Electrical Engineer - Entry Level

Electrical Engineer - Entry Level

Job Description

This role focuses on the engineering and design of protection relaying for new and existing substations within an electric utility system. The engineer develops relay protection zones and control systems, prepares technical recommendations, evaluates proposals, and supports construction and field activities. The position also contributes to project documentation, participates in storm and outage restoration efforts, and supports the maintenance and improvement of substation protective relay standards and information systems. Entry-level candidates are welcome, provided they meet the required educational qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Apply effective engineering, planning, and organizing skills to perform assigned protection and control engineering tasks for substation projects.
• Perform engineering calculations involving less complex applications of substation systems, relay protection, and control schemes.
• Assist in the planning, design, and construction management of substation projects, including relay protection and control systems.
• Support more experienced engineers in root cause analysis of relay system failures to help prevent future occurrences.
• Work under the guidance of experienced engineers and follow established engineering and construction standards, industry nomenclature, and guidelines.
• Participate in a structured career development program, including involvement in professional organizations, to enhance technical skills and professional growth.
• Help maintain substation protective relay system design standards and related information systems to ensure consistency and reliability.
• Assist storm teams and system operations personnel in re-energizing substation feeders and restoring electric service to customers during outages and severe weather events.
• Complete assigned special projects, including technical research, data analysis, and preparation of recommendations for leadership.
• Collaborate with relay engineers, testing groups, telecom teams, and dispatch/control room engineers to troubleshoot protection and control issues.
• Use tools such as AutoCAD and protection analysis software to support relay design, documentation, and system studies.
• Perform other related engineering and technical duties as assigned to support substation protection and control activities.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• Fundamental knowledge of power systems and electrical principles relevant to substation design and operation.
• Understanding of protection and control concepts, including relay protection zones and control systems.
• Ability to perform basic engineering calculations related to substation systems and relay applications.
• Familiarity with electric utility environments and substation equipment, including relay equipment.
• Ability to learn and apply utility engineering and construction standards, industry nomenclature, and guidelines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for supporting fault analysis and relay system troubleshooting.
• Effective planning, organizing, and time-management skills to handle multiple assignments.
• Ability to work collaboratively under supervision and take guidance from experienced engineers.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills for documenting designs, analyses, and recommendations.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Background in electrical engineering with a focus on protection and controls is preferred.
• Experience using CAPE or ASPEN software for protection system modeling and analysis is preferred.
• Experience performing fault studies and coordination studies is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of protective relays, relay equipment, and associated substation protection schemes.
• Experience with AutoCAD or similar tools for preparing and modifying engineering drawings.
• Interest in participating in professional organizations and ongoing technical development.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including relay engineers, testing groups, telecom groups, and operations personnel.

Work Environment

• The position is primarily office-based, with approximately 97% of the work performed in an engineering office setting and about 3% in the field at substations to observe or work on actual relay equipment.
• The engineer regularly interacts with relay engineers, testing groups, telecom teams, and dispatch/control room engineers to address protection and control issues. Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break and a five-day workweek.
• The environment emphasizes collaboration, professional growth, and exposure to a broad range of utility protection and control activities, offering a strong opportunity to develop within a high-performing engineering team.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dayton, OH.

The pay range for this position is $36.06 - $62.50/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dayton, OH.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 23, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Dayton,OH.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.