Sargent & Lundy

Lead System Protection Engineer 2 - Grid

Sargent & Lundy$134K — $205K *
Energy & Utilities
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent.
  • 10+ years of experience in system protection engineering for transmission/substation projects.
  • Hands-on experience with relay settings and protection studies.
  • Strong knowledge of system protection and relay logic concepts.
  • Proficient with CAPE/ASPEN and relay configuration tools like SEL AcSELerator.

Responsibilities

  • Lead protection philosophy development for transmission lines and substations.
  • Conduct system protection studies including short-circuit analysis and relay coordination.
  • Configure and troubleshoot protective relays using vendor software.
  • Manage relay records and settings in utility databases like Powerbase.
  • Support event analysis and recommendations for protection scheme adjustments.

Benefits

  • Hybrid work arrangement with 3 days in-office flexibility.
  • Generous relocation package based on location.
  • Comprehensive benefits package reflecting commitment to employee well-being.
Full Job Description
Description

Sargent & Lundy is seeking a Senior System Protection Engineer to join our Grid Services team. This individual will have primary responsibility for system protection engineering—including relay settings, protection philosophies, and power system studies—with a secondary role in supporting and reviewing substation protection & control (P&C) design for highvoltage transmission and substation projects. Responsibilities include:

Lead the development and application of protection philosophies and settings for:

  • Transmission lines
  • Power transformers and autotransformers
  • Buses and breakers
  • Capacitor and reactor banks
  • Station service and auxiliary systems

Perform system protection studies, including:

  • Shortcircuit analysis
  • Relay coordination and timecurrent curve development
  • Protection settings development and verification using CAPE and/or ASPEN (or equivalent tools

Configure, set, and troubleshoot microprocessorbased protective relays using vendor software such as SEL AcSELerator, EnerVista, and other major OEM relay software platforms.

Use Powerbase (or similar utility databases) to:

  • Manage relay records, settings, and configuration data
  • Align settings and documentation with client standards and changemanagement processes

Support event analysis and misoperation investigations, including:

  • Retrieval and interpretation of relay event records and oscillography
  • Recommendations for settings or scheme adjustments
  • Ensure that protection schemes and settings comply with client standards, NERC PRC requirements, IEEE/ANSI standards, and good utility practice.

Develop and review P&C design documents in coordination with substation design teams, including:

  • AC/DC onelines and threelines
  • Protection and control schematics
  • Wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, and panel layouts
  • Bills of material related to protection and control systems

Provide system protection requirements and markups to guide P&C design:

  • CT/VT ratios and burdens
  • Trip, close, and interlock logic
  • Communications and channel requirements for protection schemes

Support commissioning and field energization by:

  • Reviewing and commenting on relay and functional test plans
  • Responding to RFIs and field questions related to protection and control
  • Assisting with resolution of protection issues during construction and startup

This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, with the expectation of spending three days a week in the office, giving you the flexibility to work remotely for two days.

Dependent upon your location, this opportunity offers a generous relocation package.

Qualifications

We do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Essential skills and experience:

  • Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABETaccredited program (or equivalent).
  • 10 or more years of experience in system protection engineering for transmission and/or substation projects, including:
    • Significant handson responsibility for relay settings and protection studies.
  • Strong background in system protection and relay logic, including:
    • Line, transformer, bus, breaker failure, and capacitor/reactor protection philosophies.
  • Proven experience performing fault studies and relay coordination using CAPE and/or ASPEN (or equivalent protection analysis tools).
  • Proficiency with at least some of the following relay configuration and settings tools:
    • SEL AcSELerator
    • EnerVista
    • Other major OEM relay software
  • Experience working with Powerbase or similar relay/asset databases for managing settings and protection data.
  • Demonstrated ability to check and interpret P&C drawings:
    • Onelines, threelines, schematics, wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, and panel layouts.
  • Familiarity with applicable IEEE, ANSI, and NERC/PRC standards related to protection and control.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work directly with:
    • Utility clients
    • Equipment manufacturers
    • Construction and commissioning teams
  • Proven experience leading portions of projects, coordinating with multidisciplinary teams, and meeting schedule and quality requirements.

Valued but not required skills and experience:

  • Professional Engineer (P.E.) license or the ability to obtain a P.E. within a reasonable timeframe.
  • Experience with protection and control design and settings for a range of voltage levels (e.g., 69 kV230 kV and above).
  • Experience developing and reviewing P&C design documents in coordination with substation design teams.
  • Prior consulting and utility engineering experience supporting utility or ISO/RTO clients.
  • Experience supporting field commissioning, relay testing, and troubleshooting of inservice protection systems.
  • Familiarity with utility standards and practices for documentation, settings management, and change control.

AI & Automation at Sargent & Lundy

In this role, we expect people to be willing or able to lead others who use modern tools:

  • You are expected to lead others in taking engineering problems from issue to solution by setting expectations for using data and modern tools such as automation and AI to improve workflows, reduce rework, and deliver cost-effective designs.
  • Leaders in these roles often direct automation and process-improvement work, for example, how teams automate calculations, summarize technical documents, or generate design documentation and guiding when and how AI or agentic AI tools are used while ensuring results are checked.
  • Overseeing engineers who program or script (e.g., Python, MATLAB, advanced Excel) to automate engineering tasks, with review of automated outputs, is valued but not required.
  • We also value additional learning, such as a minor, certificate, or other experience in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields that enables effective oversight of automation and agentic AI-enabled engineering workflows.

Compensation Range$134,546 - $205,557

Transparency StatementSargent & Lundy discloses compensation ranges that comply with all local and state regulations. The total compensation package for eligible positions will include a base salary or an hourly rate and a comprehensive benefits package, reflecting our commitment to rewarding performance and supporting the overall well-being of our employees. Individuals may also be eligible to participate in our yearly discretionary bonus.

About Sargent & Lundy

Sargent & Lundy is an engineering consulting firm that provides comprehensive engineering, energy business consulting, and project services for power generation and transmission projects. The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Sargent & Lundy has a team of over 2,000 professionals who have extensive experience in the power industry and can provide clients with innovative solutions to complex challenges. The company has worked on a wide range of projects including nuclear power plants, fossil fuel power plants, and renewable energy projects.
Learn more about Sargent & Lundy
Size
2,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1891

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