Lead Substation Protection & Control Engineer

Position Overview

Join Qualus's Transmission & Distribution team in Canada as a Lead Protection & Control Engineer. This role entails providing technical leadership on a variety of projects for utility and renewable clients, covering system voltages from 12 kV up to 500 kV. You will be involved from initial design through to construction and commissioning, with opportunities for mentorship and complex problem-solving.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Protection & Control Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Qualus, overseeing technical governance on multiple programs and projects.
• Develop and maintain standards, philosophies, and best practices related to protection, control, and metering for high-voltage substations.
• Lead engineering on challenging or unique projects, offering final approvals and technical guidance.
• Review and authorize design documentation including protection planning, one-line diagrams, schematics, logic diagrams, and wiring layouts.
• Oversee protection coordination studies and validate relay settings within utility transmission systems, ensuring quality of work performed by others.
• Facilitate senior-level design reviews, risk assessments, and incident investigations.
• Support testing processes such as Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs), Site Acceptance Tests (SATs), and critical field inspections.
• Advise on construction sequencing, outage planning, and commissioning methodologies.
• Engage with client teams on technical, safety, and constructability discussions.
• Provide technical insight for project scoping, feasibility assessments, cost estimation, and risk evaluations during project definition phases.
• Assist Business Development efforts with technical strategies, risk evaluations, and execution planning for proposals.
• Act as a primary point for technical escalations involving clients and partners.
• Mentor engineering staff and contribute to the advancement of Protection & Control standards and tools.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 10-15 years of experience focused on utility-related protection, control, and metering engineering with demonstrated accountability at a system level.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) registration in Canada or eligibility to obtain it; U.S. PE certification is considered advantageous.
• Expertise in substation protection philosophies, including areas such as transmission lines, transformers, bus systems, and feeders.
• Proven track record reviewing and approving detailed P&C designs and deliverables.
• Experience conducting protection coordination studies and determining relay settings in high-voltage transmission environments.
• Proficiency with protection software suites and devices such as ASPEN, CAPE, EasyPower, SKM, and relays from SEL and GE.
• Hands-on experience with substation construction, commissioning, outage planning, and operations.
• Capacity to apply sound technical judgment on complex or novel system applications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with EPC projects and familiarity with utility maintenance and operational protocols are positive assets.
• Demonstrated ability to provide mentorship to junior and senior engineering colleagues.

Additional Information

Qualus offers competitive benefits to qualified employees, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement plans with possible employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs, parental leave, paid time off, and recognized company holidays. Benefits vary by position and location.

The salary for this role depends on various factors such as experience, education, skills, and location, and will be disclosed in accordance with local laws and company policies.

Company Profile

Qualus is a leader in power infrastructure innovation and modernization, providing multidisciplinary power solutions across North America. The company specializes in advisory, engineering, program management, digital and field services for utilities, industrial clients, renewable developers, and government organizations. With over 2,000 professionals across the U.S. and Canada, Qualus focuses on grid resiliency, security, sustainability, and integration of emerging power resources.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The company is committed to workplace diversity and inclusion and does not discriminate on any protected grounds according to applicable human rights laws in Canada and the U.S. The hiring process is secure and transparent, and applicants should be wary of fraud involving requests for payments or personal information.