Senior System Protection Engineer - Hydro & Pumping
About The Position
Ulteig is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Sr. Protection Engineer (Hydro & Pumping) within the Automation, Integration, and System Protection (AISP) Department. This position is responsible for designing, developing, testing, and commissioning protection and control systems, primarily for hydroelectric facilities and associated substations, while also providing broader support across Ulteig’s system protection engineering initiatives. This role requires periodic travel throughout California to support field activities, which may include site walkdowns, commissioning, troubleshooting, demolition and construction support, and other related tasks. Candidates must be based in California and willing to travel statewide, and occasionally out of state, as project needs require. The Sr. Protection Engineer acts as a technical leader and will plan, schedule, and coordinate detailed phases of assigned project work.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program (or equivalent) required
- Professional Engineer (PE) registration required
- 8+ years of engineering experience required
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access); Copilot/GenAI prompting
- Willingness to travel 20–30% of the time (may vary by project)
- Valid driver’s license and ability to meet company driving standards.
- Must have permanent authorization to work in the U.S.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s Degree in Engineering is a plus
- Commissioning experience is a plus
- On-site commissioning experience in one or more of the following is a plus: CT/PT wiring injection and verification, Protective relay testing, End-to-end relay testing, Functional verification of protection schemes, CT/PT burden/load verification
- Experience providing on-site demolition and construction engineering support is a plus
- Experience troubleshooting protection and control schemes is a plus
- Working knowledge of HV substation equipment and MV electrical apparatus, including station service, MV switchgear, and protective relaying.
- Experience applying protection engineering practices for one or more of the following: transmission line, bus, transformer, capacitor bank, reactor bank, feeder, generator, motor, and communications-assisted protection schemes
- Familiarity with protection and control design standards is a plus
- Familiarity with NERC PRC standards is a plus
- Knowledge of SCADA systems and programming is a plus.
- Knowledge of NEC and California Electrical Code (CEC) is a plus.
- Proficiency in SEL AcSELerator Quickset, SEL AcSELerator RTAC, SEL SynchoWAVe, ASPEN OneLiner, GE Enervista UR Setup, EasyPower, ETAP, and AutoCAD is a plus
Responsibilities
- Develop complete design packages for protective relay replacement projects that include one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, panel layouts, electrical schematics, wiring connection diagrams, communication diagrams, and other associated deliverables.
- Perform field demolition and construction support, lead on-site commissioning activities, and lead on-site or remote troubleshooting support for protective relay replacement projects.
- Provide technical guidance to engineers and technicians
- Apply protection system engineering practices and principles in the following areas: transmission line, bus, transformer, capacitor bank, reactor bank, feeder, generator, motor, and communication-assisted protection schemes
- Develop relay settings files, create or update calculation worksheet templates, develop test plans, and perform protection system event analysis
- Create SCADA point lists, remote terminal unit (RTU) programs, human-machine interfaces (HMI’s), meter programs, metering overviews, and calculations
- Develop plans, specifications, and observation reports to see that these items are complete, accurate, and in accordance with sound engineering practice
- Apply current, standard engineering techniques, procedures, and criteria to complete engineering tasks
- Practice efficiency engineering as it pertains to design selection
- Recommend alterations to development and design to improve quality
- Prepare reports and correspondence concerning the direction of assigned projects
- Effectively communicate and interact with clients to ensure we are meeting their needs
Benefits
- Flexible Workplace
- Employee Ownership
- Competitive Pay
- Comprehensive Benefits Package
- Collaborative Environment
- Innovative Culture
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
