Commissioning Engineer – Protection & Control / Substation Services

 

Position Title	Commissioning Engineer - Protection & Control / Substation Services
Client Context	Transmission & Substation Services
Primary Region	East Region OH and PA - significant travel required
Reports To	East Region Director, Telex LLC
Salary Range	$98,000 - $145,000 (commensurate with experience)

 

About Telex LLC

Telex LLC is an electrical utility services firm specializing in protection & control engineering, substation commissioning, and field services. We support Tier 1 utilities across the country with a team of approximately 100 engineers and field technicians. Telex holds an ISNET A+ safety rating and is committed to 100% client retention through technical excellence and operational discipline.

Position Summary

The Commissioning Engineer - P&C/Substation Services provides field engineering and technical support for the testing, maintenance, construction, and commissioning of substation equipment up to and including 500 kV. This role operates as a Telex resource embedded within a client program, working alongside regional staff, contractors, and Telex field technicians to ensure safe, reliable, and code-compliant commissioning of new and modified transmission facilities.

This is a field-heavy role: approximately 60-70% of time will be spent outside the office at company and client substation facilities across OH and PA.

Core Responsibilities

Commissioning Oversight

• Provide engineering oversight for new capital substation installations, including review of engineering designs, development of checkout guides and commissioning checklists, and review/approval of all operational and functional test results.
• Develop equipment energization plans to minimize system risk; provide final technical approval prior to release transmission operations.
• Issue equipment release for test, initial energization, and final return-to-service of transmission equipment to system operators.
• Commission new substation equipment up to 500 kV including power transformers, circuit breakers, CCVTs, cap banks, SVCs, and associated P&C equipment and SCADA systems.

Field Engineering & Technical Support

• Apply engineering judgment in the identification and resolution of technical problems during installation, testing, and in-service phases.
• Provide limited field design services to resolve minor design issues discovered during projects without requiring full design cycle.
• Perform substation field engineering including work plan preparation, functional test procedures, and field commissioning support for new and modified transmission facilities.
• Review, verify, and approve engineering documentation and operational plans to minimize project risk.

Maintenance & Audit Support

• Provide on-site technical support to regional substation services personnel during preventative and corrective maintenance activities.
• Audit preventative and corrective maintenance paperwork and test results to verify technical adequacy and regulatory completeness.
• Assist in development of new maintenance practices and modification of existing ones to address evolving technology, new equipment types, regulatory changes, and improved test/diagnostic methods.

Emergency & Storm Response

• Provide emergency technical support following substation equipment failures to support customer restoration and system reinforcement.
• Develop field modifications and commission the installation of portable/mobile substations as needed.
• Participate in storm duty and hazard response per the client emergency plan.

Root Cause Analysis & Reporting

• Assist in performing Apparent Cause and Root Cause analyses (ACAs/RCAs), including formal documentation through technical reports and presentations.
• Communicate findings and project status across multi-disciplined teams including electrical contractors, regional switchmen/technicians, transmission operations, design engineering, planning/protection, and project management.

Training & Program Development

• Assist in technical training of junior engineers and technicians.
• Contribute to improvement of technical programs and process effectiveness.
• Evaluate and implement new maintenance practices based on evolving technologies and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering (BSEE preferred) from an ABET-accredited institution. In lieu of degree, Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Minimum 3 years of engineering experience in substation design, maintenance, or testing.
• Familiarity with the application, configuration, and communication of microprocessor-based protection and control equipment.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of multi-disciplined project teams.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the client system, including regular overnight stays.
• Valid driver's license with a clean driving record.
• Commitment to safety; working knowledge of applicable safety policies and accident prevention practices.

Preferred / Strongly Considered

• Experience with SEL products and software (AcSELerator, Architect, etc.), Enoserve RTS, and Doble testing equipment.
• Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Certificate or active PE license.
• Experience commissioning or maintaining equipment at 115 kV through 500 kV.
• Familiarity with NERC reliability standards.
• IEC 61850-based protection and SCADA experience.
• Previous experience with a major IOU, or a Tier 1 utility services contractor.

Why Telex

• Mission-driven work: We support the infrastructure that powers critical regions of the country.
• Technical depth: You'll work alongside top-tier P&C engineers in a firm that treats commissioning as a core competency, not a support function.
• Competitive compensation and benefits including performance incentives, company vehicle/stipend program, and 401(k).
• Collaborative culture: small enough to know everyone, large enough to have diverse, high-complexity project exposure.