Lead Commissioning Engineer

Lead Commissioning Engineer – Sacramento, CA. A role responsible for leading testing, commissioning, and energization of electrical equipment in transmission and distribution substations and generator plants. Major Responsibilities Review specifications and engineering drawings to understand substation purpose, identify and resolve design errors. Manage and schedule installation and commissioning with subcontractors, personnel, and customers in accordance with project requirements. Provide safety analysis and proper equipment isolation procedures. Provide day‑to‑day outage plans for customers. Develop detailed test procedures and sign‑off sheets for each piece of equipment. Monitor construction and respond to technical questions during construction, installation, and testing. Demonstrate ability to service newly designed and experimental equipment and instill confidence in the customer. Assist field crews and dispatch in developing switching sequences, ensuring proper hold points for testing. Directly witness or perform critical tests such as DC Functional Trip Testing prior to energization and in‑service. Direct crews during critical work junctures, typically during final commission and initial energization. Acknowledge substation modification is complete and hand over to Dispatch for operation within design limits. Support multiple simultaneous capital projects, rotate among sites, review test results, and anticipate problems. Work extended hours/days near project completion when equipment is energizing. Build strong customer relationships, manage customer needs, and handle difficult customers. Support business development by helping develop estimates for client proposals. Understand AC and DC elementary diagrams, wiring diagrams, and one‑line drawings to develop testing requirements. Develop and maintain testing documentation, training procedures, and project records (certifications, calibration). Obtain NICET certification or equivalent. Program and test protection relays from GE, SEL, ALSTOM, SCHNEIDER, SIEMENS, and ABB and develop programming macros. Ideal Candidate Qualifications Proven ability to motivate, mentor, and lead teams. Goal‑oriented, strong drive, and proactive style. Experience managing technical projects of various sizes. Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills. Excellent negotiation, influence, mediation, and conflict‑management skills. Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities. Strong organizational, multi‑tasking, and time‑management skills. Strong budget management skills. Ability to work independently and act as technical lead on projects. Job Requirements Education Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or engineering technology from an accredited institution. Experience Minimum 8–20+ years of testing and commissioning experience. In‑depth understanding of three‑phase power systems. In‑depth understanding of protection and control schemes and implementation. Experience with relay test sets from SEL, GE, Beckwith, ABB, Basler, and other manufacturers. Experience testing equipment such as circuit breakers, transformers, circuit switchers, MOABS, CTs, PTs, batteries, chargers, transfer switches, line tuners, wave traps, and carrier relays. Experience executing in‑service power measurements (load checks). Experience leading crews to test and commission modified substations, including equipment isolation, restoration, and complex circuit cutovers. Experience with rotating machinery, generators, and excitation systems. Experience testing programmed RTUs locally and remotely for system operators. Experience with SCADA, RTU, and DFR systems. Travel Minimum of 50% travel. Driver’s License Must possess a valid and unrestricted driver’s license. Physical Demands of Position Requires vision, color perception, hearing, clear speech, hand dexterity, driving, lifting, climbing, and resistance to temperature, moisture, and exposure to hazardous materials and electrical voltages. Working Conditions Standard office work, work‑from‑home, and on‑site field leadership. Field work may involve varied temperatures, moisture, uneven surfaces, confined spaces, and heights; frequent standing, driving, bending, squatting, climbing, twisting, balancing, reaching; exposure to noise, vibrations, chemicals; irregular or extended hours; on‑call; and travel. Benefits Medical Dental Vision Basic and Supplemental Life & AD&D Long Term Disability Voluntary Short Term Disability Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts Health Savings Account Paid Time Off (PTO) Paid Holidays Tuition Reimbursement Referral Bonus Program 401(k)/Profit Sharing 100% ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Employee Assistance Program Will Preparation Resources Worldwide Travel Assistance Salary Range Expected salary range: $140,000–$185,000 annually, plus discretionary bonus and employee stock program. #J-18808-Ljbffr Wunderlich-Malec Engineering, Inc.