POSITION SUMMARYThe Electrical Engineering Manager - Protection & Controls leads the high voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthy's renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gentie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with Preconstruction, Design, Self Perform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover. Voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthy's renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gentie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with Preconstruction, Design, Self Perform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover. -voltage protection and control (P&C) function for McCarthy's renewable portfolio, including collector systems, substations, and gen-tie lines. This role owns the P&C strategy, oversees detailed design and studies, and ensures safe, reliable, and compliant interconnections with utilities and ISOs/RTOs. The manager coordinates closely with Pre-Construction, Design, Self-Perform Electrical, Commissioning, and external engineering partners from early development through commissioning and turnover.
This is a full-time role with periodic travel to project sites and partner offices across the continental U.S.RESPONSIBILITIES- Lead development and application of the protection and control philosophy for renewable plants, MV/HV collector systems, substations, and gen-tie lines, including grounding and lightning protection interfaces.
- Oversee P&C design deliverables (ex: SLDs/three-lines, AC/DC schematics, P&C schematics, wiring/logic diagrams, panel layouts, I/O lists, cable/conduit schedules) produced by internal teams and external EORs.
- Direct or review protection and controls schemes and relay settings (e.g., SEL, GE, Siemens/Schneider), including trip logic, coordination, metering, alarming, SCADA points lists, and RTU/PLC/RTAC logic.
- Plan, coordinate, and review power system studies that support P&C and interconnection (short-circuit, protection coordination, arc flash, grounding grid, and where applicable EMT/PSCAD, ETAP, and ASPEN OneLiner studies), leveraging internal and partner resources.-circuit, protection coordination, arc-flash, grounding grid, and where applicable EMT/PSCAD, ETAP, and ASPEN OneLiner studies), leveraging internal and partner resources.
- Ensure designs, studies, and settings comply with applicable codes and standards (NEC, NESC, IEEE/IEC, NFPA 70E), utility/ISO interconnection requirements, and project specific NERC PRC/modeling expectations where in scope.-specific NERC PRC/modeling expectations where in scope.
- Establish and enforce QA/QC procedures for P&C designs, models, and relay settings, including structured peer review, version control, and as-built documentation.-built documentation.
- Lead technical coordination with utilities, ISOs/RTOs, owners, inverter/BESS vendors, and SCADA/telecom teams on protection schemes, ride through and reactive requirements, metering, communications, and OT network topology.-through and reactive requirements, metering, communications, and OT network topology.
- Support pursuits, estimating, and preconstruction by defining P&C scope, staffing and study assumptions, key risks, and design/study milestones.
- Provide field engineering and commissioning support, including energization plans, relay/FAT/SAT review, setting management, and troubleshooting of P&C, SCADA, and communication issues.
- Hire, mentor, and develop P&C and substation engineers; set expectations for technical depth (e.g., PSCAD/ASPEN/ETAP, grounding, NERC awareness), quality, and schedule performance.
QUALIFICATIONSRequired- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (power systems focus preferred) or closely related discipline.
- Minimum 5 years of power systems engineering experience, including a minimum of 3 years focused on MV/HV protection and control for utility, industrial, or generation/substation projects.
- Demonstrated experience delivering P&C designs for HV/MV substations and collector systems (one lines/threelines, P&C schematics, panel layouts).-lines/three-lines, P&C schematics, panel layouts).
- Strong working knowledge of protection applications for transformers, lines, buses, feeders, and breaker failure schemes, including relay settings review.
- Experience with at least one major relay platform (e.g., SEL, GE, Schneider) and common communication/SCADA protocols (e.g., IEC 61850, DNP3, Modbus).
- Proficiency with power system analysis tools (e.g., ASPEN, CAPE, ETAP, SKM or similar) for short circuit and protection coordination studies. -circuit and protection coordination studies.
- Familiarity with NEC, NESC, IEEE standards, and typical utility interconnection requirements for renewable generation.
- Proven ability to lead and mentor engineers and communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Preferred- Direct experience with P&C for utility scale solar, and BESS projects, including inverter based resources and plant level controls. Scale solar based resources and plant level controls.-scale solar,-based resources and plant-level controls.
- Experience in an EPC, owner's engineer, or utility environment leading multidiscipline design or serving as a P&C subject matter expert. Engineer, or utility environment leading multidiscipline design or serving as a P&C subject matter expert.-engineer, or utility environment leading multi-discipline design or serving as a P&C subject matter expert.
- Working knowledge of NERC PRC and related reliability considerations for protection and control (where applicable to project scope).
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Electrical, or ability to obtain within a reasonable timeframe; multi-state registration a plus.
- Experience supporting or overseeing FAT/SAT and field testing with NETA or other testing organizations.
