Lead SCADA & Automation Engineer 1 - Grid

Sargent & Lundy•Indianapolis, IN

1d•$118,023 - $180,313•Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead SCADA & Automation Engineer works in Sargent & Lundy’s Electric Grid Infrastructure Services business unit, planning, engineering, and designing SCADA and communications systems for client projects. The work supports operational requirements and emerging applications including Smart Grid, substation and distribution automation, battery energy storage, and microgrid controllers. The role includes developing SCADA and communications drawings, configurations, applications, and project documentation; coordinating with protection and relay settings engineers; troubleshooting communications systems; and staging and testing integrated designs in the Protection, Automation & Telecommunication Laboratory. The engineer ensures adherence to NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection standards and coordinates with other engineers, project managers, clients, and suppliers. The position also includes mentoring less experienced engineers and may require travel to client and vendor offices. The work arrangement is hybrid, with three days per week in the office and two remote days. Travel of up to 30% is required, and relocation assistance may be available depending on location.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications, or Computer Systems Engineering.
Eight years of experience in the design, configuration, implementation, and troubleshooting of substation SCADA and communication systems.
Experience with SEL, Novatech, and GE RTUs and software.
Basic understanding of LAN/WAN devices and topology.
Knowledge of DNP, Modbus, SEL, and IEC 61850 (MMS/Goose) protocols, including serial and IP-based protocols.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
Ability and willingness to travel up to 30%.
Must be authorized to work in the U.S.; the employer does not sponsor work authorization for this position.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineering (P.E.) license.
Master of Science degree in Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications, or Computer Systems Engineering.
Experience with communications troubleshooting software or hardware, such as ASE Test Set or Wireshark.
Protective relay settings experience with SEL, GE, ABB, or similar systems.
Radio communications experience.
Network design credentials and applied knowledge of IP/MPLS.
Proficiency with Microsoft Project and Visio.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Familiarity with NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection standards and cybersecurity.
CISSP certification.
Interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies; experience with AI, automation, or programming is valued where relevant.

Responsibilities

Plan, engineer, and design SCADA and communications systems for client projects.
Develop communication block diagrams, panel layouts and bills of material, SCADA AC and DC schematics, fiber detail drawings, and network drawings.
Review and provide design input on protection and control drawings for SCADA system requirements.
Develop points lists for data transferred between RTUs, IEDs, and master station connections.
Develop configurations for Remote Terminal Units, including SEL RTAC, Novatech OrionLX, SMP Gateway, and GE-D20.
Develop configurations for programmable automation controllers, including SEL-2440 and SEL-2411.
Program Human Machine Interface applications using tools such as SEL Diagram Builder, Inkscape, and Wonderware.
Coordinate with relay settings engineers to develop and review communication port settings for protection relays, meters, and other IEDs.
Develop configurations for network devices such as switches, routers, and firewalls.
Troubleshoot SCADA system networks and communications remotely and onsite as required, including DNP, Modbus, SEL Protocol, IEC 61850, TCP/IP, and UDP systems.
Develop SCADA system and network documentation for projects.
Develop automation tools to improve project efficiency, including with Python.
Stage, configure, and test integrated system designs for interoperability and performance in the Protection, Automation & Telecommunication Laboratory.
Ensure strict adherence to NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection standards.
Coordinate with and provide guidance to engineers, project managers, client personnel, and suppliers to ensure complete and timely designs.
Share knowledge with experienced engineers through peer learning and Communities of Practice.
Mentor and guide less experienced engineers.
Travel to client and vendor offices as needed; the role requires willingness to travel up to 30%.