Integration & Automation Engineer - IEC 61850

Location: North Carolina - Charlotte

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Lead the specification, design, and verification of IEC 61850 communication, data‑modeling, and automation capabilities used across current and future SEL products. Serve as the subject‑matter expert for digital substation architectures, GOOSE/SV/MMS applications, SCL engineering workflows, and related power‑system communication technologies. Provide technical leadership and mentorship to cross‑functional hardware, firmware, software, and power‑systems engineering teams to ensure consistent, robust, and interoperable implementation of IEC 61850 features.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research, design, and specification of IEC 61850 features, models, and architectures across SEL’s hardware and software product lines.
• Develop system‑level requirements, functional specifications, and design documentation for both near‑term and future SEL products.
• Architect and evaluate innovative approaches for GOOSE, SV, MMS, digital substations, automation schemes, data models, and engineering workflows.
• Support and guide cross-functional R&D teams as the domain authority for IEC 61850 application, performance, conformance, and design tradeoffs.
• Translate emerging standards into actionable product direction.
• Conduct feasibility studies, perform simulation or lab testing, and evaluate new technologies.
• Collaborate with firmware, hardware, software, test, cybersecurity, and product teams to ensure cohesive, reliable system designs.
• Partner with product management to assess market needs, develop competitive/technical analysis, and recommend product enhancements for integration, commissioning, and testing workflows.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to developing team-wide technical expertise in IEC 61850 and digital substation engineering.
• Provide system‑level engineering support during product development, reviews, architecture discussions, and critical design decisions.
• Continuously learn, model SEL values, and help maintain SEL’s leadership in reliable protection, automation, and control systems.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in power system protection, automation, or substation communications engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise with IEC 61850 - including data modeling, SCL workflows, GOOSE, MMS, sampled values, and system architectures.
• Knowledge of IEC 60870‑5‑103/‑101/‑104, Modbus, DNP3, PRP, IEEE 1588 PTP, and SEL protocols; deep understanding of substation integration patterns, client/server and publisher/subscriber models, network redundancy, and time synchronization.
• Experience designing or implementing protection, automation, or SCADA systems in utility or industrial environments.
• Strong understanding of electric power systems, relay protection fundamentals, communications networks, and automation schemes.
• Ability to develop clear, detailed engineering documentation, specifications, and system designs.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and technical leadership skills.
• Ability to learn new skills, assume new responsibilities, and work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Background check results satisfactory to SEL. Negative drug test result(s).

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline
• Experience with SEL products, tools, and engineering workflows.
• Hands‑on experience configuring or deploying digital substations or IEC 61850‑based automation schemes.
• Experience with IEC 61850 engineering artifacts and tools (SCL/SSD/IID/ICD/CID, SCT workflows).
• Hands‑on experience with Wireshark or equivalent for MMS/GOOSE/Sampled Values analysis; familiarity with VLANs/QoS, network simulation, and impairment testing.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity requirements for substation automation systems.

Location: Charlotte, NC

Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work.

People are at the core of our company and we hire employee-owners. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.

• We’re 100% employee owned. Retirement benefits include an employer funded stock ownership plan (ESOP) and personal 401(k) options.

• We offer top tier medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.

• We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: 10 paid holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 12 days, 9 paid sick days, and paid family and medical leave that covers 90% of your pay.

• We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as STEM courses, apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.  

• Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, fertility, adoption, and flexible spending benefits.

Pay Range Data

Lead Integration & Automation Engineer: $115,300 - $170,400.

Development Lead Integration & Automation Engineer $136,080 - $201,050.

Our pay ranges are determined by job, responsibility, and location. We base our starting pay offer and title on location and job-related factors such as candidate experience, training, knowledge, and skills.

Communication with Applicants 

We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at [email protected].

SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.