Protection & Controls Engineer

Join the High Power Engineering team to design, set, commission, and maintain protection and control systems for large electrical infrastructure. As a Protection & Controls Engineer, you will own schemes and settings from the transmission interconnection through distribution, on-site generation, and battery energy storage, down to medium- and low-voltage buses serving data halls and other mission-critical loads. The position is based in Memphis, TN, with potential travel to other sites.

Responsibilities

Develop protection philosophy, one-line and three-line diagrams, DC control schematics, wiring diagrams, and relay panel layouts for the electrical system from the utility interconnection to facility buses; Calculate, implement, and maintain protective relay settings and logic for transmission lines, buses, power transformers, distribution feeders, generators, and battery energy storage / inverter-based resources; Specify relays, current and voltage transformers, trip circuits, lockout schemes, breaker-failure protection, and communications-assisted schemes (permissive, blocking, transfer trip); Perform short-circuit, protective-device coordination, and arc-flash studies; keep settings aligned with the study of record as the system changes; Commission protection systems: functional checks, primary and secondary injection, end-to-end scheme tests, and in-service timing checks. Use industry test sets (e.g. Doble, Omicron); Collect and analyze fault and disturbance records (COMTRADE and equivalent); recommend setting or scheme changes after events, misoperations, or staged tests; Maintain the settings management database, as-left files, and firmware/config control for in-service relays; Integrate protection with SCADA, RTUs, and plant/facility monitoring: DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850 (including GOOSE), and IEEE C37.118 synchrophasors as applicable; Support NERC PRC evidence and testing where the interconnection or generation/storage fleet requires it (e.g. PRC-005, PRC-019, PRC-024, PRC-027); Work with field technicians, operators, and contractors during outages, switching, and troubleshooting. Stay hands-on at the panel; Apply IEEE C37 (including line, transformer, bus, and generator protection), NESC, NFPA 70 / 70E, IEEE 1547, and IEEE 2800 as they apply to the assets in scope.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline; 3+ years of protection and controls experience (settings, design, or commissioning) on medium- or high-voltage systems; Perform hands-on work in all environments (heat, cold, rain), in tight quarters or at heights; Work extended hours and weekends as needed to support construction, energization, and operations; Remain focused in hazardous environments while wearing appropriate PPE; Lift up to 25 lbs. unassisted; Provide 24/7 on-call support for emergencies; Willing to work on-site in Memphis, TN. This is not a remote or hybrid role; Travel up to 25% for factory witness testing, vendor and OEM engagement, and supporting other sites; Valid driver's license.

Nice to have

5+ years in a protection and controls role at a utility, independent power producer, EPC, relay manufacturer (e.g. SEL), or hyperscale / colocation data center operator; Hands-on experience with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) relays and software (AcSELerator QuickSet, synchroWAVe Event, or equivalent). GE, ABB, Siemens, or Beckwith experience also valued; SELogic or equivalent relay logic; settings templates; a formal settings management process; Short-circuit and coordination studies in ETAP, ASPEN OneLiner, CAPE, SKM, or EasyPower; Transmission and distribution protection (line, bus, transformer, feeder) plus at least one of: generator protection, BESS/inverter-based resource protection, or mission-critical facility / data hall medium-voltage protection; Commissioning with Doble F6150, Omicron CMC, or equivalent; event-record analysis after faults; Familiarity with DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, IEEE C37.118, IEEE C37.111, and IEEE C37.232; Working knowledge of IEEE C37.102 (generator), C37.91 (transformer), C37.234 (bus), IEEE 1547 / 2800 (interconnection and inverter-based resources), and applicable NERC PRC standards; Professional Engineering license, or actively working toward one; Ability to support technicians in the field and to remain effective during outages and event investigations.