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Relay Protection Engineer Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

K&A Engineering Consulting

Senior Substation Engineer

Oak Brook, IL · On-site

$100K - $130K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Lead overall protection design for all capital projects and define relay protection functionality ... Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) with a strong background and knowledge of all ...

City of Springfield, Illinois

Engineer

Springfield, IL · On-site

$75K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... relay protection, and electric operations. * Support capital improvement projects including project development, design review, construction support, testing, and commissioning. * Assist with system ...

GAI Consultants

Relay Settings EIT 2

Lisle, IL · On-site +1

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

GAI Consultants is seeking a Relay Settings Engineer (EIT 2) with protective relay experience for transmission and distribution systems. The successful candidate will work on various substation and ...

GAI Consultants

Relay Settings EIT 2

Lisle, IL · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

GAI Consultants is seeking a Relay Settings Engineer (EIT 2) with protective relay experience for transmission and distribution systems. The successful candidate will work on various substation and ...

EPS

Sr. Relay Technician

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

$55 - $90/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Electric Power Systems (EPS) is a NETA-accredited independent electrical testing and engineering ... Analyze protection schemes for power circuits and other power system components. * Perform ...

EPS

Relay Technician II

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

$40 - $55/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Electric Power Systems (EPS) is a NETA-accredited independent electrical testing and engineering ... Perform installation, commissioning, testing and maintenance of protective relaying equipment.

EPS

Sr. Relay Technician

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

$55 - $90/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Electric Power Systems (EPS) is a NETA-accredited independent electrical testing and engineering ... Analyze protection schemes for power circuits and other power system components. * Perform ...

EPS

Relay Technician II

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

$40 - $55/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

Electric Power Systems (EPS) is a NETA-accredited independent electrical testing and engineering ... Perform installation, commissioning, testing and maintenance of protective relaying equipment.

Hansoninc

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design

Peotone, IL · On-site

$147K - $175K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design Position: Full-Time Location: Any (Florida and Illinois ... Support breaker, transformer, relay, and protection scheme selection and integration. * Ensure ...

Hansoninc

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design

Monee, IL · On-site

$147K - $175K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design Position: Full-Time Location: Any (Florida and Illinois ... Support breaker, transformer, relay, and protection scheme selection and integration. * Ensure ...

Hansoninc

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design

Rockford, IL · On-site

$147K - $175K/yr

  • Medical

  • Retirement

Electrical Engineer - Substation Design Position: Full-Time Location: Any (Florida and Illinois ... Support breaker, transformer, relay, and protection scheme selection and integration. * Ensure ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsRelay Protection Engineer JobsRelay Protection Engineer Jobs in Illinois

Relay Protection Engineer information

See Illinois salary details

$65.4K

$114.4K

$178.3K

How much do relay protection engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for relay protection engineer in Illinois is $114,387.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $99,300.00 and $126,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a relay protection engineer?

To thrive as a Relay Protection Engineer, you need a strong background in electrical engineering, power systems analysis, and relay protection principles, often supported by a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Proficiency with protection relay test equipment, power system simulation software (such as ETAP or SEL), and familiarity with industry standards like IEEE and NERC are commonly required, along with certifications such as Professional Engineer (PE) being advantageous. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, teamwork, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for this role. These skills enable accurate system protection designs, reliable operation, and clear collaboration with operations and maintenance teams to ensure electrical grid reliability.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a relay protection engineer?

A Relay Protection Engineer's daily tasks often include reviewing and designing protection schemes for substations and transmission lines, configuring and testing relay settings, and analyzing system events or faults to determine causes and solutions. They may also be responsible for drafting technical reports and documentation, coordinating with other engineers and field technicians, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards. Team collaboration is frequent, as projects often require input from system planning, operations, and maintenance staff. On-the-job learning is ongoing, with opportunities to work on diverse projects and advance into specialized roles or leadership positions over time.

What is a relay protection engineer?

A Relay Protection Engineer is responsible for designing, testing, and maintaining protective relay systems used in power grids to ensure electrical equipment operates safely and reliably. They analyze system faults, coordinate relay settings, and troubleshoot failures to prevent damage to transformers, generators, and transmission lines. Their role involves working with utilities, industrial plants, and substations to enhance power system stability and efficiency.

What are the most commonly searched types of Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois?

The most popular types of Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

What are popular job titles related to Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois?

For Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois look for?

The top searched job categories for Relay Protection Engineer jobs in Illinois are:

Relay Protection Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Relay Protection Engineer job openings in Illinois as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $114,387 per year, or $55 per hour.

Senior Substation Engineer

K&A Engineering Consulting

Oak Brook, IL • On-site

$100K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

K&A Power Group - is a privately held company, providing comprehensive consulting, engineering and design, program/project management, construction management, and support services to power utility and industrial clients. Specializing in substation, transmission, distribution, distributed energy resources, and EPC services, we excel in solving complex challenges with precision-driven solutions. We pride ourselves on employing top talent, fostering a culture of excellence, and building meaningful relationships with clients and employees.
Powered By Innovation, Passion, And Purpose.
Start your K&A Career:
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Senior Substation Engineer to join our team at K&A Engineering in Oakbrook, IL. In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on exciting and challenging projects that make a real impact in the energy and utility sectors. You'll be part of a dynamic, people-focused team where your expertise, ideas, and contributions will be valued and celebrated.
Role Expectations:
  • Perform detailed review of all existing protection schemes present in the subject area to incorporate into new design. Special areas of focus are anti-islanding schemes, generator intertie settings, SPS schemes, etc. (anything outside of normal). Basically, the goal is to ensure that we don't remove required protections already in place or at least be aware of how things work today before we modify existing schemes.
  • Lead overall protection design for all capital projects and define relay protection functionality/scheme in accordance with client standards
  • Review contractor provided relay settings, logic diagrams (including Goose messaging diagrams), and operational descriptions for all capital projects
  • Review/perform area relay coordination and determine what level of area coordination is required/needed (based on changes in fault duty and overall system performance due to the project changes)
  • Review contractor provided relay settings for all temporary builds and construction sequence steps including mobile settings
  • Review/provide input to Customer's Aspen model changes as required for individual capital projects
  • Provide design support during implementation/testing and commissioning of the above the items
  • Provide feedback to Customer on existing TM standards and help refine the Customer's design practices
  • Ensure all as-built documentation gets filed appropriately in the plant filing location at Customer
  • Lead overall automation and integration design for all capital projects
  • Review/design SCADA point indexes
  • Review contractor provided HMI screens/settings for all capital projects
  • Review/design Protection settings and settings basis
  • Review/design IED Data Maps
  • Review/create substation level operational descriptions (HMI operation, relay front panel operation, etc.)
  • Review automated maintenance data gathering (Digital Substation Data) point lists
  • Track all required licenses/firewalls and key automation and integration deliverables needed for project implementation
  • Provide design support during implementation/testing and commissioning of the above items
  • Perform constructability review and ensure adequate automation and integration coverage is available for each outage step (SCADA etc.)

What we're looking for:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) with a strong background and knowledge of all utilities engineering disciplines
  • 6+ years or more of relay/protection settings engineering experience
  • Proficient in Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
  • Proven experience in Substation Design should include general arrangement, electrical equipment plans, elevation and section views, Equipment cable trays, cable design, conduit fill calcs, rigid bus calcs
  • Professional level skills in MicroStation, AutoCAD
  • PE requested

Pay Range $100,000-$130,000/annually
Why Join K&A?
People-First Culture: We put our people at the center of everything we do, creating an environment where your professional and personal growth is a top priority.
Innovation & Learning:We encourage continuous learning and invest in your development through training, mentorship, and hands-on experience.
Collaborative Team Environment: We believe in the power of collaboration and working together to achieve the best outcomes for our clients and employees.
Recognition & Growth: We've earned our reputation through uncompromising precision and a commitment to excellence. As an agile and fast-growing company, we offer plenty of opportunities for your career advancement and growth.
Competitive Compensation & Benefits:We offeracomprehensive benefits package for eligible classified employees, including but not limited to:
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
  • FSA, HSA, and Dependent Care Spending Account
  • 401K (Traditional and Roth with Company Match)
  • Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA)
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Paid Holidays and Flexible PTO
  • Tuition Reimbursement, Parking and Transit Reimbursement, and Pet Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability, Short-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
  • EAP (Employee Assistance Program)

Check out our career page for more information!
The salary range for this role considers a wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to technical ability, experience and training, licenses and certifications, and other related skillsets. The disclosed range is an estimate and has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled.

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