Lead Protection & Control Engineer

Position Overview

Power your Future with Qualus as a Lead Protection & Control Engineer.

As a Lead Substation P&C Engineer, you’ll serve as the technical subject matter expert, leading the design of high-voltage substations that power communities and critical infrastructure. You'll develop innovative, code-compliant engineering solutions, mentor junior engineers, and help drive technical excellence across complex utility projects. Working closely with clients and across cross-functional teams, you'll influence project success from concept through construction while ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and reliability. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving challenging technical problems, developing others, and making a lasting impact on the future of the electric grid. 

This position may be performed remotely from within the United States. While remote candidates are encouraged to apply, candidates located near one of the following Qualus office locations and available for a hybrid schedule are preferred:

• Chattanooga, TN
• Farmington, UT
• Fort Worth, TX
• Lake Mary, FL
• Raleigh, NC
• Reno, NV
• Ridgeland, MS
• Trussville, AL
• Westborough, MA

Incentives

• Flexible work schedules that support work-life balance and individual needs.
• Opportunities for remote and hybrid work arrangements, depending on role and location.
• Competitve sign-on bonus and relocation assistance opportunities for eligible candidates.
• Refer-a-friend bonus program that rewards employees for helping grow our team.
• Ongoing career development opportunities, including training, mentorship, and advancement pathways.
• Exposure to challenging and impactful projects that help shape the future of the utility and energy industries. 

Responsibilities

• Design substation protection and control systems utilizing applicable codes and client standards (if available).
  • Typical design to include one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, AC and DC schematics, logic diagrams, functional diagrams, panel layouts, wiring and connection diagrams, interconnection diagrams, communications systems, bill of materials, and SCADA systems.
• Develop protective relaying and control system designs for transmission and distribution substations.
• Develop relay protection schemes, relay settings criteria, control philosophies, and associated engineering calculations.
• Create equipment and material specifications for procurement of engineered equipment, as well as development of design scope and cost estimates.
• Complete conceptual protection and control designs and layouts for new and existing substation facilities.
• Prepare additional support documentation as needed to assist procurement, construction, commissioning, and operation/maintenance of systems being designed.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams, clients, vendors, and contractors to ensure successful project execution and resolution of technical issues.
• Lead and participate in client meetings and job site visits to collect design data, present engineering solutions, resolve technical issues, and support project execution.
• Lead and ensure compliance with the company’s Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) processes, including technical review and approval of engineering design packages.
• Provide technical mentorship and oversight to junior engineers and designers, including reviewing calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance with project requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited institution.
• 10+ years of experience in Substation protection & control design engineering.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. 
• Excellent document management and organization skills. 
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and interact professionally with clients and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• Professional Engineering (P.E.) License.
• Prior experience performing protection & control engineering for electric utility transmission and distribution substations.
• Experience supporting substations ranging from 12kV to 500kV.
• Knowledge of applicable industry standards and codes, including IEEE, NESC, NEC, ANSI, and utility-specific protection & control standards.
• Experience serving as a Lead Engineer or technical lead on substation protection & control projects.
• Experience mentoring and providing technical guidance to junior engineers and designers.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary project teams and engineering deliverables.
• Direct client-facing experience with electric utility customers.
• Experience with protective relaying, control systems, SCADA integrations, and substation protection and control design, including relay coordination and associated engineering calculations.
• Experience supporting equipment procurement, vendor drawing reviews, and construction-phase engineering support.
• Familiarity with industry-standard relay platforms and systems, including SEL, GE Vernova, Siemens, ABB/Hitachi Energy, or similar manufacturers.

Benefits & Compensation


Company Overview

Qualus is a leading pure-play power solutions firm and innovator at the forefront of power infrastructure transformation, with differentiated capabilities across grid modernization, resiliency, security, and sustainability. The firm partners with utilities, commercial, industrial, data center, and government clients, and renewable and energy storage developers, offering comprehensive solutions through boutique and integrated advisory, planning, engineering, digital solutions, program management, energy efficiency and specialized field services. Qualus also provides software and technology enabled services and develops breakthrough solutions for critical power industry challenges such as distributed and variable resource integration, emergency management, and secure data exchange. The firm has over 2,000 professionals, with offices throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on any grounds protected by applicable human rights legislation across Canada and the US.

We are committed to a secure and transparent hiring process. We do not request payment or sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers or banking details, during the application process. Please use caution and verify opportunities through our official channels.