Power System Protection Engineer

Siemens•Wendell, NC

11h•$105,533 - $180,913•Hybrid

About The Position

Siemens Electrification and Automation is seeking Power System Protection Engineers to join its Power Systems Engineering team. The role focuses on power transmission and distribution, substation automation, and protection relay engineering. The position is based at Siemens’ national headquarters in Wendell, North Carolina, and uses a hybrid work arrangement. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates. The engineer designs, configures, tests, and commissions protective relay systems and protection and control schemes for complex power systems and substations. The role includes preparing and leading Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), using relay test equipment such as Omicron and Doble, and ensuring designs meet applicable industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer needs. The engineer serves as a technical leader and client interface, supporting project teams and customers from initial design through commissioning, including on-site troubleshooting. Approximately 50–70% travel is expected, depending on project assignments and requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, or Computer Engineering.
At least five years of engineering experience in power systems protection, with emphasis on protection systems for electric utility generation, transmission, and distribution, including high-voltage networks.
Experience leading technical projects or serving as a Technical Lead.
Ability to read and fully understand DC and AC schematics and three-line and one-line diagrams for medium- and/or high-voltage substation systems.
Advanced knowledge of at least one relay product and its associated software from vendors such as Siemens, GE, SEL, or ABB.
Applied power protection knowledge covering overcurrent and over-/undervoltage, transformer differential, motor protection, high- and low-impedance busbar differential, generator protection, and medium-voltage transfer and reverse-interlocking schemes.
Experience implementing protection relay communication protocols, including IEC 61850 (MMS/GOOSE/SMV), MODBUS, and IEC 60870-5-101/103/104.
Substation control and protection commissioning experience.
Experience with factory and site testing of protection relays.
Ability and willingness to travel approximately 50–70%, depending on project assignments and requirements.
Legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Applied power protection knowledge for high-voltage line differential and distance protection.
Applied power protection knowledge for generator protection of large generating units.
SIPROTEC 4 and SIPROTEC 5 experience.
Experience designing, configuring, and troubleshooting Ethernet switches and communication network technologies for protection applications such as IEC 61850 Process Bus and GOOSE.
Advanced programming skills and experience with programming languages used in protection systems.
Hands-on experience designing, configuring, testing, and delivering protection system projects for U.S. electric utilities such as AEP, Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Eversource Energy, Southern Company, or comparable organizations.

Responsibilities

Design, configure, and test protective relay systems for complex power systems and substations.
Prepare test procedures and commissioning scripts, and execute Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
Use advanced relay test equipment such as Omicron and Doble.
Develop and implement protection and control schemes that meet industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer-specific needs.
Guide project teams, resolve complex technical challenges, and support project delivery throughout the project lifecycle, from initial design through final commissioning.
Serve as the primary technical interface with clients, providing on-site support, troubleshooting, and commissioning expertise.
Commission substation control and protection systems.