System Protection Engineer (Entry, Staff, and Senior)

Are you looking for an exciting job where you can put your skills and talents to work at a company you can feel proud to be a part of? Do you want a workplace that will challenge you and offer you opportunities to learn and grow?  A  position at Xcel Energy could be just what you’re looking for.

The below job summary and responsibilities reflects the duties of the entry-level Engineer; Staff and Senior levels will differ as less skills and/or experience will be required.  The successful candidate will be placed at a level that is commensurate with the candidate's skills and experience.

Position Summary

System Protection Engineers work with transmission planning and substation/transmission engineering group to scope and execute capital projects. We also maintain compliance with several NERC PRC Standards. We support other departments (i.e. planning, operations, and field engineering) in day-to-day operations of the electric transmission and distribution systems.

This is an entry level position designed to develop technical expertise in a particular area of specialty. Performs work that involves conventional types of plans, investigations, surveys, structures or equipment with relatively few complex features for which there are precedents. Activities are of limited scope requiring knowledge of principles and techniques commonly employed in the specific narrow area of assignments. May lead small-medium, non-critical projects and/or provide field oversight of critical projects under direction of higher-level engineer or supervisor. Work is reviewed for soundness of technical judgment, overall adequacy and accuracy. As proficiency is gained, may work on portions of larger projects. Works under supervision and follows established procedures. May supervise or coordinate the work of interns, drafters, craft personnel, technicians and/or others.

Essential Responsibilities

• Uses and applies technical standards, principles, theories, concepts, and techniques to perform activities/assignments of limited scope.

• Supports the development of technical documentation (including but not limited to designs, testing, calculations, reports, standards, etc.) Utilizes and may assist with the development of procedures.

• Provides ongoing technical support for project activities within areas such as Operations, Maintenance, Testing/diagnostics, Regulatory, etc. May provide field engineering oversight for activities such as commissioning, testing, inspections etc. under direct supervision.

• Coordinates/leads projects or portions of projects (including phases such as research, design, equipment selection, procurement support, installation and commissioning), under the direction of a higher-level engineer or supervisor.

• Under the direction of a higher-level engineer/supervisor, supports bid/evaluation processes by performing basic analysis and calculations on existing documentation and materials that support the preparation of bid documents. In completing segments of technical evaluations for proposals may need to effectively communicate with other business areas of the company following appropriate processes.

• Effectively exchanges information in all formats, on matters having a wide range of importance and complexity both inter-organizationally and with outside customer/vendors.

• May coordinate the work of interns, drafters, technicians, and/or others and provides guidance and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Responsible for continuous self-development of technical skills and competencies.

• May perform activities such as budgeting, estimating, forecasting, accounting, work order management, in support of engineering projects.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Perform electric transmission/distribution event investigation and corrective action plan as necessary.

• Responsible for company compliance with a variety of NERC PRC standards. PRC-002, PRC-004, PRC-023/25, PRC-027.

• Provide electric transmission/distribution substation protection system recommendations and calculation/documentation of relay settings for projects.

• Assist field operations in testing and troubleshooting protection relay issues.

• Evaluation of new technologies offering for protection of electric transmission and distribution.

• Performing short circuit, transient studies for projects.

• Performing transmission and distribution protection relay coordination studies.

Entry Level Minimum Requirements ($66,000-$84,400)

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