Protection & Controls Technician

The Protection & Controls Technician supports protection, controls, and substation-related maintenance activities at the Tallgrass Cheyenne Energy Center, an off-grid, large-scale AI-dedicated critical power generation campus planned to produce approximately 2.5 GW of initial capacity, with expansion capability up to 10 GW.

This role serves as a technical liaison between Tallgrass supervision and third-party contractors performing protection and controls work. The position provides field coordination, technical review, documentation support, and advisory input to help ensure work is performed safely, reliably, and in accordance with site standards, applicable procedures, and compliance requirements.

The role is also not intended to perform hands-on maintenance, testing, or repair work. Instead, the Protection & Controls Technician provides technical interface, work oversight support, and communication between contractors, vendors, engineering resources, operations, and the Tallgrass Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Supervisor.

Responsibilities 

• Serve as a technical point of contact between protection and controls contractors and the Tallgrass Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls Supervisor.
• Provide advisory support during contractor-performed testing, maintenance, troubleshooting, and commissioning activities involving protection and controls systems.
• Review contractor work plans, test procedures, switching-related documentation, and field execution approaches for alignment with site expectations and applicable standards.
• Support coordination of protection and controls work associated with substations, switchgear, protective relays, control circuits, breaker systems, CTs, VTs, and related electrical equipment.
• Monitor contractor activities in the field and communicate status, risks, issues, and deviations to the Tallgrass supervisor.
• Assist in validating that contractor-performed work is documented accurately and that required test records, reports, and maintenance documentation are completed and submitted.
• Provide technical input related to protective relay systems, substation equipment, trip circuits, control wiring, lockout relays, and power plant electrical interfaces.
• Support review and coordination of relay settings, event records, fault data, and contractor-generated findings as directed by the Tallgrass supervisor.
• Act as an intermediate communication resource between Tallgrass, contractors, OEM representatives, engineering support, and automation providers.
• Support coordination of DCS, PLC, and protection/control interface activities with Emerson and other approved service providers.
• Assist with outage planning, contractor coordination, work package review, and execution tracking for protection, controls, and substation-related activities.
• Support safe energization, synchronization, and electrical switching activities by assisting with documentation, coordination, and communication.
• Assist with NERC PRC-related documentation, testing coordination, recordkeeping, and compliance support, as applicable.
• Identify field issues, documentation gaps, or execution concerns and escalate them to the appropriate Tallgrass supervisor or responsible authority.
• Participate in site safety programs and help reinforce compliance with Tallgrass safety expectations while contractors are performing work.

Role Boundaries 

This position is intended to provide technical support, coordination, and advisory input. The role does not include:

• Direct supervision of employees or contractors.
• Formal approval authority unless specifically delegated by Tallgrass management.
• Hands-on maintenance, testing, repair, or calibration of electrical equipment.
• Performing contractor work on behalf of vendors or service providers.
• Taking ownership of engineering design decisions unless assigned through established Tallgrass processes.

Qualifications 

• Associate degree in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Power Systems, or a related technical field; equivalent industry experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience supporting protection and controls, substation maintenance, power generation electrical systems, or related industrial power systems.
• Demonstrated substation experience, including familiarity with protective relays, breakers, switchgear, CTs, VTs, control circuits, trip circuits, and station auxiliary systems.
• Working knowledge of protective relay systems, including equipment from manufacturers such as SEL, GE, ABB, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with relay testing processes and documentation requirements, including contractor-performed testing using equipment such as OMICRON, Doble, or similar test sets.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical prints, one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, schematics, wiring diagrams, control logic, and relay settings documentation.
• Experience coordinating with contractors, OEMs, engineering support, and operations personnel in an industrial or power generation environment.
• Working knowledge of DCS and PLC interfaces, preferably including Emerson systems.
• Familiarity with NERC PRC standards, configuration management, and maintenance documentation practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate technical issues to supervisors, contractors, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ability to identify risks, documentation discrepancies, and field execution concerns and escalate them appropriately.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in power generation, utility, industrial power, or large-scale energy infrastructure environments.
• Prior experience supporting outage coordination, commissioning, energization, or contractor-executed electrical maintenance work.
• Familiarity with combined-cycle gas turbine facilities, simple-cycle gas turbine facilities, or large industrial electrical distribution systems.
• Experience reviewing relay test reports, breaker timing reports, commissioning documentation, and maintenance records.

Working Conditions 

• Industrial power generation environment requiring regular field presence.
• May require support during planned and unplanned outages, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.
• Ability to respond to after-hours callouts and support emergent operational needs.
• Ability to work around energized electrical equipment in accordance with site safety procedures and applicable electrical safety standards.
• Ability to work at heights, in confined spaces, and in areas requiring personal protective equipment.
• Regular use of PPE and participation in Tallgrass site safety programs.