At Hydro Ottawa, we empower the lives of the people in the communities we serve. 

We help to power your professional growth at every step of your engineering career. For those starting out, we provide the training and skills needed to achieve your P.Eng. designation, and for established engineers, our structured framework offers a clear, transparent pathways to intermediate and senior levels. Wherever you are in your career, there’s a path for growth ahead of you here.

As the electricity distributor to the Nation’s Capital, our work powers the essential activities that make up our lives - at home, at work and at play. And as Ontario’s largest municipally-owned producer of green power, we are leading the way to a greener tomorrow. 

We are seeking a Protection and Control Engineer, a strategic thinker who can take initiatives from concept to completion and engineer the way to a smart energy future.

Are you ready to make a difference in our community?

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Supervisor, Technical Standards, the Protection and Control Engineer drives the safety, intelligence, and reliability of Hydro Ottawa’s distribution system by overseeing comprehensive protection and control (P&C) philosophies and system-wide setting frameworks. Functioning as a vital bridge between technical standards and field operations, this role ensures that grid protection decisions are practical, data-driven, and aligned with asset management objectives. Additionally, the Protection and Control Engineer provides real-time technical support to operations staff and field crews, ensuring that fault troubleshooting, equipment commissioning, and power quality investigations are executed safely and efficiently.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct comprehensive protection coordination studies, short-circuit analyses, and load-flow reviews to prepare and update system settings, ensuring faults are isolated swiftly to minimize customer impact and safeguard system assets.

• Serve as the primary technical resource for field operations, collaborating directly with crews to troubleshoot relay malfunctions, investigate system deficiencies and outages, and support complex commissioning tasks.

• Oversee the complete lifecycle of protection system settings and control logic programming, ensuring accurate configuration for relays and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs).

• Formulate rigorous test plans for P&C devices, offering  expert guidance on design and maintenance to enable field teams to execute work safely and efficiently.

• Investigate power quality events and system disturbances, analyzing fault records to provide actionable recommendations that prevent recurrence and enhance system stability. 

• Propose and manage capital programs for P&C equipment upgrades, prioritizing investments that improve system safety, reliability, and grid observability.

• Champion Hydro Ottawa’s ISO 55001 Asset Management objectives by maintaining Asset Management Plans for P&C devices, tracking Key Performance Indicators, and directing annual maintenance programs.

• Formulate risk-mitigation strategies and contingency plans to address P&C equipment and reliability vulnerabilities, ensuring the continuity of service delivery. 

• Own and evolve Hydro Ottawa’s P&C philosophy by leading the development of internal standards, guidelines, and operating procedures to ensure grid-wide consistency.

• Identify and develop engineering projects aimed at reducing system losses and optimizing overall grid efficiency and reliability.

• Manage operating and maintenance agreements and procedures, ensuring all technical requirements and revisions are accurately integrated and communicated to relevant stakeholders. 

• Provide technical mentorship and guidance regarding P&C procedures, fostering an operational culture of safety and technical excellence.

• Oversee the management of engineering software and modeling tools to guarantee that  the data used for system protection studies remains accurate and reliable.

• Represent Hydro Ottawa at external working groups and conferences to stay aligned with evolving industry best practices and regulatory changes.

• Participate in Hydro Ottawa’s Electricity Emergency Response Program (EERP) including potential after-hours and or on-call responsibilities, as required.

• Lead special projects and perform other related duties as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Undergraduate degree in Engineering from an accredited university

• Professional Engineer, licensed or able to be licensed in the province of Ontario

• Knowledge of Protection and Control philosophies considered an asset

• Knowledge of Power Engineering Software tools such as CYME, EasyPower, ETAP considered an asset  

• Knowledge of Ontario’s energy sector and regulatory framework considered an asset

• Project Management skills and System Planning experience considered an asset

• Experience in Lean Six Sigma or other continuous improvement frameworks considered an asset

• Knowledge of ISO55000 considered an asset

• Strong computer skills; proficient in the use of office productivity and collaboration tools, preferably Google Workspace

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• English essential, both oral and written; Bilingual (English/French) considered an asset

This is a management group opportunity and salary will be commensurate with qualifications.

Hydro Ottawa offers a Hybrid Work Model. Hybrid work is position specific, details of the hybrid model will be discussed with successful candidates.

Hydro Ottawa may use artificial intelligence (“AI”) during the recruitment process to aid in the screening and selection of candidates.

Location:

This is a management group opportunity. The annual salary range for this position identified below depends on experience, education, and professional designation.

Pay Range Minimum:

Pay Range Maximum:

Posting End Date (if applicable):

Hydro Ottawa is committed to establishing a qualified workforce that reflects the diverse population it serves and we encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We are also committed to preventing and removing barriers to employment for people with disabilities, and we invite you to inform us should you have any accessibility or accommodation needs.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada.