Switchgear Field Engineer Level 5 – Richmond, VA

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.

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 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 serious injury and fatality (SIF) potential 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 a discipline aligned to the role (Electrical, Mechanical, Project Management, or a technical track) with equivalent demonstrated field authority.

• 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.

Core Competencies & Behaviors

All 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

• 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.

Base pay of $135K-$155K (non-exempt) + OT and company truck – 8+ years of switchgear or power generation systems experience is required.