Protection and Controls Manager

Protection & Controls Manager

Location: North San Antonio, TX

Job Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire

Work Arrangement: 100% Onsite

Travel: Overnight travel to project sites as needed

Salary: $130,000–$170,000 annually

Position Overview

Wheeler Staffing Partners is seeking an experienced Protection & Controls Manager for a direct hire opportunity in North San Antonio, TX. This leadership role is responsible for managing and mentoring a team of Protection & Controls Engineers while overseeing the design, analysis, implementation, and quality assurance of protective relay settings and substation protection systems for transmission and distribution projects.

The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in protective relaying, power system analysis, substation design, and engineering leadership. This individual will serve as a technical expert, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with applicable industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

• Lead, mentor, coach, and develop a team of Protection & Controls Engineers and designers.
• Manage team workloads, project schedules, and resource allocation to ensure successful project execution.
• Provide technical guidance, conflict resolution, and performance coaching.
• Represent the company during meetings with clients, engineering partners, utilities, contractors, and property owners.
• Support business development activities by preparing technical proposals, reviewing project risks, and presenting solutions to clients.

Protection & Controls Engineering

• Develop and review protective relay settings for transmission, distribution, and generation substations.
• Design substation one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, relaying and metering schematics.
• Develop SCADA and communications schematics, including RTUs, HMIs, and Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs).
• Prepare protection and control panel layouts, wiring diagrams, and cable schedules.
• Perform and supervise short-circuit studies, protection coordination studies, arc flash studies, and CT/PT sizing calculations.
• Analyze power system disturbances and validate protection system performance.
• Support relay testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, and system startup activities both remotely and onsite.

Project Management & Quality Assurance

• Lead projects from concept through commissioning, including engineering studies, calculations, relay settings, construction specifications, and project closeout documentation.
• Coordinate engineering activities with Project Managers to maintain project schedules and budgets.
• Review, approve, and seal engineering drawings and calculations as a licensed Professional Engineer.
• Ensure all deliverables meet company quality standards and client expectations.
• Identify project risks, communicate potential delays, and implement mitigation strategies.

Compliance & Technical Excellence

• Ensure compliance with NERC, IEEE, NEC, utility, and client standards.
• Maintain accurate documentation of relay settings files, coordination studies, and engineering reports.
• Develop and implement improvements to engineering processes and technical standards.
• Serve as the division's technical subject matter expert for advanced Protection & Controls engineering concepts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited university.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the United States (Texas PE preferred or ability to obtain Texas licensure).
• Minimum 8 years of direct Protection & Controls engineering and relay settings experience within the electric utility or power industry.
• Previous experience leading, mentoring, or supervising engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of transmission and distribution protection philosophies.
• Experience developing protective relay settings for transmission, distribution, and generation substations.
• Experience with SCADA systems, communications interfaces, RTUs, HMIs, and IEDs.
• Proficiency with ASPEN OneLiner, ETAP, and MathCAD.
• Experience with SEL, GE, Beckwith, and other protective relay manufacturers.
• Strong understanding of substation protection schemes, relay coordination, short-circuit analysis, and arc flash studies.
• Excellent communication, leadership, analytical, and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional experience in conceptual engineering and substation design.
• Experience supporting utility, EPC, consulting engineering, or power delivery projects.
• Experience managing project budgets, proposals, and client relationships.
• Multi-state Professional Engineer licensure.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and use hands for extended periods.
• Ability to travel overnight to project sites as needed.
• Ability to work in office and field environments.

Why Join Wheeler Staffing Partners?

Wheeler Staffing Partners partners with leading engineering organizations to connect exceptional professionals with rewarding career opportunities. If you're an experienced Protection & Controls Engineer looking to lead a talented team while driving complex power system projects, we encourage you to apply today.