Senior Protection & Control Engineer

The Senior Protection & Control Engineer performs a key role in the engineering of substation protection and control systems, from initial design through construction and commissioning. This position focuses on designing and specifying complex protection and control schemes, performing advanced power system calculations, and supporting field activities to ensure system reliability, safety, and compliance with industry standards. The engineer leads technical efforts on large and complex projects, coordinates with multidisciplinary teams, and provides both office-based and on-site engineering support throughout the project lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of large and complex protection and control systems for substations, including both preliminary and detailed engineering and associated cost estimating.
• Develop detailed equipment specifications for protection and control systems and substation equipment, and evaluate vendor proposals to support procurement activities.
• Perform engineering calculations to ensure adequate system protection, reliability, and performance in accordance with applicable codes and standards.
• Gather field data from substations and related facilities to support system evaluation, troubleshooting, and design validation.
• Coordinate design deliverables with construction schedules and equipment delivery timelines to maintain project milestones and minimize delays.
• Review engineering designs, drawings, and documentation for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with project requirements and standards.
• Monitor construction activities to verify compliance with engineering plans, specifications, and quality requirements.
• Serve as Resident Engineer on projects when required, providing on-site technical oversight and guidance.
• Interpret complex drawings, including one-line diagrams, elementary diagrams, and wiring diagrams, and ensure all design requirements are properly implemented.
• Ensure compliance with applicable engineering and construction codes, standards, and best practices across all project deliverables.
• Review contractor invoices for accuracy and alignment with completed work, and inspect delivered equipment to confirm conformance with specifications.
• Prepare and manage construction schedules, adjusting for field conditions and unforeseen issues to keep projects on track.
• Conduct on-site investigations to validate contractor methods, construction practices, and adherence to design intent.
• Perform economic and feasibility analyses of alternative engineering solutions to support sound project decision-making.
• Prepare clear and comprehensive technical reports, engineering studies, and documentation for internal and external stakeholders.
• Serve as Project Engineer or Project Manager on assigned work, overseeing scope, schedule, and technical quality.
• Design and develop substation one-line diagrams that define system configuration and protection boundaries.
• Design and develop elementary and wiring diagrams for protection and control panels, relaying schemes, and associated equipment.
• Design and develop SCADA communications systems, including integration of substation equipment into supervisory control and data acquisition systems.
• Perform relay settings, coordination, and configuration for microprocessor-based relays, ensuring proper protection coordination and system selectivity.
• Develop and apply substation protection schemes, including overcurrent, distance, differential, and other protective functions as required.
• Perform power system studies and analyses related to protection and control, using specialized software tools to evaluate system performance and fault behavior.
• Coordinate closely with other engineering disciplines, including civil, structural, and transmission engineering, to ensure integrated and constructible designs.
• Develop scopes of work, project plans, and execution strategies for protection and control projects and tasks.
• Lead, coach, and mentor junior engineers, designers, and CAD staff, providing technical guidance and supporting their professional development.
• Support business development activities by contributing to proposals, participating in client meetings, and helping to maintain strong client relationships.
• Ensure robust quality control across all engineering deliverables, including drawings, calculations, studies, and reports.

• Extensive protection and control engineering experience focused on substation applications.
• Strong experience with substation design, including protection and control systems, one-line diagrams, and relay protection schemes.
• Proficiency in relay settings, coordination, and configuration for microprocessor-based relays.
• Experience performing power system studies and analyses related to protection and control.
• Experience with SCADA systems and SCADA communications for substations.
• Experience developing and applying substation protection schemes to ensure system reliability and safety.
• Field or Resident Engineer experience, including on-site support, troubleshooting, and construction oversight.
• 5 years of relevant experience in protection and control engineering, substation design, relay protection, power system studies, and related activities.
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license, or many years of equivalent protection and control engineering experience if a PE license is not held.
• Proficiency with power system software tools such as ASPEN, CAPE, ETAP, and SKM for fault analysis, coordination, and system studies.
• Ability to perform complex power system calculations and interpret results to inform design decisions.
• Ability to interpret and develop one-line diagrams, elementary diagrams, and wiring diagrams.
• Strong understanding of engineering and construction codes and standards relevant to substation protection and control.
• Ability to prepare technical reports, engineering studies, and clear documentation.
• Strong coordination skills to align design deliverables with construction schedules and equipment deliveries.

• Experience evaluating vendor proposals and supporting procurement activities for protection and control equipment.
• Experience preparing and managing construction schedules and adjusting plans for field conditions.
• Experience reviewing contractor invoices and inspecting delivered equipment for compliance with specifications.
• Experience conducting economic and feasibility analyses of engineering alternatives.
• Experience serving as Project Engineer or Project Manager on protection and control or substation projects.
• Experience supporting business development and maintaining client relationships.
• Experience mentoring and developing junior engineers, designers, and CAD staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with multidisciplinary teams and clients.
• Demonstrated ability to ensure quality control across all engineering deliverables.

This role is primarily on-site and involves regular travel to substations and project locations for site surveys, project scope walks, construction support, and client or project meetings. The engineer works closely with field personnel, contractors, and multidisciplinary engineering teams in active substation and construction environments. The position uses advanced power system analysis tools such as ASPEN, CAPE, ETAP, and SKM, as well as SCADA and microprocessor relay configuration software. Work includes both office-based design and documentation tasks and field-based activities such as data collection, investigations, equipment inspections, and construction monitoring. The environment emphasizes safety, adherence to engineering and construction standards, and collaboration across disciplines to deliver reliable and high-quality protection and control solutions.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Atlanta, GA.

The pay range for this position is $116000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

401k, medical, growing office

This is a fully onsite position in Atlanta,GA.

This position is anticipated to close on May 27, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

Salary : $116,000 - $140,000