How to hire a protection engineer

How to hire a protection engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step protection engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a protection engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new protection engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a protection engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your protection engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a protection engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A protection engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, protection engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of protection engineers.

   Type of Protection Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Protection Engineer	Health and safety engineers develop procedures and design systems to prevent people from getting sick or injured and to keep property from being damaged. They combine knowledge of systems engineering and of health and safety to make sure that chemicals, machinery, software, furniture, and other consumer products will not cause harm to people or damage to buildings.	$33-69
   Fire Sprinkler Designer	A fire sprinkler designer is in charge of designing and developing sprinkler systems to prevent or aid fire. Their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis, utilizing feedback from customers and other experts, producing prototypes or samples, and coordinating with engineers and technicians... Show more	$19-38
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Scheme
   • AC
   • SCADA
   • Project Management
   • Windows
   • NERC
   • Transmission Lines
   • CPI
   • ETAP
   • Cape
   • DOD
   • Troubleshoot
   • Linux
   • SAN

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Shell scripting, cron, SAN and NAS environment synchronization.
   • Provide advice and devise methods for shielding and M/REM reduction and site ALARA program improvements, procedure review, plant inspections.
   • Skil at providing file, folder, disk and system restores.
   • Trouble shooting DS0 and DS1 data circuits, and relate CPE.
   • Create and troubleshot relay test plan by following integrate scheme testing requirement.

   More protection engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your protection engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A protection engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a protection engineer in Maryland may be lower than in California, and an entry-level protection engineer usually earns less than a senior-level protection engineer. Additionally, a protection engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average protection engineer salary

   $100,632yearly

   $48.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level protection engineer salary

   $70,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 12, 2025

   Average protection engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$133,679	$64
   2	Washington	$112,302	$54
   3	District of Columbia	$110,502	$53
   4	Michigan	$109,593	$53
   5	Oregon	$109,376	$53
   6	Texas	$107,934	$52
   7	Arizona	$106,773	$51
   8	New Jersey	$103,058	$50
   9	Florida	$98,649	$47
   10	Massachusetts	$98,251	$47
   11	Colorado	$97,675	$47
   12	Oklahoma	$96,254	$46
   13	Indiana	$96,209	$46
   14	Rhode Island	$95,109	$46
   15	Mississippi	$94,897	$46
   16	Louisiana	$94,348	$45
   17	New York	$93,973	$45
   18	Pennsylvania	$92,986	$45
   19	Alabama	$92,877	$45
   20	South Carolina	$91,164	$44

   Average protection engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	The Home Depot	$120,611	$57.99	964
   2	Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display)	$120,048	$57.72	27
   3	Standav Corp.	$114,857	$55.22
   4	Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories	$114,558	$55.08	74
   5	Randstad North America, Inc.	$113,805	$54.71
   6	Tanknology	$111,413	$53.56
   7	Acuren	$111,316	$53.52	1
   8	Binance	$111,306	$53.51	1
   9	Advance Auto Parts	$110,791	$53.26	1
   10	Visa	$110,539	$53.14	8
   11	KBR	$109,037	$52.42	14
   12	Eq	$108,181	$52.01	2
   13	California Institute of Technology	$107,893	$51.87
   14	Electric Power Systems	$107,509	$51.69	10
   15	Robert Half	$107,169	$51.52	2
   16	AlixPartners	$106,729	$51.31	2
   17	KTA-Tator	$106,583	$51.24	1
   18	AT&T	$106,050	$50.99	3
   19	Rivian	$105,762	$50.85	19
   20	EN Engineering	$105,345	$50.65	12

4. Writing a protection engineer job description

   A job description for a protection engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a protection engineer job description:

   Protection engineer job description example

   The devices we make at SEL are embedded in the power grid. They prevent blackouts. They make outages safer and shorter in duration; they add cybersecurity, automation, and communication. They use cutting-edge technologies and operate at speeds that push other pieces of the grid to go faster. As a Project Engineer - Protection* in Engineering Services, you'll provide solutions and services that help our customers protect and control critical electrical infrastructure and power systems worldwide.
   As a Project Engineer - Protection*, a typical day might include the following:
   
   + Supporting large utilities and industrials companies
   
   + Perform consulting work on projects (design protection schemes, provide setting calculations, configure SEL devices, perform power systems studies, etc.)
   
   + Working on projects in the areas of Oil & Gas, Electrical Utility, and/or Renewable Energy
   
   + On-site commissioning (25% or more)
   
   This job might be for you if you have:
   
   + Experience with Protective Relaying (SEL Quickset etc.)
   
   + Understanding of control schematics
   
   + Power systems study knowledge (ETAP, SKM, etc.)
   
   + Knowledge in electrical power systems
   
   + Commissioning experience
   
   Why SEL?
   
   We run SEL like our moms would want us to and part of that is taking care of our employees.
   
   We're 100% employee owned. We recruit employee owners at SEL, not just employees.
   
   Tuition Assistance program
   
   95% company paid medical/dental/vision/life coverage.
   
   Awarded by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 best companies to work for,100 best workplaces for millennials, 20 best workplaces for baby boomers, and 15 best workplaces for manufacturing and production.
   
   *SEL bases title on individual knowledge and experience.
   
   Location
   
   Boise, ID - This position is located in Boise, ID, capital of the gem state, and on the Boise River in the southwestern part of the state. You will enjoy local restaurants in a vibrant downtown full of small businesses, easy access to mountain foothills and 190 miles of trails. The city is also home to great schools and universities including Boise State University. Boise has been ranked as one of America's fastest growing cities, making it a great place to live and work.
   
   This is your chance to build your career with a global leader and innovator in the power protection industry. Join Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, a company of innovators, inventors & problem solvers to continue building the most innovate and safety-critical products so that future generations have the means to pursue an increasingly higher quality of life. Apply today!
   
   Communication with Applicants
   
   SEL sends an initial e-mail response to all applicants at time of résumé or CV submittal. If you do not receive this communication, please check your SPAM filter and make sure your system is not blocking e-mails from SEL. It is important that you ensure your receipt of this e-mail as SEL may communicate future position updates via e-mail.
   
   SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/Vets/Disabled.
   
   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find protection engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your protection engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit protection engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit protection engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new protection engineer

   Once you've selected the best protection engineer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new protection engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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