<p>Job Title: Lead Protection & Control Engineer (Controls Engineer)</p> <p>Job Description</p> <p>The Lead Protection & Control Engineer will define, design, and coordinate all technical aspects of HV/EHV substation protection and control for AC, HVDC, and FACTS projects. You will work closely with designers, peer engineers, and technical leaders to ensure safe, high-quality, and cost-effective solutions while optimizing plant integration at the project level. This role suits an engineer with strong attention to detail, a proactive mindset, and a customer-focused approach, who can quickly become effective in a fast-paced, project-driven environment.</p> <p>Responsibilities</p> <ul> <li>Lead the protection and control engineering scope for T&D substations across AC, HVDC, and FACTS projects. </li><li>Define and design HV/EHV substation protection and control systems, ensuring compliance with safety, quality, schedule, and cost requirements. </li><li>Develop and review protection schemes, including line differential, transformer, busbar, and circuit breaker failure protection. </li><li>Specify current transformers (CTs) and interpret protection coordination studies to ensure robust and reliable system performance. </li><li>Produce and review one-line and three-line diagrams, protection and control schematics, and substation design documentation. </li><li>Design and coordinate substation control panels and associated secondary systems, including auxiliary and DC systems. </li><li>Perform and review office-based design work, including approximately 50% pure design and 30% design reviews. </li><li>Support technical integration and optimization of protection and control systems at the project level. </li><li>Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams working on brownfield and greenfield substations for utilities, data centers, oil and gas, and petrochemical projects. </li><li>Apply knowledge of IEC 61850, SCADA, and communication protocols to implement modern substation automation and control solutions. </li><li>Use power system analysis software such as ETAP and Aspen Oneliner for relay coordination, load flow, short circuit, and arc flash studies. </li><li>Incorporate NERC-CIP standards and guidelines for cybersecurity and grid interconnection into protection and control designs. </li><li>Participate in customer meetings and site activities, including approximately 20% travel for project support, integration, and commissioning-related tasks. </li><li>Provide technical guidance and act as project engineer for small to medium-sized projects with a strong secondary engineering focus. </li><li>Support continuous improvement of design standards, tools, and processes within the protection and control engineering team. </li></ul> <p>Essential Skills</p> <ul> <li>Minimum of five years of experience in protection and control engineering for substations or closely related power systems work. </li><li>Strong understanding of protection and protection design, including line differential, transformer, busbar, and circuit breaker failure protection schemes. </li><li>Ability to specify CTs and interpret protection coordination studies. </li><li>Hands-on experience with AC and DC systems, including battery chargers and auxiliary systems. </li><li>Proficiency with IEC 61850 and related substation communication and automation concepts. </li><li>Experience with SCADA systems and their integration in substation environments. </li><li>Experience with AIS (air-insulated) and GIS (gas-insulated) substation design and protection. </li><li>Ability to design and review one-line and three-line diagrams and substation protection and control panels. </li><li>Proficiency with power system analysis tools such as ETAP and Aspen Oneliner for relay coordination, load flow, short circuit, and arc flash studies. </li><li>Familiarity with NERC-CIP standards and guidelines for cybersecurity and grid interconnection. </li><li>Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and quickly contribute to active projects. </li><li>Strong attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and a can-do, customer-responsive attitude. </li></ul> <p>Additional Skills & Qualifications</p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related discipline is preferred; relevant experience may compensate for formal degree requirements. </li><li>Experience with both brownfield and greenfield substation projects. </li><li>Background in projects for utilities, data centers, oil and gas, or petrochemical industries. </li><li>Experience within electrification, grid solutions, or grid system integration environments. </li><li>Strong communication skills to collaborate with designers, engineers, leaders, and customers. </li><li>Ability to act as a project engineer for small to medium-sized, secondary-engineering-focused projects. </li></ul> <p>Work Environment</p> <p>This role is primarily office-based, with approximately 80% of the time dedicated to design activities (around 50% pure design work and 30% design reviews) and 20% travel for site activities and customer meetings. The position sits within a grid solutions and system integration environment focused on secondary design, including auxiliary systems, protection and control, and cybersecurity for both brownfield and greenfield substations. You will work on a diverse mix of projects, including utility, data center, oil and gas, and petrochemical applications, using tools such as ETAP, Aspen Oneliner, and modern substation automation technologies. For candidates located near the Pleasant Hill office, a hybrid work model with two days per week in the office is preferred; otherwise, the role can be fully remote, offering flexibility while maintaining strong collaboration with a multidisciplinary engineering team.</p> <p>Job Type & Location</p> <p>This is a Contract position based out of Pleasant Hill, CA.</p> <p>Pay and Benefits</p> <p>The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $60.00/hr.</p> <p>Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:</p> <ul> <li>Medical, dental & vision </li><li>Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital </li><li>401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available </li><li>Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) </li><li>Short and long-term disability </li><li>Health Spending Account (HSA) </li><li>Transportation benefits </li><li>Employee Assistance Program </li><li>Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) </li></ul> <p>Workplace Type</p> <p>This is a hybrid position in Pleasant Hill,CA.</p> <p>Application Deadline</p> <p>This position is anticipated to close on May 1, 2026.</p> <p>Diversity, Equity & Inclusion</p> <p>At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:</p> <ul> <li>Hiring diverse talent </li><li>Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection </li><li>Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes </li><li>Ensuring growth opportunities for our people </li></ul> <p>Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.</p> <p>About Actalent</p> <p>Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC-with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.</p> <p>Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.</p>