# Protection & Controls Engineer

**Company:** [xAI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/xai)
**Location:** Memphis, TN
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Experience:** 5+ years
**Skills:** Protective Relays, Sel Relays, Acselerator Quickset, Synchrowave Event, Selogic, Etap, Aspen Oneliner, Cape, Skm, Easypower, Dnp3, Modbus, Iec 61850, Scada
**Posted:** 2026-08-18

> Designs, configures, commissions, and maintains protection and control systems for high- and medium-voltage infrastructure, including generation, battery storage, and mission-critical facility loads. Requires a bachelor's degree, at least 3 years of relevant experience, and hands-on onsite work in Memphis.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Develop protection philosophy, one-line and three-line diagrams, DC control schematics, wiring diagrams, and relay panel layouts for electrical systems from utility interconnections to facility buses.
- Calculate, implement, and maintain protective relay settings and logic for transmission lines, buses, power transformers, distribution feeders, generators, and battery energy storage/inverter-based resources.
- Specify relays, current and voltage transformers, trip circuits, lockout schemes, breaker-failure protection, and communications-assisted schemes.
- Perform short-circuit, protective-device coordination, and arc-flash studies; maintain settings in alignment with the study of record.
- Commission protection systems through functional checks, primary and secondary injection, end-to-end scheme tests, and in-service timing checks using industry test sets.
- Collect and analyze fault and disturbance records, recommend setting or scheme changes, and investigate misoperations and staged tests.
- Maintain settings management databases, as-left files, and firmware/configuration control for in-service relays.
- Integrate protection with SCADA, RTUs, and plant/facility monitoring using DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, GOOSE, and IEEE C37.118 synchrophasors.
- Support NERC PRC evidence and testing where required.
- Work with field technicians, operators, and contractors during outages, switching, and troubleshooting.
- Apply IEEE C37 standards, NESC, NFPA 70/70E, IEEE 1547, and IEEE 2800 as applicable.

## Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or another engineering discipline.
- 3+ years of protection and controls experience on medium- or high-voltage systems.
- Willingness to work onsite in Memphis, TN; this is not a remote or hybrid role.
- Ability to perform hands-on work in heat, cold, rain, tight quarters, and at heights; work extended hours and weekends as needed; wear appropriate PPE; lift up to 25 lbs unassisted; and provide 24/7 emergency on-call support.
- Ability to travel up to 25%.
- Valid driver's license.

## Preferred Qualifications
- 5+ years in a protection and controls role at a utility, independent power producer, EPC, relay manufacturer, or hyperscale/colocation data center operator.
- Experience with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories relays and software, including AcSELerator QuickSet or synchroWAVe Event; GE, ABB, Siemens, or Beckwith experience is also valued.
- Experience with SELogic or equivalent relay logic, settings templates, and formal settings management processes.
- Experience with ETAP, ASPEN OneLiner, CAPE, SKM, or EasyPower.
- Transmission and distribution protection experience, plus generator protection, BESS/inverter-based resource protection, or mission-critical facility/data hall medium-voltage protection.
- Commissioning experience with Doble F6150, Omicron CMC, or equivalent equipment; event-record analysis after faults.
- Familiarity with DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, IEEE C37.118, IEEE C37.111, and IEEE C37.232.
- Working knowledge of IEEE C37.102, C37.91, C37.234, IEEE 1547/2800, and applicable NERC PRC standards.
- Professional Engineering license or active progress toward one.

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