Substation Protection System Engineer

As a Substation Protection Systems Engineer at GE Vernova Grid Solutions, you will play a crucial role in designing, implementing, and optimizing protection relay systems for EHV/HV substations considering the safety/quality/ Cost/ time delivery criteria.

Your expertise will ensure the reliability and efficiency of power systems, supporting our global operations across various regions.

This role involves in leading the engineering activities related to substation protection relay systems, relay tripping philosophies, and selectivity studies, ensuring compatibility with Current Transformers (CTs) and Voltage Transformers (VTs).

This role encompasses technical expertise, technical support, leadership, customer engagement, and adherence to quality and safety standards.

Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, you will drive the successful delivery of high-quality protection solutions that meet industry standards and customer requirements, including the development and application of relay tripping philosophies and short circuit studies using tools like Power Factory, DIgSILENT, and ETAP Power Station.

Roles and Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Develop and Apply Relay Tripping Philosophies: Develop and apply relay tripping philosophies to ensure effective system protection for EHV/HV Electrical Substations (AIS/GIS/ HVDC/ FACTS/ STATCOM/ Onshore/Offshore/ Renewable/etc.,).
• Design and Optimization:
  • Design and optimize protection relay systems compatible with CTs and VTs.
  • Perform compatibility calculations and configure protection relays.
• Relay Settings and Configuration:
  • Conduct selectivity studies to ensure proper coordination and discrimination between protection devices.
  • Develop relay setting notes and input accurate settings into protection relay software.

• Technical Support: Support multiple projects as an expert in the domain to solve complex cases and provide technical support.
• Shall work & support on the control & protection design or secondary engineering deliverables activity based on need basis of the projects.

• Power System Studies: Conduct studies on short circuits and voltages using Power Factory, DIgSILENT, and ETAP Power Station to ensure system stability and reliability.
• Troubleshooting Management:
  • Manage and support troubleshooting activities using data analysis tools from transient fault recorders.
  • Provide expert analysis and solutions for transient faults and protection system issues.

Project Management

• Plan and Manage Engineering Activities:
  • Plan and manage engineering activities for protection systems.
  • Coordinate engineering teams to ensure project alignment and efficiency.
  • Manage project schedules, budgets, and resource allocation to meet project objectives effectively.

Quality and Compliance

• Ensure Compliance with Standards: Ensure protection systems comply with industry standards (IEC 61850, IEEE) and or Regions Customers Local Standards Practices.
• Documentation Management: Manage and validate engineering documentation.
• Quality Procedures: Implement and maintain quality procedures and participate in audits to uphold high standards.

Prepare & Manage Training

• Training Programs:
  • Develop and conduct training programs for engineering teams on protection relay systems and best practices.
  • Ensure continuous knowledge transfer and skill development within the team.

Customer and Stakeholder Engagement

• Interface with Customers:
  • Interface with customers to understand technical requirements.
  • Manage customer feedback and technical queries.
• Promote Best Practices: Promote best practices and standardized processes across teams.
• Knowledge Consolidation: Lead the return on experience process to consolidate knowledge through templates shared worldwide.

Health and Safety

• Integrate EHS Requirements: Integrate Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) requirements into design processes.

• Promote Safety Excellence: Demonstrate EHS leadership and promote a culture of safety excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors (or) masters degree in electrical engineering.
• Min 5+ years in substation protection relay systems within EHV Electrical Substations, Oil & Gas or Power Transmission industries.
• Expertise in protection relay selection, configuration, and CT/VT compatibility.
• Experience in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) environments with multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of protection relay systems and industry standards.
• Proficiency in protection relay software and engineering tools (CAD, PDM/DMS).
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• In-depth understanding of relay tripping philosophies and their application in protection systems.
• Ability to manage studies on short circuits and voltages using Power Factory, DIgSILENT, and ETAP Power Station.
• Experience conducting selectivity studies for relay settings.
• Proficient in troubleshooting management and data analysis from transient fault recorders.
• Experience with Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) and site visits is beneficial.

Desired Characteristics

• Strong oral and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and resolve problems. Demonstrated ability to lead programs projects. Ability to document, plan, market, and execute programs. Established project management skills.
• Fluent in English; additional languages are a plus.
• Willingness to travel internationally as required.
• Proven technical leadership in a complex system engineering development environment.
• Proactively serves on cross functional leadership teams; Makes decisions independently; Pulls in experts when needed.
• Technical Expertise: In-depth understanding of substation protection systems, relay technologies, relay tripping philosophies, and power system studies.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Problem-Solving: Proficient in identifying issues and implementing effective solutions.
• Quality Focus: Commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and compliance.

Key Competences

• Technical Expertise: In-depth understanding of substation protection systems, relay technologies, relay tripping philosophies, and power system studies.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective customer and team interactions.
• Leadership: Strong leadership and team coordination abilities to guide and mentor junior engineers.
• Problem-Solving: Proficient in identifying issues and implementing effective solutions.
• Quality Focus: Commitment to maintaining high standards of quality and compliance.