends, and emergency call-outs. Work may involve confined spaces, elevated platforms, hot or cold environments, rotating machinery, and energized equipment, subject to safety rules. Required PPE must be worn as needed.

Requirements

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical/Electromechanical Technology, or equivalent practical experience.
Typically 8+ years of progressively responsible field experience with medium- or high-voltage switchgear, breakers, and protection and control systems.
Demonstrated ability to lead field crews and manage on-site execution for complex commissioning or service events.
Strong working knowledge of electrical safety practices, including NFPA 70E/OSHA or local equivalents, LOTO, and arc-flash risk controls.
Proven experience reading and troubleshooting schematics, wiring diagrams, and one-lines.
Ability to write clear field reports and maintain accurate test documentation.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as required.
Expert-level troubleshooting skills across switchgear mechanical, electrical, and protection/control domains.
Ability to develop commissioning and test plans, verify I/O, and perform functional checks using drawings and sequences of operation.
Strong customer communication skills, including explaining findings, constraints, and corrective actions in clear, non-technical language when needed.
Working knowledge of common test instruments and safe test setups, and ability to validate instrument calibration status.
Strong planning and prioritization skills, including the ability to manage multiple work fronts during outages.
Ability to lead incident response and structured problem solving, including 5-Why, fishbone, and corrective/preventive actions.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and mobile/field reporting tools.
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs (23 kg), and move test equipment and tools.
Ability to stand, kneel, bend, climb ladders/stairs, and work at heights for extended periods.
Ability to differentiate conductor colors and indicator states and read instruments/displays.
Ability to wear required PPE, including arc-rated clothing, hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, and fall protection as needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience commissioning digital protection relays and IEC 61850/GOOSE networks where applicable.
Experience interfacing with power system studies, including coordination, short circuit, and arc-flash labels, and field validation.
Familiarity with major relay platforms such as SEL, GE/Multilin, ABB/Hitachi, and Siemens, and with breaker OEMs.

Responsibilities

Lead field execution for switchgear installation, commissioning, and service, including air-insulated and gas-insulated switchgear, metal-clad and metal-enclosed switchgear, breakers, relays, bus, CT/PTs, and control power systems.
Plan and perform advanced diagnostics for equipment and protection/control issues, including intermittent faults and complex system interactions.
Execute or direct acceptance, maintenance, and condition-based testing, including insulation resistance, hipot/VLF where applicable, contact resistance, timing/travel analysis, primary/secondary injection, relay logic verification, and SCADA/RTU I/O checks.
Perform protection relay commissioning and end-to-end verification; validate settings implementation against approved setting files and drawings.
Interpret and redline electrical drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, and one-lines; verify as-built conditions.
Ensure compliance with safety requirements, including LOTO, arc-flash controls, energized-work restrictions, job hazard analyses, and permits; lead on-site safety briefings.
Troubleshoot and resolve issues involving control wiring, interlocks, auxiliaries, close/trip circuits, charging motors, heaters, and communications.
Direct corrective maintenance and repair activities, including breaker overhaul support, mechanism adjustments, alignment, lubrication, SF6 handling where applicable, and component replacement.
Provide technical leadership during outages, turnarounds, and critical recovery events; communicate status, risks, and mitigation plans.
Prepare field service reports, test records, punch lists, commissioning checklists, and nonconformance documentation; close out actions with customer sign-off.
Coordinate with project managers, engineering, factory, and supply chain on parts identification, RMA/warranty matters, technical escalations, and root cause analysis.
Mentor and supervise junior engineers and technicians; review work quality, coach troubleshooting approaches, and enforce standards.
Support customer training and knowledge transfer on operational checks, basic maintenance, and safety considerations.
Identify upsell and modernization opportunities, including retrofill, protection upgrades, and digital monitoring, and communicate leads through appropriate channels.