Protection And Controls Engineer Jobs in Chattanooga, TN

• Opportunity.OpportunityDetail.PostedLabel : August 17, 2026

PDS 8 / Power Delivery Substation

This position is not eligible for recruiting or sourcing by outside parties.

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Mesa seeks a Senior Substation Protection & Controls (P&C) Engineer who’s ready to lead protection and control design for clients across the United States. You’ll be the licensed engineer on the team, guiding designs from scoping through energization within our Power Delivery Substation group.

• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license – Required.
• 8+ Years of transmission substation P&C design experience in the electric utility industry for voltage ranges spanning from 12kV to 230kV+.
• Deep protection expertise – CTs, VTs, differential protection, breaker and line protection, and the standards behind them (IEEE, NESC).
• Design software proficiency – Expert with AutoCAD; comfortable with Bluebeam Revu for design markups and reviews.
• Client-facing communicator – Able to lead design reviews, kickoffs, and scope discussions directly with utility clients.
• Independent project owner – Drives complex packages from scoping through closeout with minimal oversight, anticipating risks and resolving them before they hit the schedule.
• Mentor by default – Naturally develops junior and mid-level engineers; sets the bar on design quality, documentation, and QA discipline for the team around you.
• Location – Located within commuting distance of Knoxville, TN or Chattanooga, TN.
• Travel availability – Willing to travel to client sites for periodic site visits, typically 1–2 single-night trips per month.

• Stamped deliverables – As the PE on the team, review, stamp, and seal P&C drawings, calculations, and design packages that require it.
• Client conversation on technical scope – Serve as the P&C point of contact for assigned clients; lead design reviews and present design rationale.
• A team of engineers and designers – Mentor junior and mid-level staff, guide them through standards and calculation methods, and set the technical direction on protection design.
• Standards and best practices – Shape Mesa’s internal P&C standards, calculation templates, QA checklists, and lessons‑learned library.
• Proposal and estimating support – Partner with proposal teams to scope P&C effort and contribute technical narratives for RFP responses.

• Lead the design of single-line/three-line diagrams, panel layouts, AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, battery sizing calculations, and BoMs for medium- to large-scale transmission substation projects.
• Review and approve deliverables produced by the team; conduct peer reviews and final QA to ensure work meets code, client requirements, and Mesa’s internal QA procedures.
• Coordinate with Relay Settings, Substation Physical, Scoping, and other disciplines to keep multi-discipline packages aligned.
• Own client communication on P&C scope: kickoffs, design reviews, RFI responses, change orders, and closeout documentation.
• Identify process improvements and develop internal time‑saving tools, templates, and standards that scale across the group.
• Support hiring and onboarding by participating in interviews and ramping new engineers onto active projects.

• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Pay - 10 Days Annually
• Life Insurance (Company Paid)
• Disability Insurance (Company Paid)
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• 401(k) Matching Contribution
• Section 125/Cafeteria Plan
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Fitness Center Reimbursement
• Annual Performance Bonus
• 9/80 Work Schedule Option
• FSA and HSA Options

Notice to External Search Firms: Mesa Associates, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be obligated to pay a placement fee for unsolicited resumes. Mesa Associates, Inc. Talent Acquisition engages with approved search firms directly for specific hiring needs.

: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

: Inspired to perform without outside help

Transmission substation P&C design experience in the electric utility industry for voltage ranges spanning from 12kV to 230kV+

Prof Engineering (PE)

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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