Senior Protection Engineer

An exciting opportunity is available for a Senior Protection Engineer to join a well-established electricity business in Wellington, supporting the operation, maintenance, and development of critical power infrastructure.

This role will play a key part in the delivery of protection engineering solutions across distribution assets, supporting network reliability, safety, and future growth initiatives. The position offers exposure to a broad range of projects and operational activities within a collaborative and technically strong engineering environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and maintain protection schemes for distribution networks.
• Carry out protection settings calculations, coordination studies, and relay configuration for network assets.
• Support fault investigations, network performance analysis, and root cause assessments following protection operations.
• Provide technical input into substation upgrades, new connection projects, renewable energy integration, and network expansion works.
• Review and approve protection design documentation, schematics, and commissioning procedures.
• Support testing and commissioning activities associated with protection and control systems.
• Work closely with operations, commissioning, and project delivery teams to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Contribute to network planning and system improvement initiatives focused on reliability, safety, and compliance.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to junior engineers within the team.
• Ensure engineering activities are completed in accordance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and internal engineering practices.

Required Experience

• Strong experience in protection engineering within transmission and/or distribution power systems.
• Proven capability completing protection studies, relay coordination, and settings development for HV networks.
• Experience working across substations, transformers, feeders, generators, and associated protection systems.
• Exposure to modern numerical protection relays such as SEL, GE, Siemens, ABB, or Schneider Electric.
• Experience supporting commissioning, testing, and energisation activities within live network environments.
• Strong understanding of power system analysis and network operational requirements.
• Ability to engage effectively with internal stakeholders, contractors, and project teams.
• Experience supporting renewable energy or grid connection projects will be advantageous.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.