What are the responsibilities and job description for the Protection & Control Engineer position at K&A Engineering?
K&A Engineering Consulting is a privately held company, providing comprehensive consulting, engineering and design, program/project management, construction management, and support services to power utility and industrial clients. Specializing in substation, transmission, distribution, distributed energy resources, and EPC services, we excel in solving complex challenges with precision-driven solutions. We pride ourselves on employing top talent, fostering a culture of excellence, and building meaningful relationships with clients and employees.
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Start your K&A Career:
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Protection and Control Engineer to join our team at K&A Engineering in Cary, NC. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects that make a real impact in the energy and utility sectors. Youll be part of a dynamic, people-focused team where your expertise, ideas, and contributions will be valued and celebrated.
Role Expectations:
- Lead design and review of protection and control systems, including relay one-lines, three-lines, control schematics, logic diagrams, and relay settings coordination.
- Develop and validate protection philosophies for transmission and distribution substations (breaker failure, bus differential, transformer protection, line protection, etc.).
- Oversee integration of SCADA, RTU, HMI, communications networks, and associated control interfaces.
- Ensure compliance with utility standards and NERC reliability requirementsexperience with Duke Progress P&C standards highly preferred.
- Serve as a subject-matter expert for protection and control engineering in client meetings, technical discussions, design reviews, and troubleshooting.
- Support project planning, scoping, estimating, and proposal development.
- Mentor junior engineers and assist in building technical standards, templates, and best practices for the P&C team.
What were looking for:
- Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from an accredited institution.
- 5 years of professional experience in substation engineering, with significant exposure to protection and controls design.
- Experience working with Duke Progress standards, processes, or substation project requirements is strongly preferred.
- EIT or PE license preferred.
- Strong understanding of relay protection principles, control circuits, and applicable NERC/IEEE standards.
- Familiarity with substation grounding, lightning protection, bus calculations, cable/conduit design, and equipment specification.
- Prior experience supporting major utility projects; experience with large IOUs is desirable.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; experience with protective relay software tools (e.g., SEL AcSELerator) is a plus.
Why Join K&A?
People-First Culture: We put our people at the center of everything we do, creating an environment where your professional and personal growth is a top priority.
Innovation & Learning: We encourage continuous learning and invest in your development through training, mentorship, and hands-on experience.
Collaborative Team Environment: We believe in the power of collaboration and working together to achieve the best outcomes for our clients and employees.
Recognition & Growth: Weve earned our reputation through uncompromising precision and a commitment to excellence. As an agile and fast-growing company, we offer plenty of opportunities for your career advancement and growth.
Competitive Compensation & Benefits: We offer a comprehensive benefits package for eligible classified employees, including but not limited to:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- FSA, HSA, and Dependent Care Spending Account
- 401K (Traditional and Roth with Company Match)
- Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Holidays and Flexible PTO
- Tuition Reimbursement, Parking and Transit Reimbursement, and Pet Insurance
- Long-Term Disability, Short-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
- EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
Check out our career page for more information!
The salary range for this role considers a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to technical ability, experience and training, licenses and certifications, and other related skillsets. The disclosed range is an estimate and has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled.