Protection Engineer - Morrisville/Raleigh, NC
delta electronics americasMorrisville (NC)
Protection Engineer - Morrisville/Raleigh, NC
Posted 3 days ago
delta electronics americasMorrisville (NC)
SENIORITY
Senior
About the role
Who We Are:
Delta, founded in 1971, is a global leader in switching power supplies and thermal management products with a thriving portfolio of smart energy-saving systems and solutions in the fields of industrial automation, building automation, telecom power, data center infrastructure, EV charging, renewable energy, energy storage and display, to nurture the development of smart manufacturing and sustainable cities. As a world-class corporate citizen guided by its mission statement, “To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow,” Delta leverages its core competence in high-efficiency power electronics and its ESG-embedded business model to address key environmental issues, such as climate change. Delta serves customers through its sales offices, R&D centers and manufacturing facilities spread over close to 200 locations across five continents. Delta has 158 sales offices, 72 R&D centers and 48 manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Throughout its history, Delta has received various global awards and recognition for its business achievements, innovative technologies and dedication to ESG. Since 2011, Delta has been listed on the DJSI World Index of Dow Jones Sustainability™ Indices for 11 consecutive years. In 2021, Delta was also recognized by CDP with leadership level ratings for its substantial contribution to climate change and water security issues and named Supplier Engagement Leader for its continuous development of a sustainable value chain.
About the Role:
The Protection Engineer is responsible for the design, analysis, and validation of protection systems for microgrids and Solid-State Transformer (SST)-based power systems. This role ensures safe and reliable operation of the system under both normal and faulted conditions through proper protection scheme design, circuit breaker selection and control, and coordination studies.
The Protection Engineer works closely with simulation, HIL, controls, and system design teams to develop protection strategies that align with system architecture, grid requirements, and operational constraints.
At Delta, we’re leading the energy transition with innovative solutions in solar inverters, energy storage systems, and EV charging infrastructure. Our technologies are helping utilities, businesses, and communities decarbonize and build resilient, intelligent energy ecosystems. Join us in creating a cleaner, smarter energy future.
Key Responsibilities: Protection System Design
Design and develop protection schemes for microgrid systems and SST-based architectures
Define protection philosophy for:
Grid-connected and islanded operation
Mode transitions and reconnection
Abnormal and fault conditions
Select and specify protection elements including:
Overcurrent, differential, distance, and voltage/frequency protections
Inverter-based protection strategies for limited fault current systems
Circuit Breaker Sizing & Control
Perform circuit breaker sizing and specification based on:
Fault current levels (including inverter‑limited contributions)
Voltage class, duty cycle, and interrupting ratings
System topology and grounding scheme
Define breaker control requirements including:
Trip logic and coordination with protection relays
Reclosing and sequencing logic (where applicable)
Integration with system controls and microgrid controllers
Ensure proper selection of switching devices for both AC and DC (if applicable)
Protection Coordination Studies
Perform protection coordination and selectivity studies across the system.
Analyze and coordinate:
Time-current characteristics (TCC curves)
Relay settings and grading margins
Breaker trip timing and sequencing
Ensure coordination between:
Utility interfaces
SST protection
Downstream feeders and loads
DERs (where applicable)
Validate coordination under both grid-connected and islanded conditions
Fault Analysis & System Studies
Perform fault studies for:
Symmetrical and unsymmetrical faults
Low-fault-current inverter-dominated systems
Analyze system response including:
Fault current magnitude and duration
Protection operation and clearing times
Impact on system stability and control performance
Support both offline simulation and HIL validation of protection behavior.
Collaboration with Simulation & HIL Teams
Work with simulation engineers to:
Model protection behavior in MATLAB/Simulink and EMT tools
Work with HIL engineers to:
Validate protection schemes in RTDS environments
Test relay behavior and breaker operation under realistic fault scenarios
Support integration between protection systems and control/firmware implementation
Documentation & Reporting
Develop and maintain:
Protection philosophy documents
Coordination studies and reports
Device settings and configuration files
Clearly communicate protection design decisions, assumptions, and risks
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, or related field
5+ years of experience in power system protection engineering
Strong understanding of:
Protection principles (overcurrent, differential, distance, etc.)
Circuit breaker selection and operation
Protection coordination methodologies
Experience performing coordination studies and fault analysis
Familiarity with microgrid or distribution-level power systems
Ability to interpret system one-line diagrams and develop protection schemes
Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Power Systems
Experience with:
Microgrids and inverter-dominated systems
SSTs or power-electronic-based distribution systems
Familiarity with:
ETAP, SKM, PSCAD, or similar protection / fault analysis tools
MATLAB/Simulink for dynamic studies
RTDS or HIL environments for protection validation
Experience working with:
Utility protection teams or interconnection processes
Protection relays (SEL, GE, Siemens, ABB, etc.)
Understanding of:
Low fault current challenges in inverter-based resources
Coordination in islanded vs grid-tied systems
Benefit at Delta Electronics Americas
Life at Delta
EEO Statement:
Delta Electronics Americas is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Delta Electronics America is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
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