RenSolv
Senior Protection / Protection Settings Engineer – Independent Associate (Project-Based)
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Senior Protection / Protection Settings Engineer – Independent Associate (Project-Based)
RenSolv Ltd is looking for an experienced power systems protection engineer to support renewable energy and grid connection projects on a contract basis. The work is suited to an experienced independent consultant or senior protection engineer who can take ownership of protection settings and coordination studies from initial data review through to final report and technical close-out.
The core requirement is strong hands-on experience in protection studies and relay settings for HV/MV networks, particularly 33 kV to 132 kV systems. Projects may include solar PV, BESS, private networks, and DNO/DSO/TSO/iDNO-connected generation schemes.
Experience
- Minimum 7 years of direct protection settings / coordination experience
Engagement
- Contract, project-based; fixed fee agreed for each defined scope
Working arrangement
- Primarily remote, with online technical meetings as required
Project types
- Renewable energy, grid connections, private networks, solar PV and BESS
Key Responsibilities
- Review client requirements, grid connection documents, single line diagrams, protection SLDs, relay schedules, fault level data, cable schedules, transformer data and equipment specifications.
- Review the protection architecture and advise the client, where required, on suitable protection relay locations, protection zones, CT/VT measurement points and trip points, including G99 / loss of mains relay location and the circuit breaker(s) to be operated.
- Prepare a clear data request list, identify missing information, define assumptions and highlight technical risks before commencing the study.
- Build or review the protection coordination model and independently calculate relay settings suitable for implementation on site.
- Produce time-current coordination curves and demonstrate appropriate grading, sensitivity and equipment protection.
- Review and recommend transformer unit protection settings, including differential and restricted earth fault protection where applicable.
- Prepare a clear, technically robust protection coordination report and protection device / settings schedule.
- Respond to reasonable technical comments and follow-up questions from clients, DNOs/DSOs, TNOs/TSOs, iDNOs, ICPs, EPCs, technical advisers and relay suppliers.
Core Technical Requirements
Candidates should have demonstrable hands-on experience in the following areas:
- At least 7 years of direct protection settings and coordination study experience.
- HV and MV protection studies for 33 kV, 66 kV and/or 132 kV systems.
- Overcurrent and earth fault coordination, including IDMT, definite-time and instantaneous protection.
- Application of standard inverse, very inverse and extremely inverse relay characteristics, grading margins and current discrimination.
- Transformer differential protection and restricted earth fault protection.
- Fault level interpretation, including use of maximum and minimum fault levels for grading, stability and sensitivity checks.
- Transformer inrush checks and review of cable / transformer withstand against protection operating times.
- CT and VT application and checks, including ratios, accuracy classes and suitability for the proposed protection functions.
- Protection scheme development and review, including relay locations, protection zones, CT/VT locations, trip logic and selection of the appropriate circuit breaker(s) to clear faults.
- Experience with renewable generation, BESS, DNO/iDNO interfaces or private HV networks.
- Ability to independently produce a professional study report and explain / defend the proposed settings during technical review.
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Useful Additional Experience
- High impedance protection, cable differential protection and standby earth fault protection.
- CT knee-point voltage, burden, lead resistance and saturation calculations, including stabilising resistor and Metrosil calculations where applicable.
- Neutral earthing transformer and neutral earthing resistor protection.
- G99 / loss of mains protection, including relay location, measurement point, trip point and intertrip considerations.
- RMU, ACB, MCCB and fuse coordination where the study extends into LV systems.
- Protection of star-delta and delta-connected transformers, including correct treatment of earth fault sensitivity across transformer windings.
AVC / AVR / Transformer Voltage Control Experience
Experience with grid transformer AVC / AVR / voltage regulator settings is highly desirable, but is not intended to exclude an otherwise strong protection settings engineer. Where this capability is required, the engineer should be able to review and recommend appropriate settings for the transformer voltage control scheme:
- Target voltage, voltage bandwidth, high/low voltage limits and low-voltage inhibit settings.
- Tap changer control parameters, including initial tap delay, fast tap, inter-tap delay, tap pulse / operating time and tap position limits.
- CT and VT inputs, controlled voltage location, transformer nominal voltages, MVA rating and impedance inputs.
- Line drop compensation, load measurement / load ratio and reverse power or current limits where applicable.
- Identification of settings or parameters that must be confirmed during commissioning.
- Experience with Fundamentals SuperTAPP, TAPCON or equivalent AVC / AVR systems is useful but not essential.
Software Experience
Experience with at least one recognised protection coordination package is required, for example:
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- CAPTOR
- ETAP
- DIgSILENT PowerFactory
- IPSA
- SKM PowerTools
- EasyPower
- Equivalent protection coordination software
Experience with manufacturer relay setting tools from ABB, Siemens, Schneider, GE/Multilin, GE MiCOM, SEL or similar would be useful.
Typical Deliverables
- Initial data request list and assumptions / data gap register.
- Protection coordination model or native study file, where applicable.
- Protection coordination / time-current curves.
- Recommended relay settings and protection device schedule suitable for site implementation.
- Draft and final protection coordination report.
- Where applicable: transformer differential, REF, standby earth fault, G99 / loss of mains and AVC / AVR settings.
- Clear notes on assumptions, limitations and commissioning items to be verified.
- Responses to reasonable technical review comments and follow-up questions.
Preferred Background and Qualifications
- Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering or a closely related discipline.
- Experience gained within a power systems consultancy, DNO/DSO, TNO/TSO, iDNO, ICP, EPC, renewable energy developer, protection relay manufacturer or commissioning organisation.
- Chartered Engineer status, or progress towards chartership, is desirable but not essential.
- Strong practical protection study experience is more important than professional titles.
Commercial Arrangement
The work will be undertaken on a project-by-project contract basis. RenSolv normally agrees a fixed fee for each clearly defined study scope, including the agreed model preparation, calculations, report and reasonable technical clarifications.
If the client materially changes the design - for example the network arrangement, transformer data, CT/VT arrangement, relay type, DNO fault level, cable routing, AVC/AVR arrangement or protection philosophy - and the change requires a substantial rerun taking more than half a day, the additional work will be treated as a variation and agreed separately before proceeding.
How to Apply
Please send:
- CV or brief company profile.
- A short summary of relevant protection studies personally completed, particularly 33-132 kV settings / coordination work.
- Protection study software and relay platforms used.
- Current availability.
Professional indemnity insurance and confidentiality / NDA requirements will be confirmed as part of contractor onboarding rather than the initial application stage.
The key requirement: we need someone who personally performs protection settings and grading calculations, can independently deliver the study report, and can manage the subsequent technical discussion; rather than someone whose experience is limited to panel design, relay configuration or commissioning.
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