Lead System Protection Engineer

Westwood Professional Services

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead System Protection Engineer to join our Renewables Substation team. The Lead System Protection Engineer serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the development and QA/QC of the tasks enumerated below. The Lead System Protection Engineer reports directly to the Renewables Substation Engineering Manager – P&C and may have one or more direct reports. He/she will also work with other internal and external project stakeholders to ensure project milestones and expectations of contracted services are met. Westwood has a highly experienced and dynamic team of individuals dedicated to providing high-level professional services to our clients.

Responsibilities:

Performs all system protection and communication design aspects for high voltage (4kV – 230kV) and EHV (above 230kV) substation projects to include:

Development of:

• Protection and Control Specifications
• Relay Settings Calculations
• System Modelling
  • Short Circuit
  • Coordination Studies
  • Arc Flash
• Relay Settings Files
  • Set points
  • I/O mapping and Logic Functions
  • Communication Settings
• Digital Fault Recorders
  • Points List and Trigger Values
  • Configuration Files

Coordination and Cross-Check with other disciplines for consistency in design:

• P&C Drawing Packages
  • One-Lines, 3 Lines, AC/DC Schematics, I/O Tables, Vendor Drawings
• SCADA Packages
  • Points Lists and Data Maps
  • SCADA and Communications Specification
  • SCADA and Communications Equipment and Programming

Technical Support:

• Equipment Specification & Procurement Support
• Construction Support (Remote)
  • Testing and Commissioning Support
  • Troubleshooting Assistance
  • Event Analysis

Other Expectations:

• The person in this role will serve as the technical lead (SME) for all System Protection tasks and deliverables outlined above.
• Mentoring and training less experienced professionals including top graduates entering the field of system protection.
• Maintaining high-quality standards by ensuring team’s adherence to QA/QC processes and providing feedback for continuous improvement.
• Working on diverse projects for different clients, with different utility interconnections, in different areas of the country - with or without settings templates and/or standards.
• Assisting with identification of key client interests and drivers and may determine the key clients in some instances.
• Communicating client interests and drivers to project team members and developing approaches to accommodate these concerns in the performance of the work.
• Attending regular meetings with management to advise on any risks, mitigants, process improvements, and/or team needs to maximize ROI for the group.
• Attending all client technical review meetings.
• Directing and assigning tasks to team members to support milestone deliverables for system protection / relay settings projects.
• Reviewing work (QA/QC) performed by others.
• Evaluating and improving the Westwood System Protection Standards and Best Practices philosophies on a regular and recurring basis.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from a recognized accredited program.
• Minimum of 10 years related work experience in the field of high voltage substation design – System Protection and Relay Settings.
• PE License in at least one state; multiple states preferred.
• Proficient in use of ASPEN OneLiner, ETAP, PowerFactory, CYME Dist, or similar programs.
• Strong familiarity with NERC PRC Requirements, including but not limited to:
  • PRC-019
  • PRC-024
  • PRC-025
  • PRC-027
  • PRC-028
  • PRC-029
  • PRC-030
• Strong familiarity with the NEC and National Electrical Safety Code.
• Good knowledge of industry and technology trends specific to substations.
• Familiarity with SEL family of relays and associated software for programming and analysis.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with settings development and associated tasks for large scale, transmission interconnected Renewable Energy Generation Projects (Wind, Solar, BESS).
• Experience with settings development and associated tasks for large scale Load Interconnections (Datacenters, for example).
• Proficient with wind and solar farm SCADA and Network Requirements and associated designs.
• Proficient in load flow and reactive compensation studies.
• Working knowledge of scheduling and project controls processes.
• Previous project team leadership experience.
• Previous experience as a direct supervisor.

Preferred Interpersonal Skills:

• Superior verbal and written communication skills.
• Driven for results.
• Decision quality.
• Priority setting.
• Planning.
• Conflict management.
• Informing.
• Listening.
• Dealing with ambiguity.
• Customer focus.

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision. We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.