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Power System Protection Relay Engineer information

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$56K

$117.7K

$179.5K

How much do power system protection relay engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for power system protection relay engineer in the United States is $117,702.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,000.00 and $134,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Power System Protection Relay Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Power System Protection Relay Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, with expertise in power systems and relay protection principles, typically supported by a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard protection relays (e.g., SEL, ABB, GE), relay coordination software, and relevant standards (such as IEEE and NERC) is essential, along with certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) being advantageous. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies are critical for ensuring system reliability, minimizing outages, and safeguarding equipment and personnel in complex electrical networks.

What are some common challenges faced by Power System Protection Relay Engineers in the field?

Power System Protection Relay Engineers often encounter challenges such as coordinating protection schemes across complex power grids, ensuring reliable relay settings, and adapting to rapidly evolving technologies. They must troubleshoot and resolve relay misoperations, often under time-sensitive conditions to minimize system downtime. Additionally, keeping up with industry standards and maintaining clear communication with operations, maintenance, and planning teams are essential for effective system protection and safety.

What does a Power System Protection Relay Engineer do?

A Power System Protection Relay Engineer is responsible for designing, installing, testing, and maintaining the protective relays and systems that safeguard electrical power grids and equipment. They ensure that faults or abnormal conditions are quickly detected and isolated to prevent damage and maintain system stability. Their work involves analyzing power system behavior, programming relay settings, conducting system studies, and troubleshooting issues to ensure reliable and safe operation of electrical networks.

What is the difference between Power System Protection Relay Engineer vs Power System Engineer?

AspectPower System Protection Relay EngineerPower System Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires electrical engineering degree, certifications in protection relays (e.g., IEEE, CEA)Requires electrical engineering degree, often with power systems specialization
Work EnvironmentDesigning, testing, and commissioning protection relay systems in substations and power plantsPlanning, analyzing, and managing overall power system operations and infrastructure
Industry UsageFocused on protection schemes, relay settings, and fault analysisBroader scope including system stability, load flow, and grid integration

The Power System Protection Relay Engineer specializes in designing and maintaining protection relay systems to ensure grid safety, while the Power System Engineer oversees the overall power network operations. Both roles require electrical engineering expertise but differ in focus and responsibilities.

More about Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Power System Protection Relay Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs are:
Power System Protection Relay Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Power System Protection Relay Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, and 25% Contract. Highlights an 87% In-person, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,702 per year, or $56.6 per hour.
Senior Power System Protection Engineer

Senior Power System Protection Engineer

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

Boise, ID • On-site

$97K - $144K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 9 days ago

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Based on 41 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

5th of 139 rated electronics manufacturers

Job description

The Senior Power Systems Protection Engineer serves as a technical leader and subject matter expert in the design, application, and advancement of protection systems for electric power networks. This role leads complex protection engineering efforts, contributes to innovative solutions, mentors engineers, and represents the organization through training, publications, and industry engagement. The position requires deep technical expertise, strong communication skills, and a commitment to quality, innovation, and SEL values.
Technical Leadership & Engineering Excellence
  • Lead the specification, design, implementation, testing, and validation of advanced power system protection schemes and protective relay applications.
  • Serve as a technical authority for the application of protective relays, including relay selection, settings development, coordination, testing, and commissioning support.
  • Apply expert-level understanding of power system behavior to protect, monitor, and control transmission and distribution systems.
  • Provide technical guidance and oversight for complex or non-standard protection applications.

Innovation & Thought Leadership
  • Research, develop, and evaluate new and emerging power system protection solutions, methodologies, and technologies.
  • Contribute to the development of internal technical standards, best practices, and engineering methodologies.
  • Analyze industry challenges and misoperations to improve protection reliability and performance.

Knowledge Sharing & Mentorship
  • Mentor and develop early- and mid-career engineers through technical coaching, formal mentoring, and peer review.
  • Deliver technical training to internal teams and external customers on protection concepts, relay applications, and new solutions.
  • Author technical papers, white papers, and application guides, and present at industry conferences, seminars, and customer events.

Collaboration & Professional Impact
  • Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality, timely engineering deliverables.
  • Communicate complex technical concepts clearly through written documentation, presentations, and training materials.
  • Represent the organization as a trusted technical expert with customers, partners, and industry stakeholders.

Culture & Values
  • Model and apply SEL Values, Principles of Operations, and World Class Manufacturing principles in daily work.
  • Demonstrate the SEL philosophy: Understand. Create. Simplify.

Required Qualifications
  • BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.
  • Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in electric power systems, with a strong emphasis on power system protection.
  • Demonstrated expertise in:
    • Power system protection principles and philosophies
    • Protection system analysis and relay application
    • Power system modeling and analysis, including EMT and stability studies
  • Proven ability to communicate complex technical information effectively through writing, presentations, and technical training.
  • Ability to lead technical work independently while collaborating effectively in a team environment.
  • Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time.
  • Ability to learn new technologies and assume increasing technical responsibility.
  • Satisfactory background check results as required by SEL.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Hands-on experience applying SEL protective relays in utility, industrial, or renewable power system environments.
  • Field experience with protection system commissioning, troubleshooting, and misoperation analysis.
  • Experience authoring and presenting technical papers or tutorials at protective relay or power system conferences.

*Please attach transcripts to application
Location
Pullman, WA
Boise, ID
Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work.
People are at the core of our company and we hire employee-owners. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.
  • We're 100% employee owned. Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options.
  • We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
  • We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay.
  • We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.
  • Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits.

Pay Range Data
Power Engineer $97,740 - $144,460
Lead Power Engineer $115,300 - $170,400
Development Lead Engineer $136,100 - $201,100
Senior Engineer $160,600 - $237,300
We are open to reviewing additional candidates with more or less experience and the pay range may differ if filled at a different level. Our pay ranges are determined by job and responsibility. We base our starting pay offer and title on job-related factors such as candidate experience, training, knowledge, and skills.
Communication with Applicants
We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at careers@selinc.com.
SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.

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