Lead Protective Relay Test Commissioning Engineer Jobs

Job Description

This role focuses on testing, commissioning, maintaining, and troubleshooting protective relays and protection-and-control systems in utility substations and power stations throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. You support major utility infrastructure upgrades driven by rapid data center growth and increasing electrical demand, with a strong emphasis on safety, technical excellence, and reliable power system performance. Mid-level and Senior technicians work with advanced relay test equipment and software to analyze, validate, and document relay operation for transmission, distribution, and generation facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead site safety briefings and actively drive hazard identification and mitigation efforts at substations and power stations.
• Install, commission, and function test substation control circuits, relay panels, transformers, breakers, and associated protection equipment.
• Perform protective relay testing, including functional, acceptance, maintenance, and end-to-end testing using relay test equipment and software platforms such as OMICRON and similar systems.
• Analyze protection schemes for power systems, including relay logic, control circuits, and relay settings, to ensure correct coordination and operation.
• Review and validate relay settings, analyze event records, and troubleshoot complex relay and control issues in utility substations and generation facilities.
• Calibrate and test both electromechanical and microprocessor-based protective relays, ensuring accurate and reliable performance.
• Read, interpret, and work from protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams.
• Execute relay commissioning activities, including end-to-end protection system testing and verification of protection and control schemes.
• Perform protection system troubleshooting, diagnose equipment and scheme issues, and implement corrective actions to restore proper operation.
• Support testing and commissioning in transmission substations, distribution substations, and generation facilities, following utility standards and procedures.
• Serve as the on-site technical lead, interface directly with customers, and represent the organization professionally during field assignments.
• Provide technical guidance on protection and control practices, relay applications, and substation testing methodologies.
• Train, coach, and mentor junior relay technicians and relay engineers to develop their protection and control skills and field experience.
• For Senior-level technicians, independently plan, coordinate, and execute testing and commissioning activities and lead substation projects from start to finish.
• Collaborate with utilities, utility contractors, EPCs, testing and commissioning firms, and substation service companies to deliver high-quality field services.
• Document test results, relay settings, and commissioning activities accurately and clearly, following internal and utility reporting requirements.
• Travel regionally to various substation and generation sites to support ongoing infrastructure upgrade programs and project needs.

Essential Skills

• Approximately 5 years of relay and protection-and-control (P&C) experience for mid-level Relay Technicians.
• 5–7+ years of relay and protection-and-control (P&C) experience for Senior Relay Technicians, including utility-level relay work.
• Hands-on experience with protective relay testing, including functional, acceptance, maintenance, and end-to-end testing.
• Proven relay commissioning experience in utility substations and power stations.
• Strong background in protection and controls, including protection schemes, relay logic, and control circuits.
• Demonstrated ability to perform protection system troubleshooting and resolve relay and control issues.
• Utility substation experience supporting transmission substations, distribution substations, and generation facilities.
• Ability to read, interpret, and work from protection and control drawings, wiring diagrams, one-line diagrams, relay schematics, and logic diagrams.
• Experience using relay testing platforms such as OMICRON or equivalent systems.
• Capability to work under the guidance of a Senior Relay Technician for mid-level roles, with strong relay and P&C fundamentals.
• Capability to independently execute testing and commissioning activities and lead projects for Senior-level roles.
• Experience mentoring junior technicians for Senior-level roles.
• Ability to travel regionally to support multiple substation and generation projects.

Work Environment

You work in a field-based environment focused on utility substations, power stations, and generation facilities across Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and surrounding regions. The role involves regional travel to transmission and distribution substations and data center-driven infrastructure projects, often working outdoors and in energized substation environments under strict safety protocols. You regularly use advanced relay testing technologies such as OMICRON and similar platforms, as well as a range of electrical test equipment and tools. The organization offers long-term project stability, driven by sustained data center growth and increasing electrical demand, and provides access to a dedicated technical training center with a structured NETA advancement program and incentives for NETA II certification. You benefit from the stability and resources of a large national organization combined with a specialized power systems engineering and field services focus. Work typically follows utility project schedules and may include occasional extended hours to meet commissioning milestones, with appropriate field attire and personal protective equipment required in accordance with safety standards.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Odessa, TX.

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

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

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 Odessa,TX.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 22, 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 withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment 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 thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall 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 applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.