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Transmission Protection Engineer Jobs in California

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Transmission Protection Engineer information

What is a transmission protection engineer?

Transmission Protection Engineers are specialized electrical engineers who design, implement, and maintain protection systems for high-voltage electrical transmission networks. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the safe and reliable operation of power grids by detecting faults and isolating affected sections to prevent damage and widespread outages. They work with protective relays, circuit breakers, and other equipment to minimize the impact of electrical faults and maintain grid stability. These engineers play a crucial role in both the planning and ongoing operation of power transmission systems.

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

To thrive as a Transmission Protection Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, power systems, and relay protection, typically supported by a relevant engineering degree and professional licensure (such as PE). Familiarity with protection relay software, SCADA systems, and industry standards like IEEE C37 is essential, and certifications like NETA or NERC can be beneficial. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication are standout soft skills in this role. These skills ensure reliable power system operation, minimize outages, and promote safety and regulatory compliance in critical infrastructure.

What are the typical collaboration points between a transmission protection engineer and other engineering teams?

Transmission Protection Engineers regularly collaborate with system planning engineers, substation design teams, and operations personnel. They work closely during the planning and commissioning phases to ensure protection schemes align with system requirements and reliability standards. Effective communication is essential when resolving protection coordination issues or integrating new equipment, as these tasks often require input and approval from multiple teams. This cross-functional collaboration helps maintain grid reliability and ensures projects are completed safely and efficiently.

What is the difference between Transmission Protection Engineer vs Substation Engineer?

AspectTransmission Protection EngineerSubstation Engineer
CertificationsPE license, IEEE certificationsPE license, IEEE certifications
Work EnvironmentDesigning and maintaining protection systems for transmission linesDesigning and managing substation equipment and layouts
Industry UsagePower utilities, transmission companiesPower utilities, substation contractors
Common Search IntentProtection system design, relay coordinationSubstation design, equipment installation

While both roles require similar certifications and work within the power industry, Transmission Protection Engineers focus on designing and maintaining protection systems for high-voltage transmission lines, ensuring system reliability. Substation Engineers, on the other hand, concentrate on substation equipment and layout. Understanding these distinctions helps professionals and employers identify the right expertise for specific power system projects.

What are popular job titles related to Transmission Protection Engineer jobs in California?

For Transmission Protection Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Transmission Protection Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Transmission Protection Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Transmission Protection Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Transmission Protection Engineer job openings:

Transmission Protection Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Transmission Protection Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 81% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 69% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 30% Remote job distribution.

System Protection Engineer

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

West Sacramento, CA • Hybrid

$120K - $193K/yr

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago

Pacific Gas and Electric Company rating

9.0

Company rating: 9.0 out of 10

Based on 47 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

4th of 53 rated energy and utility

Job description

Requisition ID # 172922 

Job Category: Engineering / Science 

Job Level: Individual Contributor

Business Unit: Energy Delivery

Work Type: Hybrid

Job Location: West Sacramento

Department Overview

The Electric Engineering Team ensures the delivery of safe and reliable electric service to our customers. Electric Engineering is responsible for every aspect of PG&E's electric distribution and transmission operations, including planning, system protection engineering, maintenance and construction, asset management, business planning, restoration and emergency response.

Position Summary

This job is represented by Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.

This is a journey-level protection engineer job that requires executing routine protection duties with minimal assistance This position requires a moderate level of training, direction and review of work from more senior engineers and peers. This job is responsible for providing technical protection engineering for routine projects and maintenance/operation support including, but not limited to, issuing protection requirements, relay and automatics settings, processing clearances, and investigating relay operations.

This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The assigned work location will be within the PG&E Service Territory

PG&E is providing the salary range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job.  The actual salary paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreements, and internal equity.

The annual salary range is:

CA Minimum, $120,888

CA Maximum, $193,020

Job Responsibilities

May perform all the functions of Associate System Protection Engineer and in addition:

  • Provide guidance to peers and lower-level engineers
  • Perform protection job duties for transmission voltages 230 kV and below
  • Handle special and complex projects, such as localized special protection scheme and MPAC
  • Perform protection job duties for distribution voltages
  • Handle special and complex projects, such as localized special protection scheme, fast distribution bus pickup scheme, tie cable, Switchgear IPAC, etc.
  • Participate in development of design standards, new tools and new relay schemes

Qualifications

 

Minimum:

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited curriculum in the US or the equivalent from outside the US
  • 3 years of experience in system protection 

Desired

  • Current and active California PE license desired
  • Ability to calculate relay settings for all station automatics schemes, transmission line relaying, transformer bank protection, bus protection, generator protection, and breaker failure schemes
  • Thorough computer application and fault analysis program knowledge
  • Knowledge of symmetrical component theory and ability to perform fault calculations.
  • Basic understanding of logic gate theory and control circuitry
  • Knowledge of electric system protection equipment, instrumentation and test procedures
  • Ability to analyze relay operations and determine fault locations
  • Interprets applicable codes, industry standards and regulations and educates others

What Pacific Gas and Electric Company employees say

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