Lead Relay Settings Engineer
Leidos’ Power Delivery Solutions (PDS) division is hiring a Lead Relay Settings Engineer to join our Settings, Automation, and Electrification (SAE) group. In this role you will own a utility client’s relay settings program end to end — technical direction, quality, schedule, and the client relationship — and serve as the first-line technical lead for the settings engineers supporting it.
Location: This position is open to fully remote. Proximity to our Duke Energy client in the Carolinas is preferred; a hybrid schedule from the Charlotte, NC office may be considered.
What you’ll be doing:
- Lead a client relay settings program: work intake, hour estimates, engineer assignments, schedule tracking, and the client’s recurring coordination calls.
- Serve as the client’s day-to-day technical contact and the first point of technical escalation for the settings team.
- Develop and review protective relay settings from 4.16 kV through 500 kV — set points, logic, configuration files, and documentation — for line, transformer, bus, breaker failure, capacitor, and generator/IBR applications.
- Perform final quality review on settings packages before client submittal and lead design-review and challenge meetings on medium and large projects.
- Maintain the client’s settings standards, philosophies, calculation templates, and short-circuit model; own the settings change-management and as-left reconciliation process.
- Assemble NERC PRC-019 / 023 / 024 / 025 / 026 / 027 compliance evidence across the program.
- Resolve client-side technical issues directly with relay manufacturers and field personnel to keep projects on schedule.
- Onboard, mentor, and train new and developing engineers on client standards and settings practice.
- Support full project lifecycle activities including construction, commissioning, and event analysis.
What does Leidos need from me?
- Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from an ABET-accredited institution.
- Minimum of thirteen (13) years of relevant experience in power system protection and relay settings development, including experience leading settings work for a major investor-owned utility.
- Demonstrated ownership of a multi-project client program, including schedule and package quality, not just individual deliverables.
- Proficiency in ASPEN OneLiner and/or Siemens CAPE for coordination and fault studies.
- Ability to develop and review settings for SEL, GE Vernova, Hitachi Energy (ABB), and Siemens relays.
- Deep understanding of transmission line protection schemes (line differential, step distance, pilot) and substation protection schemes (transformer, bus, breaker failure, capacitor).
- Experience preparing and reviewing high-quality technical reports and settings packages.
- Experience mentoring and technically reviewing the work of other engineers.
- Strong client-facing communication skills and the ability to work with staff in remote office locations.
- Willingness and ability to travel to customer sites, offices, or testing labs on an occasional basis.
Favorable if you have:
- Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a power systems emphasis.
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Professional Engineer (PE) license.
- Experience with Duke Energy protection standards and settings philosophies.
- NERC PRC compliance experience.
- Familiarity with SEL AcSELerator QuickSet / Grid Configurator, GE Vernova EnerVista, and Hitachi PCM600.
- Python or VBA automation of settings workflows.
Original Posting:November 10, 2026
Pay Range:Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
