Entry-Level Engineer

Electrical Relay Engineer - Entry Level Looking to build a career in the electric utility industry? This Electrical Relay Engineer role offers the opportunity to develop specialized expertise in substation protection and control systems while working alongside experienced engineers in a collaborative environment.In this role, you'll support the engineering and design of protection relaying for new and existing substations, assisting with relay protection and control design, engineering studies, project documentation, system analysis, and field support activities. Through hands-on experience and a structured career development program, you'll continue building your technical skills while contributing to critical infrastructure projects.What You'll Do

• Apply engineering, planning, and organizational skills to support protection and control engineering activities for substation projects.
• Perform engineering calculations involving substation systems, relay protection, and control schemes.
• Assist in the planning, design, and construction management of substation projects, including relay protection and control systems.
• Support experienced engineers in performing root cause analyses of relay system failures.
• Work under the guidance of experienced engineers while learning established engineering and construction standards, industry nomenclature, and utility guidelines.
• Participate in a structured career development program designed to support technical and professional growth.
• Help maintain substation protective relay design standards and related information systems.
• Assist storm teams and system operations personnel in restoring electric service during outages and severe weather events.
• Complete technical research, data analysis, and recommendation projects for engineering leadership.
• Collaborate with relay engineers, testing groups, telecom teams, and dispatch/control room engineers to resolve protection and control issues.
• Utilize AutoCAD and protection analysis software to support relay design, documentation, and system studies.
• Perform other engineering and technical duties that support substation protection and control operations.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• Fundamental knowledge of power systems and electrical principles relevant to substation design and operation.
• Understanding of protection and control concepts, including relay protection zones and control systems.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations related to substation systems and relay applications.
• Familiarity with electric utility environments and substation equipment, including relay equipment.
• Ability to learn and apply utility engineering standards, construction standards, and industry guidelines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective planning, organizational, and time-management abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively while receiving guidance from experienced engineers.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred

• Academic focus in protection and controls.
• Experience using CAPE or ASPEN software for protection system modeling and analysis.
• Experience performing fault studies and coordination studies.
• Knowledge of protective relays, relay equipment, and substation protection schemes.
• Experience with AutoCAD or similar drafting software.
• Interest in professional organizations and ongoing technical development.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional engineering and operations teams.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Entry-level engineers are encouraged to apply.
• Work alongside experienced relay and protection engineers in a highly collaborative environment.
• Receive on-the-job training and mentorship while developing specialized technical expertise.
• Participate in a structured career development program focused on long-term professional growth.
• Gain exposure to engineering design, field operations, system studies, troubleshooting, and utility infrastructure projects.
• Build a career within a high-performing engineering team supporting critical electric utility systems.

Work Environment

• Approximately 97% office-based and 3% field-based work at substations.
• Regular interaction with relay engineers, testing groups, telecom teams, and dispatch/control room engineers.
• Standard schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break.
• Collaborative environment that emphasizes professional development, technical learning, and exposure to a broad range of utility protection and control activities.

Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dayton, OH. Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $36.06 - $62.50/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits

available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dayton, OH. Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Nov 23, 2026. Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Dayton,OH.About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.