Freelance Relay Protection Control Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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 high‑voltage 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:

• Short‑circuit analysis
• Relay coordination and time‑current curve development
• Protection settings development and verification using CAPE and/or ASPEN (or equivalent tools

Configure, set, and troubleshoot microprocessor‑based 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 change‑management 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 one‑lines and three‑lines
• 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.

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

Essential skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET‑accredited program (or equivalent).
• 7 or more years of experience in system protection engineering for transmission and/or substation projects, including:
  • Significant hands‑on 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:
  • One‑lines, three‑lines, 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 kV–230 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 in‑service protection systems.
• Familiarity with utility standards and practices for documentation, settings management, and change control.

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.

At Sargent & Lundy, we care about the health and well-being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans and generous paid time off to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we are proud to provide competitive, award-winning benefits. Our dedication to employee satisfaction has earned us the prestigious Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for compensation and benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Health & WellnessFinancial BenefitsWork-Life Balance

• Health Plans: Medical, Dental, Vision
• Life & Accident Insurance
• Disability Coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Back-Up Daycare
• FSA & HSA

• 401(k)
• Pre-Tax Commuter Account
• Merit Scholarship Program
• Employee Discount Program
• Corporate Charitable Giving Program
• Tuition Assistance
• First Professional Licensure Bonus
• Employee Referral Bonus

• Paid Annual Personal/Sick Time (PST)
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Bereavement Leave
• Flexible Work Arrangements

$100,019 - $152,807

Sargent & 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.

Sargent & Lundy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by applicable law.