Perth based, 12-month contract duration (subject for extension)
Job
Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Protection Engineer to support the design, development, testing, and commissioning of high-voltage transmission and renewable energy infrastructure. This role will play a key part in the delivery of 220kV/33kV substations and associated generation assets, including renewable energy facilities and battery energy storage systems.
Working as part of the Engineering and Protection Team, the successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing protection schemes, protection relay configurations, and protection system testing activities to ensure the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of electrical networks. The role requires close collaboration with project, design, operations, and commissioning teams to deliver integrated protection solutions that meet technical, operational, and stakeholder requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop, review, and approve protection system designs for high-voltage substations, transmission systems, and generation facilities.
- Perform detailed protection engineering studies, calculations, and coordination assessments to determine protection settings, grading requirements, and protection device selection.
- Prepare and review protection philosophies, functional design specifications, technical reports, drawings, and engineering documentation.
- Develop, configure, and validate protection relay settings and configuration files in accordance with applicable standards, project requirements, and industry best practices.
- Ensure protection systems are designed to provide safe, reliable, and coordinated operation of electrical infrastructure.
- Collaborate with engineering, project delivery, operations, and commissioning teams to integrate protection requirements into overall project execution plans.
- Lead Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), bench testing, and verification activities to confirm correct implementation of protection schemes and communication systems.
- Verify protection relay functionality, interoperability, and communications, including IEC 61850 MMS and GOOSE messaging requirements.
- Provide technical support throughout commissioning activities, including troubleshooting complex protection and control issues to ensure safe energisation and operation of electrical assets.
- Develop scopes of work and provide technical input for protection studies, protection setting reports, and grading assessments when required.
- Review engineering challenges and provide practical, technically sound solutions that balance operational, safety, commercial, and project requirements.
- Ensure all protection engineering activities comply with quality management systems, technical standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives and contribute to the development of engineering standards, procedures, and best practices.
- Liaise with equipment vendors, consultants, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure successful project outcomes.
- Travel domestically or internationally, including site-based activities, as required to support project delivery.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
- Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering.
- Minimum 5 years' experience in electrical protection engineering within power utilities, transmission, distribution, generation, renewable energy, or related infrastructure sectors.
- Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, and implementing protection schemes for high-voltage electrical networks and substations.
- Strong understanding of power system protection principles, relay coordination, fault analysis, protection grading studies, and protection device selection.
- Proven ability to interpret protection system requirements and develop Functional Design Specifications (FDS).
- Hands-on experience with Siemens SIPROTEC 5 and SEL protection relay platforms.
- Demonstrated capability in developing, configuring, testing, and commissioning Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) settings and protection relay configuration files.
- Experience validating protection settings and ensuring correct implementation through testing and commissioning activities.
- Familiarity with IEC 61850 communications, including MMS and GOOSE messaging within substation automation environments.
- Strong technical report writing, engineering specification development, and documentation skills.
- Sound understanding of Australian electrical standards, utility requirements, and industry best practices.
- Ability to balance technical requirements with commercial, operational, and project delivery objectives.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound engineering decisions in high-pressure project environments.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
- Highly self-motivated, team-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities and deliverables simultaneously.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills with a proven ability to work in fast-paced project environments.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Visio.
- Willingness to undertake domestic and international travel, including site-based assignments, as required.
About Airswift
Airswift is an international workforce solutions provider within the energy, process and infrastructure industries. Airswift serves as a strategic partner to our clients, offering a turnkey workforce solution to capture and deliver the top talent needed to complete successful projects by aligning with the unique needs of our clients.
With over 1000 employees and 9,000+ contractors operating in over 130 countries, our geographical reach and pool of talent available is unmatched in the industry and the level of experience, exposure and expertise that the organization has is unparalleled.
Only candidates with the right to work in Australia will be considered. (Australia Citizen, PR Holder, or Valid Australia working VISA)
If you would like to be considered for the position, please apply directly to this advertisement or send your application via email to louis.tham@airswift.com with your updated CV/ resume & contact details. Alternatively, you may contact Louis at +61 (08) 6245 0671 for more information.
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