Senior Field Engineer: Transformer & Relay Systems

Description

The Sr. Field Service Engineer is the technical authority for complex field service, commissioning, and modernization work on low- and medium-voltage (and, where applicable, high-voltage) power systems, including transformers and their protection and control. This role is responsible for ensuring the complete electrical system operates safely and as designed. It provides on-site leadership, ensures safe work execution, interfaces directly with customers and project teams, and mentors Field Service Engineers and technicians while driving quality, schedule adherence, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Authority & Commissioning

• Lead commissioning and startup of complete electrical systems, including acceptance testing and verification of system performance.

• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for advanced control, protection, and integration issues.

• Plan and perform advanced diagnostics for equipment and protection/control issues, including intermittent faults and complex system interactions.

• Perform protection relay commissioning and end-to-end verification; validate settings implementation against approved setting files and drawings.

• Execute and direct acceptance, maintenance, and condition-based testing (insulation resistance, contact resistance, timing/travel analysis, primary and secondary injection, relay logic verification, SCADA/RTU I/O checks).

Transformers — Diagnostics & Condition Assessment

• Serve as the technical authority for transformer condition assessment and failure investigation.

• Plan and perform advanced transformer diagnostics including sweep frequency response analysis (SFRA), dielectric frequency response (DFR), leakage reactance / short-circuit impedance, partial discharge, and advanced insulation power factor testing.

• Assess transformer condition by trending electrical test data, oil analysis (DGA, moisture, furan), and inspection findings against factory acceptance, commissioning, and historical baselines.

• Diagnose complex transformer faults including overheating, abnormal gassing, bushing degradation, winding deformation, and load tap changer failures.

• Lead transformer commissioning and acceptance testing for complete substations, including energization planning and switching sequences.

• Direct transformer repair, overhaul, refurbishment and retrofit programs, including LTC overhaul and internal inspection.

• Lead transformer failure investigations, report findings, and recommend repair, refurbishment, retrofit, or replacement.

• Define transformer test plans, standards, and acceptance criteria for the region and support their inclusion in the Technical Qualification Program.

• Interface with engineering and OEMs on transformer design limits, loading, and warranty or return material authorization (RMA) determinations.

Field & Program Leadership

• Provide technical leadership during outages, turnarounds, and critical recovery events; communicate status, risks, and mitigation plans.

• Direct testing activities and manage multiple work fronts; lead field crews, contractors, and junior engineers.

• Approve commissioning documentation and close out actions with customer sign-off.

• Mentor and supervise Field Service Engineers and technicians at Levels 1 through 4; review work quality and coach troubleshooting approach.

Modernization & System Integration

• Lead equipment-level and system-level modernization, retrofit, and integration projects.

• Define execution strategies, risk mitigation plans, and field quality standards for complex programs.

• Interpret retrofit drawings, relay and control information, and confirm field readiness for execution.

• Direct corrective maintenance and repair activities, including breaker overhaul support, mechanism adjustments, alignment, lubrication, and component replacement.

Safety Leadership

• Lead on-site safety briefings and enforce LOTO, arc-flash, energized work restrictions, job hazard analysis, and permit requirements.

• Lead root cause investigations, including high-potential safety events, and drive corrective and preventive actions.

Standards, Process & Customer Enablement

• Develop and standardize field procedures, commissioning standards, and best practices; support development of the Technical Qualification Program.

• Coordinate with project managers, engineering, factory, and supply chain on parts identification, RMA/warranty, technical escalations, and root cause analysis.

• Produce high-quality field service reports, test records, punch lists, commissioning checklists, and nonconformance documentation.

• Deliver customer training and knowledge transfer on system operation, basic maintenance, and safety considerations.

• Identify modernization opportunities and communicate leads through the appropriate channels.

Qualifications

Required

• 11+ years of progressively responsible field experience with MV/HV switchgear, breakers, and protection and control systems; OR a Bachelor's or Associate's degree in an aligned discipline such as Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Project Management, or a related technical field, combined with demonstrated field experience and technical competency equivalent to this level.

• Demonstrated ability to lead field crews and manage on-site execution for complex commissioning and service events.

• Strong working knowledge of electrical safety practices (NFPA 70E/OSHA or local equivalents), including LOTO and arc-flash risk controls.

• Proven experience reading, troubleshooting, and redlining schematics, wiring diagrams, and one-line diagrams.

• Demonstrated authority in transformer field testing and condition assessment, including interpretation of DGA and electrical diagnostic results against IEEE C57 criteria.

• Ability to develop commissioning and test plans, verify I/O, and perform functional checks from drawings and sequences of operation.

• Ability to write clear field reports and maintain accurate test documentation.

• Valid driver's license with an acceptable motor vehicle record, maintained throughout employment; ability to travel as required, sometimes on short notice.

• Must be at least 21 years of age to be assigned and operate a company-provided service vehicle.

• Must be able and willing to obtain Department of Transportation (DOT) non-CDL qualification, including a current DOT medical card where required for towing test trailers or oil-processing equipment, and comply with applicable DOT regulatory requirements.

Preferred

• Experience commissioning digital protection relays and IEC 61850/GOOSE networks, where applicable.

• Certification or formal training in SFRA, partial discharge, or other advanced transformer diagnostic methods.

• Experience leading transformer failure investigations and refurbishment or retrofit programs.

• Experience interfacing with power system studies (coordination, short circuit, arc-flash labeling) and validating them in the field.

• Familiarity with major relay platforms (e.g., SEL, GE/Multilin, ABB/Hitachi, Siemens) and breaker OEMs.

• ANSI/NETA ETT Level 4 (Certified Senior Technician), NICET Level IV, or OSHA 30 certification.

• Completion of Forgent Power TQP Level 5.

Core Competencies & Behaviors

All Forgent Power team members are expected to demonstrate safety, quality, continuous improvement, collaboration, accountability, and customer focus. In addition, this role requires:

• Expert-level troubleshooting across switchgear mechanical, electrical, and protection/control domains.

• Strong customer communication, including explaining findings, constraints, and corrective actions in clear, non-technical language.

• Working knowledge of common test instruments and safe test setups, including validation of calibration status.

• Strong planning and prioritization; able to manage multiple work fronts during outages.

• Ability to lead incident response and structured problem solving (5-Why, fishbone, corrective and preventive actions).

• Mentoring and coaching capability across all technician levels.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) and mobile/field reporting tools.

Tools & Technology

• Breaker test sets (timing/travel, micro-ohmmeters), insulation resistance testers (e.g., Megger, Fluke), and hipot/VLF sets as applicable.

• Relay test sets (e.g., Omicron, Doble) and primary and secondary injection systems.

• Advanced transformer diagnostic equipment — SFRA, dielectric frequency response (DFR), leakage reactance, and partial discharge test sets.

• Transformer test sets — TTR, winding resistance, excitation current, and insulation power factor / tan delta; oil processing plant oversight.

• Digital multimeters, clamp meters, torque tools, mechanical gauges, and alignment tools.

• Laptop-based relay configuration and commissioning software; serial/Ethernet communications tools as applicable.

• Document control/reporting systems and mobile field service applications.

Working Conditions & Travel

• Primarily field-based at customer facilities including industrial plants, utilities, data centers, commercial facilities, and substations.

• Travel typically 50–80% depending on region and workload; may include nights, weekends, and emergency call-outs on short notice.

• Participation in the regional on-call rotation is required. On-call periods include nights, weekends, and holidays, and require the ability to respond to emergency call-outs.

• Project assignments may be long-duration, typically ranging from several weeks to 12+ months depending on scope and schedule. Assignments outside the home region are typically worked on a field rotation of three consecutive weeks on site followed by one week in the home office.

• Work may be performed in confined spaces, on elevated platforms, in hot/cold environments, and around rotating machinery and energized equipment in accordance with safety rules.

• Must be able to wear required PPE including arc-rated clothing, hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, and fall protection as needed.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs (23 kg) and move test equipment and tools.

• Ability to stand, kneel, bend, climb ladders and stairs, and work at heights for extended periods.

• Ability to differentiate conductor colors and indicator states and to read instruments and displays.

• Ability to handle transformer test leads, oil hoses, and oil-handling equipment, including lifting up to 75 lbs (34 kg) with assistance.

Disclaimer

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. Forgent Power reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description as needed. Employment may be contingent upon successfully passing applicable screenings (e.g., background check, drug/alcohol testing) and meeting site-specific customer requirements.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Forgent Power is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected class.

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