Lead System Protection Engineer

Westwood Professional Services • Charlotte, NC

1d

About The Position

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead System Protection Engineer to join our Renewables Substation team. The Lead System Protection Engineer serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the development and QA/QC of system protection tasks. This role reports directly to the Renewables Substation Engineering Manager – P&C and may have direct reports. The Lead System Protection Engineer will collaborate with internal and external project stakeholders to ensure project milestones and contracted service expectations are met. Westwood offers a dynamic team environment with a focus on high-level professional services.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from a recognized accredited program.
• Minimum of 10 years related work experience in the field of high voltage substation design – System Protection and Relay Settings.
• PE License in at least one state; multiple states preferred.
• Proficient in use of ASPEN OneLiner, ETAP, PowerFactory, CYME Dist, or similar programs.
• Strong familiarity with NERC PRC Requirements (PRC-019, PRC-024, PRC-025, PRC-027, PRC-028, PRC-029, PRC-030).
• Strong familiarity with the NEC and National Electrical Safety Code.
• Good knowledge of industry and technology trends specific to substations.
• Familiarity with SEL family of relays and associated software for programming and analysis.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with settings development and associated tasks for large scale, transmission interconnected Renewable Energy Generation Projects (Wind, Solar, BESS).
• Experience with settings development and associated tasks for large scale Load Interconnections (Datacenters, for example).
• Proficient with wind and solar farm SCADA and Network Requirements and associated designs.
• Proficient in load flow and reactive compensation studies.
• Working knowledge of scheduling and project controls processes.
• Previous project team leadership experience.
• Previous experience as a direct supervisor.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Driven for results.
• Decision quality.
• Priority setting.
• Planning.
• Conflict management.
• Informing.
• Listening.
• Dealing with ambiguity.
• Customer focus.

Responsibilities

• Performs all system protection and communication design aspects for high voltage (4kV – 230kV) and EHV (above 230kV) substation projects.
• Develops Protection and Control Specifications, Relay Settings Calculations, System Modelling, Short Circuit Coordination Studies, Arc Flash, Relay Settings Files, Set points, I/O mapping and Logic Functions, Communication Settings, Digital Fault Recorders Points List and Trigger Values, and Configuration Files.
• Coordinates and cross-checks with other disciplines for consistency in design, including P&C Drawing Packages (One-Lines, 3 Lines, AC/DC Schematics, I/O Tables, Vendor Drawings), SCADA Packages (Points Lists and Data Maps), and SCADA and Communications Specification.
• Provides Technical Support for Equipment Specification & Procurement, Construction Support (Remote), Testing and Commissioning Support, Troubleshooting Assistance, and Event Analysis.
• Serves as the technical lead (SME) for all System Protection tasks and deliverables.
• Mentors and trains less experienced professionals.
• Maintains high-quality standards by ensuring team adherence to QA/QC processes and providing feedback for continuous improvement.
• Works on diverse projects for different clients, with different utility interconnections, in different areas of the country.
• Assists with identification of key client interests and drivers.
• Communicates client interests and drivers to project team members and develops approaches to accommodate these concerns.
• Attends regular meetings with management to advise on risks, mitigants, process improvements, and team needs.
• Attends client technical review meetings.
• Directs and assigns tasks to team members to support milestone deliverables.
• Reviews work performed by others (QA/QC).
• Evaluates and improves Westwood System Protection Standards and Best Practices philosophies.

Benefits

• Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior