Principal Engineer - Substation Commissioning Job Details | Black & Veatch Family of Companies

Overview Principal Engineer - Substation Commissioning Location: Greenwood Village, CO; KS; LA; AL; TX; MO; OK; US Company: Black & Veatch Family of Companies We are employee-owners, placing people at the center of everything we do. Our experience spans more than 100 years in sustainable infrastructure, engineering, procurement, consulting and construction, and we are focused on solving humanity's challenges through collaboration and innovation. Job Summary The Principal Engineering Group within the Substation Commissioning Team serves as the technical bridge between engineering design and field execution. This group provides advanced engineering support to commissioning teams, ensuring substation designs are constructible, testable, and capable of safe energization. Principal Engineers focus on resolving technical issues, developing commissioning standards, supporting field execution, and coordinating across disciplines. The Team Supports commissioning teams by resolving defined technical issues with guidance from senior engineers. Reviews protection, control, and SCADA designs for basic constructability and testability. Assists with development of commissioning test plans and procedures for standard applications with support/review from senior engineers. Supports field teams with relay logic and test result interpretation, and troubleshooting. Participates as a technical contributor in engineering and commissioning project meetings and information requests. Applies established commissioning standards, tools, and checklists; checks project results for alignment with standards. Provides peer reviews of testing results of apparatus and relay testing for compliance with industry and manufacturer’s tolerances, with guidance from senior engineers. Key Responsibilities Field Engineering Support Troubleshoot and resolve design, logic, and protection issues encountered during commissioning, including protection, interlocks, and control schemes. Serve as the technical liaison between field commissioning teams, relay settings engineers, SCADA engineers, design engineering management, construction teams, and external EPCs or utilities. Review and respond to client requests for information related to protection philosophy, commissioning approach, and testing limitations. Review commissioning test results, relay event reports, and as-found conditions to identify root causes and recommend corrective actions. Provide on-call or scheduled engineering support to field teams during critical testing and energization activities. Standards, Tools, and Process Development Develop and maintain commissioning standards, technical guidance documents, templates, and checklists. Support development of engineering tools and process improvements that support both engineering and commissioning teams. Provide commissioning-focused input into engineering standards, specifications, and compliance documentation. Identify recurring field issues and drive standardization efforts to reduce execution risk and rework. Commissioning Test Planning and Validation Develop commissioning test plans for ongoing projects, standardized around typical protection applications to have baseline test plan templates. Develop testing solutions for non-standard protection and automation schemes such as GOOSE, SV, Centralized and Virtual Protection. Define staged testing approaches, including bench simulation, lab testing, and end-to-end validation. Design Review and Constructability Review protection, control, and SCADA designs for constructability, testability, and commissioning feasibility. Identify design assumptions that may impact field testing or operational performance. Provide direct feedback to engineering teams to resolve constructability issues prior to field execution. Coordinate across protection, SCADA, relay settings, construction, and commissioning disciplines. Participate in coordination meetings with project management, engineering, EPC partners, and owners to resolve technical execution issues. Provide commissioning-focused recommendations during client and utility discussions. Continuous Improvement and Mentorship Identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements to commissioning workflows. Mentor junior engineers and field staff on protection concepts, commissioning logic, and troubleshooting methods. Promote a culture of technical rigor, quality, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement. Management Responsibilities Individual Contributor Qualifications Preferred: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, SharePoint). Engineering/Design Software (Bluebeam, Autocad, Microstation). Network Simulation Software (ASPEN/CAPE/ETAP). Relay Settings & SCADA Software (SEL/GE/EATON/BECKWITH/SIEMENS). Testing & Commissioning Software (Doble/Omicron/Megger). Minimum Qualifications Applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements which may include background checks, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Certifications OSHA 10 Hour Training Work Environment/Physical Demands Physical Demands: Lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Stand, kneel, bend, stoop, move and walk long distances in varied conditions. See and hear with or without correction. Full range of motion and flexibility. Use hands to handle or control objects. Repetitive movement. May work above 5 feet. Climb stairs and scaffolds. May work up to 12-hour shifts in varying temperatures and outside conditions. Work Environment: Construction site and typical office environment. Cramped spaces and awkward positions. Exposure to heat, cold, dust, wind, rain, noise, and hazardous equipment. This position is safety sensitive. Salary and Benefits Salary plan: CNS - Construction Services. Job grade: 016. We offer a comprehensive benefits portfolio including medical, dental, vision, disability and wellness programs; flexible work schedules, vacation and holiday time, sick time, dependent leave; 401(k) with company match; tuition reimbursement; vendor discounts; referral programs; AD&D insurance; pre-tax accounts; voluntary legal plan; and more. We are an ESOP-owned company with stock-based rewards and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement applies. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, veteran status, pregnancy status or other protected status. Notice to External Search Firms: Black & Veatch does not accept unsolicited resumes and will not pay placement fees. Our Talent Acquisition team engages with search firms directly for hiring needs. Nearest Major Market: Denver #J-18808-Ljbffr