System Protection Engineer

Why you should join our team

As VELCO’s System Protection Engineer, you will be responsible for performing power system studies, develop protective relay settings, maintain various engineering software models and troubleshoot and analyze system disturbances.

How you will make an impact

• Maintain system short circuit models and miscellaneous software databases

• Perform short circuit studies, fault clearing studies and similar analytical studies and deliver results and recommendations in engineering reports

• Develop power system analysis electrical computations and relay coordination studies associated with protective equipment

• Development of protective relay setting basis documentation, setting files and associated test plans for transmission assets and interconnected sub-transmission & distribution

• Perform analysis of protective relay system operations resulting from system disturbances and explain results to System Operations personnel and others requiring this information

• Perform design of protective relay systems and control systems with input from all company departments. Effectively communicate and coordinate with the company technical disciplines to ensure systems and schemes are designed to meet applicable industry standards and the company’s corporate objectives for a safe, reliable and economic transmission system

• Provide engineering support and analytical guidance to the VELCO system operators, system planners, field technical personnel, and the Vermont distribution utilities

• Develop, review and maintenance of company design standards, specifications, engineering procedures, and equipment configuration settings templates

• Work with CAD/GIS group on the development and maintenance of all protection and control drawings

• Assist in the commissioning oversight of new and upgraded substations and their subsystems, on both large and small projects, to insure that systems have been installed and commissioned per the “engineered” design

• Perform other related duties as assigned

Who you are

To thrive in this role, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. A Master’s degree with an emphasis on electrical power systems is preferred. A registered Professional Engineering License from the state of Vermont is expected. The System Protection Engineer will have a minimum of 2-7 years of engineering experience.

VELCO’s commitment to our employees

• Paid Time Off – Everyone needs time off to recharge. New employees are frontloaded with prorated time off dependent upon date of hire

• Sick Leave – We advocate for staying home when you are sick

• Paid Holidays – We observe 11 paid company holidays

• Medical – Select from two comprehensive health plans. Employees have access to a Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account. We allow documented Domestic Partners on our plans

• Dental & Vision – Offers a wide range of covered services

• Wellness Program – Allows you to receive up to $100 per year for reimbursement of approved wellness expenses

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Aids with mental health, stress management, work-life balance, financial and legal matters, and much more

• 401K – We offer a very generous employer match and profit share contribution

• Short Term Incentive Bonus – VELCO proudly offers a yearly incentive bonus based on individual contributions and key performance indicators

• Life Insurance – VELCO paid life insurance and supplemental coverages are available

Important Considerations

• Starting pay will be determined at the time of offer based on the experience, education, and training of the successful candidate.

• Eligible applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

• VELCO is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran

The Fine Print

• Skills and knowledge will include reading and interpreting electrical schematics, performing electrical computations and developing configuration files for microprocessor based protective relaying devices and other substation intelligent electronic devices

• Thorough understanding of electrical engineering principles, practices, and tools

• Proficient with Aspen or equivalent short circuit modelling, and other electrical design, data recording, and analyzation software

• Proficient in MS Office Word and Excel

• Demonstrate knowledge of the per-unit analysis

• Testing and commissioning experience of electrical systems

• Working knowledge of modern microprocessor protective relays and their software packages, i.e. Schweitzer and GE-UR relays and engineering software

• Scripting/Coding; C , Python experience is desired, but not required

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to be both creative and analytical

• Extremely detail-oriented and accurate

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer

• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

• Must be able to travel to various project sites

• Must be able to access and navigate job sites and construction areas

• Must be able to maintain fast pace while completing complex, analytical work, with competing priorities, within tight timelines and with frequent interruptions

• Must be able to work additional hours when necessary

Who VELCO is

VELCO sits at an inflection point of dynamic innovation in an industry undergoing transformation. Our core responsibility to operate a safe and reliable electric transmission system for Vermonters has not changed. How we fulfil that responsibility, however, changes regularly with the evolution of the system we operate and the dynamic demands of the customers we serve. These conditions require that VELCO remain unshakably focused on operational excellence today while anticipating the capabilities we will need to thrive tomorrow. Likewise, the successful Project Estimator will have the capabilities to meet today’s responsibilities while having the foresight and learning orientation to anticipate VELCO’s needs well into the future.

The System Protection Engineer at VELCO is a trusted partner excited to help us realize our Vision to create a sustainable Vermont through our people, assets, relationships and operating model. The System Protection Engineer is someone innately committed to fulfilling our Mission to serve as a Trusted Partner by passionately living our TRUST values (Treating each other with respect; Responding with urgency; Unconditionally supporting one another; Sharing information; and Thinking outside the box).