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How to hire a relay engineer

Relay engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring relay engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a relay engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new relay engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a relay engineer, step by step

To hire a relay engineer, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a relay engineer:

Here's a step-by-step relay 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 relay engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new relay engineer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the relay engineer you need to hire. Certain relay engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A relay engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, relay 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.

    The following list breaks down different types of relay engineers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Relay EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Relay EngineerElectrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems, communications systems, and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications systems—from portable music players to global positioning systems (GPSs).$16-65
    Electrical & Instrumentation DesignerAn electrical instrumentation designer's main job is to design instruments that can be used in various areas such as laboratories, power plants, or research institutes. They work together with a team or individually to design instruments, create a prototype, and test its functions... Show more$28-52
    Electrical DesignerAn electrical designer designs and develops electrical circuit and system layouts for electric power distribution. The responsibilities of an electrical designer include assembling electrical panels and leading a team of document control personnel in-charged to identify and organize facility maintenance drawings... Show more$22-42
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Cape
    • SCADA
    • API
    • Logic Diagrams
    • IEC
    • Grid
    • ABB
    • Aspen
    • NERC
    • Autocad
    • Field Testing
    • Scheme
    • Switches
    • RTU
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage ATM network, deploying switches into regional data centers, and troubleshooting connectivity.
    • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
    • Pursue hardware faults in Cisco (formerly Stratacom) IPX/IGX switches.
    • Implement utility network monitoring and alarming system which include outage notification and restoration.
    • Expedite and simplify the quotation process for solar water heating systems by accurately representing solar water heating system performance through MATLAB models
    • Used AutoCAD to design a transformer sensor box, recloser cabinet and to document current lab electrical layout.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your relay engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A relay engineer salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, relay engineers' average salary in south carolina is 48% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level relay engineers earn 75% less than senior-level relay engineers.
    • Certifications. A relay engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a relay engineer's salary.

    Average relay engineer salary

    $68,709yearly

    $33.03 hourly rate

    Entry-level relay engineer salary
    $34,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 21, 2026

    Average relay engineer salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$121,141$58
    2Virginia$116,384$56
    3Pennsylvania$94,415$45
    4Texas$92,247$44
    5Massachusetts$91,419$44
    6Arizona$80,248$39
    7Minnesota$79,754$38
    8Illinois$74,890$36
    9Tennessee$71,476$34
    10North Carolina$71,057$34
    11Missouri$70,079$34
    12Georgia$63,897$31
    13Florida$63,405$30
    14Mississippi$60,303$29

    Average relay engineer salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Airspan Networks$101,554$48.82
    2Burns & McDonnell$89,394$42.98240
    3Rumsey Electric Co.$83,994$40.38
    4Sargent & Lundy$81,913$39.381,090
    5Leidos$79,258$38.10478
    6CE Power$76,438$36.75
    7The United Electric Co$76,414$36.74
    8Electric Power Systems$68,657$33.0146
    9Mortenson$67,428$32.4216
    10El Paso Electric$61,266$29.45
  4. Writing a relay engineer job description

    A good relay engineer job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a relay engineer job description:

    Relay engineer job description example

    Protect yourself and your family, with the benefits of working for a world-class employer. When you join Leidos, you join a Fortune 500 company and one of Ethisphere Institute's “World's Most Ethical Companies”.

    Successful candidates can look forward to a fast paced, diverse work environment & flexible work hours/work arrangements as well as managers who will encourage career development and growth including:

    • Engineer in Training Certificate (EIT)
    • Professional Engineer License (PE)
    • Project Management Professional (PMP)
    • Technical & non-technical training opportunities
    • Mentorship Program

    In this role, you can also expect to gain

    • NESC expertise
    • Electrical Power Calculations
    • GIS design training
    • Interactions with other disciplines(Substation, Protection & Controls, and Civil Structural)
    • Time management and organizational skills

    Responsibilities:

    • Solving challenging substation engineering problems.

    • Working with design engineers and performing quality reviews.

    • Working directly with clients as well as working with other staff in remote office locations.

    • Assignments will cover the full range of project planning through design and construction support.

    • Preparation of relay settings from 4.16kV through 500kV including relay set points, logic diagrams, configuration files and documentation.

    Experience :

    • Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) with 2+ years of related experience.

    • Main requirement is experience with creating relay settings and logic diagrams.

    • Capable of using Aspen OneLiner and/or Electrocon CAPE for coordination studies and fault study analysis.

    • Preparation of protective relay coordination studies

    • Experience with development of relay settings for microprocessor relays including: SEL, Alstom, GE, ABB and others. For both transmission line relays (Line Differential, Step Distance and Pilot Schemes) and substation relays (Capacitors, Transformers and buses)

    • Being familiar with Schweitzer AcSELerator QuickSet, General Electric EnerVista and Schneider Electric MiCOM software is a plus

    • Strong engineering and interpersonal skills and high attention to detail with a passion for quality.

    • Experience implementing control and protection schemes including interpreting schematics and wiring diagrams and preparing relay logic to complete the schemes.

    • Ability to meet deadlines under pressure situations

    • Team player who can work effectively in team environment;

    • Self-starter who will work independently with minimal direction

    • Strong written and verbal communication skills required when interfacing with clients and staff

    • High level of computer competency

    • The following are additional skills that are considered a plus:

    • Experience preparing technical reports

    • Familiarity with PTC MathCAD software

    • Previous Quality Assurance/Quality Control experience

    • Periodic travel may be required

    PDSSUBSTATION

    PowerDelivery

    Pay Range: Pay Range $60,450.00 - $93,000.00 - $125,550.00

    The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

  5. Post your job

    To find relay engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any relay engineers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level relay engineers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your relay engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit relay engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit relay 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.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 relay engineer

    Once you've found the relay engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new relay engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a relay engineer?

There are different types of costs for hiring relay engineers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new relay engineer employee.

The median annual salary for relay engineers is $68,709 in the US. However, the cost of relay engineer hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a relay engineer for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $16 and $65 an hour.

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