Relay Field Engineer — West
Commissioning & Field Execution · Sacramento, CA (Field)
Why This Role Exists
Every protection relay and automation controller on a Tier III/IV data center must pass secondary injection testing before the system goes live — wrong trip timing or missed wiring means a failed witness test and a schedule slip. This role exists because our West Coast pipeline across California, Oregon, and Nevada needs dedicated device-level testing coverage on the ground. You test every relay and controller before energization. When the owner's witness testing coordinator asks for trip timing data, you produced it.
What You Own
- Secondary injection testing for SEL protection relays — 50/51/50N/51N elements, trip timing verification
- As-found/as-left settings documentation for relay replacements and retrofits
- CT/PT ratio verification and wiring continuity checks from relay terminals to switchgear
- GOOSE subscription verification post-installation — publish/subscribe validation on PRP networks
- Trip timing measurement against coordination study curves
- FAT bench testing: DTSC-200 ATS controllers, relay parameter verification, I/O wiring validation
Systems You'll Touch
Vendor Platforms
Software Tools
Protocols
Standards
Test Phases
What Success Looks Like
First 90 Days
- Performed secondary injection testing on SEL relays on an active West Coast project site
- Produced test reports in NETA/ANSI format with as-found/as-left settings comparison
- Demonstrated NFPA 70E compliance during energized MV switchgear testing
First 180 Days
- Independently executing relay-level SAT on West Coast project sites
- Bench FAT testing for controllers (DTSC-200, easYgen 3400) with parameter and I/O verification
- Contributing to ZSI GOOSE functional testing on PRP networks
Required Background
- 5+ years relay testing and electrical testing on medium-voltage power systems
- Secondary injection testing with Omicron CMC or Doble F6150 (or equivalent)
- Test report documentation per NETA/ANSI standards — as-found/as-left format
- Wiring verification: CT/PT ratio checks, continuity testing, relay-to-switchgear terminal verification
- NFPA 70E compliance: working on or near energized MV switchgear with arc-flash PPE
Preferred Background
- NETA Level II or III certification
- SEL relay testing (AcSELerator QuickSet for settings verification)
- IEC 61850 GOOSE verification — Wireshark capture, publish/subscribe validation
- PRP network failover testing
- Based in or willing to relocate to Northern California or Pacific Northwest
What to Expect in the Field
- Travel
- 40–60% during testing campaigns. West Coast sites (CA, OR, NV, WA, AZ).
- Site Hours
- Site hours during testing: early starts for LOTO, occasional weekend milestones
- Customer-Facing
- Interface with prime contractor commissioning leads during witnessed testing
- Documentation
- Heavy — test reports, as-found/as-left records, wiring verification checklists, trip timing data sheets
- Field Safety
- NFPA 70E compliance mandatory — arc-flash PPE, approach boundaries, LOTO per relay position
Why Ziggurat
- Your test data proves the protection system works — settings, coordination curves, and GOOSE messaging validated by your measurements
- Multi-vendor relay testing: SEL, Woodward, CAT — broad platform exposure
- Direct collaboration with the engineers who wrote the settings you test
- West Coast data center growth puts you at the center of critical infrastructure construction
Hiring Process
Screen
Background review against role requirements — vendor platform experience, relevant certifications, project types, and standards familiarity. Quick assessment of baseline alignment before investing either party's time.
Resume review + 15-min intro call
Technical Review
Deeper evaluation of technical depth. We review sample work — relay settings files, protection study reports, commissioning test procedures, or SCADA configuration packages — depending on the role. If samples aren't shareable, we discuss specific project scenarios in detail.
Async work-sample review or 45-min technical call
Interview
Scenario-based conversation with the principal engineer. Real project situations: how you'd approach a coordination study for a complex switchgear lineup, sequence a commissioning plan across multiple vendor platforms, or troubleshoot a protection scheme failure during site acceptance testing.
60-min video call with founder
Exercise / Artifact Review
A practical evaluation matched to the role. Engineering roles receive a take-home exercise — review and mark up a set of relay settings, identify gaps in a protection study, or develop a test procedure for a specific scheme. Field-focused roles walk through a commissioning package or test report they've delivered, explaining their methodology and decisions.
Take-home exercise (2–4 hrs) or artifact walkthrough (60 min)
Final Conversation
Role scope, current project pipeline, working arrangements, and compensation. This is a two-way conversation — we want to confirm the role fits your goals, not just the other way around.
30-min call
This role supports our testing commissioning and relay programming service scopes.
Questions about this role? Email us at careers@zigguratautomation.com
Not ready to apply?
Stay on our radar — we'll reach out when a role matches your background.
Let's Talk Engineering
Send your background.
First step: a 15-minute call with the principal engineer.