Freelance Protection Relay Testing Jobs in Ashburn, VA

Job Title: Relay Technician / Senior Relay Technician

Job Description

This role supports utility substation testing, commissioning, and protection and controls projects across Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington D.C. metro area, with major activity in Northern Virginia. Relay Technicians and Senior Relay Technicians perform relay testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, maintenance, and support of protection and control systems for transmission, distribution, and generation facilities. The position offers exposure to large-scale utility infrastructure upgrades driven by significant data center growth, advanced technical training, long-term project stability, and clear opportunities for career advancement.

Responsibilities

• Perform protective relay testing and commissioning activities for transmission and distribution substations and generation facilities.
• Conduct functional relay testing, acceptance testing, maintenance testing, and end-to-end testing on protection and control systems.
• Execute relay commissioning tasks, including verification of protection schemes, relay logic, control circuits, and relay settings.
• Troubleshoot protection systems, identify root causes of issues, and implement effective corrective actions.
• Review and interpret protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams to ensure accurate installation and operation.
• Support utility-level substation projects focused on testing, commissioning, maintenance, and upgrades of protection and controls infrastructure.
• Collaborate with project teams to plan and execute testing and commissioning activities safely, efficiently, and in accordance with utility standards and industry best practices.
• Utilize relay testing platforms such as OMICRON and similar systems to perform diagnostic and verification testing.
• Provide technical support during substation outages, cutovers, and energization events, ensuring protection systems operate as designed.
• Travel regionally to project sites, primarily in Northern Virginia and the Washington D.C. metro area, to support ongoing utility infrastructure upgrades.
• For Senior Relay Technicians: independently lead testing and commissioning activities, manage project execution, and mentor junior and mid-level technicians.
• For Mid-Level Relay Technicians: work under the guidance of Senior Relay Technicians, apply strong relay and protection and controls fundamentals, and develop toward independent project leadership.

Essential Skills

• Mid-Level Relay Technician: approximately 3–5 years of hands-on relay and protection and controls (P&C) experience.
• Senior Relay Technician: 5–7+ years of relay and protection and controls (P&C) experience, including utility-level relay work.
• Demonstrated experience in protective relay testing, including functional, acceptance, maintenance, and end-to-end testing.
• Proficiency in relay commissioning and verification of protection schemes, relay logic, control circuits, and relay settings.
• Strong protection and controls fundamentals, including knowledge of protection schemes and system coordination.
• Utility substation experience across transmission substations, distribution substations, and generation facilities.
• Ability to troubleshoot relay and protection systems effectively and resolve technical issues in the field.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from electrical schematics, protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams.
• Experience using relay testing equipment and platforms such as OMICRON or equivalent systems.
• Capability to work under a Senior Relay Technician (mid-level) or independently lead testing and commissioning activities (Senior level).
• Ability to travel regionally as required to support project needs.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Background with utilities, utility contractors, EPC firms, testing and commissioning firms, or substation service companies.
• NETA certification is encouraged but not required; candidates with NETA certification are highly valued.
• OSHA safety certifications (such as OSHA 10 or OSHA 30) are preferred.
• Experience with SEL, ABB, Siemens, and GE protective relays.
• Familiarity with SCADA communications and fiber communications in a utility substation environment.
• Experience on major utility projects, including Dominion Energy and Duke Energy infrastructure programs, is preferred.
• Interest in pursuing NETA advancement, supported by structured training and incentive programs.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, and adherence to utility standards and industry best practices.

Work Environment

The role is field-based, supporting utility substations and related facilities across Northern Virginia and the Washington D.C. metro area, with major project activity in locations such as Ashburn, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Manassas, and surrounding regions. The typical schedule consists of four 10-hour workdays, with regular opportunities for overtime. Sunday work may be compensated at enhanced pay rates. Regional travel is required, and when projects are beyond reasonable commuting distance, travel time is paid, per diem is provided, and hotel accommodations are available. Technicians receive access to a company vehicle or rental vehicle, a laptop, a company phone, and the necessary testing equipment to perform relay testing and commissioning work. The environment centers on large-scale utility infrastructure upgrades driven by data center growth, offering the stability and resources of a large national organization combined with a specialized technical focus on power systems. A dedicated training center and a formal NETA advancement program support ongoing professional development and career growth.

*Per diem, vehicle, gas card offered for traveling individuals as well!

If you have the experience needed, please book time with me here to connect! https://talentassistant.actalentservices.com/assistant/bookings/wwadAhwa

-Anna Johnson

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Ashburn, VA.

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $75.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Ashburn,VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 26, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.