Freelance Relay Protection Control Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Sargent & Lundy is seeking a Lead 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. 

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 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 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 inservice protection systems.
• Familiarity with utility standards and practices for documentation, settings management, and change control.

Sargent & Lundy values the appropriate use of technology to improve how work gets done and deliver high-quality outcomes for our clients. Depending on the role, employees may use data, automation, artificial intelligence, and other digital tools to support research, analysis, engineering and design activities, workflow improvement, or other aspects of their work. We value candidates who demonstrate an interest in learning and effectively using emerging technologies where relevant to their role. Employees remain accountable for their work and are expected to apply appropriate professional judgment and review when using technology-assisted tools. Experience with AI, automation, programming, or similar technologies is valued where relevant but is not required unless specifically identified elsewhere in the job description.

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 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

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.