Engineer III | System Protection

The System Protection Engineer III is responsible for specifying, designing, and implementing protection schemes for the transmission system and substations. This role performs complex engineering design, system modifications, and provides economic and analytical support for various projects and programs.

Working under general guidance, the Engineer III applies advanced engineering methods and analysis to develop effective solutions and ensure system reliability. The position may also offer limited technical guidance and leadership to junior engineers or team members. The role includes periodic on-call duties to provide real-time system support and troubleshooting.

Minimum Requirements

Engineer III

A Bachelors degree (4 years) in an engineering discipline or related applied science discipline (see approved list) from an ABET accredited institution, an International Engineering Alliance (IEA) recognized institution or an ABET Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) PLUS

Five (5) years working experience in Engineering-related positions.

Preferred Special Skills, Knowledge or Qualifications :

• Is proficient at feeder relay settings and can complete them without supervision. May be asked to develop scope for feeder relay upgrade projects.
• Is proficient at bus relay settings and can complete them without supervision. May be asked to develop scope for bus protection relay upgrades.
• Can perform transformer relay settings with limited supervision. Understands principles of transformer protection and transformer protection design.
• Can perform transmission line relay settings with limited supervision (excluding EHV and series compensated lines). Understands principles of transmission line protection and transmission line protection design.
• Is an intermediate user of short circuit software and knows how to use the tool to perform studies for feeder protection, bus protection, transformer protection, capacitor protection, and transmission line protection.
• Understands concepts about symmetrical components and can perform unbalanced short circuit calculation for radial systems. Is introduced to unbalanced short circuit calculations for networked systems using symmetrical components.
• Understands concepts about typical power system transients and is familiar with typical applications where transients may challenge protection systems.
• Understands basic concepts of generator / system stability and can apply them when working on projects involving generator interconnections on the distribution system.
• Is introduced to generator interconnection projects on the transmission system under the supervision of a Senior or Consulting engineer.
• Can perform capacitor bank relay settings with limited supervision. Understands principles of capacitor bank protection and capacitor bank protection design.
• Understands the principles of event analysis and root cause analysis. Can perform sound event and root cause analysis on most normal fault operations. May need assistance more complex events.
• Understands how protection practices affect transmission and distribution reliability metrics. Evaluates own work practices and departmental work practices for consistency with overall company reliability objectives.
• May be assigned NERC compliance duties under the supervision of a Senior or Consulting engineer.
• Is introduced to advance transmission line protection applications : series compensated lines and power swing blocking

Approved Engineer degrees :

Materials Science / Metallurgy, Physics, Chemistry, Math, Nuclear, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Electronics, Computer Science, Environmental, Chemical, Architectural, Structural.

A four-year bachelor of Engineering Technology degree is not considered an automatic equivalent for a B.S. degree in Engineering. A review of the degree program curriculum must be completed by Engineering department management.)

Major Accountabilities

1) Develop or revise relay settings in support of modifications to the transmission system.

2) Maintain an up-to-date short circuit model of the APS transmission and sub-transmission system.

3) Maintain up-to-date documentation of all relay settings in the transmission and sub-transmission system.

4) Develop programs / projects to improve existing protection systems across the APS transmission system.

5) Periodically review relay settings across the system to ensure adequate coordination and protection.

6) Provide support to field personnel during testing and commissioning of protection schemes.

7) Provide support to operations personnel during system events.

8) Review protection system operations to determine correct operation or misoperation.

9) Participate in root cause analysis following the declaration of a protection system misoperation.

10) Participate in NERC Compliance activities in support of applicable PRC and CIP standards

11) Specification, design, create settings, and keep settings records of Digital Fault recorders installed in APS’s