Electrical Specialist - Power System Protection

Bilfinger is an international industrial services provider with a vision to be the No. 1 for its customers in enhancing efficiency and sustainability within the process industry. Bilfinger’s comprehensive portfolio spans the entire value chain, from consulting & engineering to prefabrication & installation, access & insulation, and services that improve the asset performance of industrial plants.

The company operates in three geography-based segments: Western Europe, Central Europe, and International, with primary activities in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Its process industry customers come from markets such as chemicals & petrochemicals, energy, oil & gas, and pharma & biopharma. With about 31,000 employees, Bilfinger upholds the highest standards of safety and quality, generating revenue of €5.4 billion in the financial year 2025. To achieve its goals, Bilfinger has identified two strategic levers: Operational Excellence to continuously improve its own efficiency and performance, and Market Expansion to strengthen customer orientation and establish Bilfinger as the partner of choice.

Job Description

Electrical Specialist – Power System Protection

Location: Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Project: ADNOC Onshore / ADNOC Refining Facilities
Department: Electrical Maintenance & Reliability
Employment Type: Site-Based

Job Purpose

The Electrical Specialist – Power System Protection will be responsible for the maintenance, testing, configuration, troubleshooting, and reliability improvement of protection relay systems across LV, MV, HV, and EHV electrical networks. The role will ensure the safe and reliable operation of power systems through effective management of protection schemes, fault analysis, relay coordination, and lifecycle support of protection equipment. Based on the relay specialist scope covering ABB, Siemens, GE, and MiCOM protection systems.

Key Responsibilities

Protection Relay Maintenance

• Perform maintenance, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting of protection relays including ABB Relion, Siemens SIPROTEC, GE Multilin, and MiCOM relays.
• Maintain detailed relay databases, settings files, and asset records.
• Ensure all protection systems are maintained in accordance with IEEE, IEC, ADNOC, and OEM requirements.
• Review relay performance and recommend reliability improvements.

Testing & Commissioning

• Execute preventive maintenance and shutdown testing of protection relays.
• Perform secondary injection testing using OMICRON and equivalent testing equipment.
• Verify protection settings, selectivity, coordination, and trip logic.
• Support commissioning, loop checking, startup, and energization activities for substations and electrical systems.
• Validate protection system modifications and upgrades.

Condition Monitoring & Asset Reliability

• Conduct health assessments and condition monitoring of protection systems.
• Review protection alarms, event logs, disturbance records, and system performance trends.
• Monitor relay assets throughout their lifecycle and identify degradation or obsolescence risks.
• Develop reliability improvement programs for critical protection systems. 

Fault Investigation & System Analysis

• Analyze electrical faults, trips, blackouts, and network disturbances.
• Retrieve and analyze disturbance records, fault reports, and COMTRADE files.
• Perform root cause analysis (RCA) and recommend corrective actions.
• Prepare technical investigation reports and provide recommendations to improve system reliability.

Spare Parts & Obsolescence Management

• Review and monitor critical spare inventories for protection systems.
• Identify spare requirements and support procurement activities.
• Manage obsolescence programs for relay hardware and software.
• Review warehouse stock including:
  • Power Cards
  • Control Cards
  • Communication Cards
  • Interface Cards
  • I/O Cards
  • RTD Cards
  • Display Modules
  • CTs and VTs
• Develop and implement spare preservation methodologies. 

Technical Support

• Provide specialist support during shutdowns, turnarounds, and emergency breakdowns.
• Support plant operations during power system disturbances.
• Coordinate with OEMs and engineering contractors on modifications and upgrades.
• Provide after-hours emergency support when required. 

HSE & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with ADNOC HSE requirements and electrical safety procedures.
• Participate in HAZOP, Risk Assessment, SIMOPS, and Permit-to-Work activities.
• Support electrical audits and regulatory compliance inspections.
• Promote adherence to LOTO and electrical isolation procedures.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering.

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of experience in Power System Protection and Protection Relay Engineering.
• Minimum 10 years of experience within Oil & Gas, Refining, Petrochemical, Utilities, or ADNOC operating facilities.
• Proven experience with LV, MV, HV, and EHV protection systems. 

Technical Skills

Protection Relays

• ABB Relion Series
• Siemens SIPROTEC
• GE Multilin
• Schneider MiCOM
• Numerical and Digital Protection Relays

Protection Functions

• Overcurrent Protection (50/51)
• Earth Fault Protection
• Differential Protection
• Distance Protection
• Motor Protection
• Transformer Protection
• Generator Protection
• Busbar Protection
• Under/Over Voltage Protection
• Under/Over Frequency Protection

Power System Studies

• Relay Coordination Studies
• Protection Grading Studies
• Short Circuit Analysis
• Load Flow Analysis
• Arc Flash Assessment

Software

• Siemens SIGRA
• COMTRADE Analysis Software
• ABB PCM600
• GE EnerVista
• MiCOM S1 Studio
• SAP PM / EAM Modules 

Testing Equipment

• OMICRON CMC Series
• Secondary Injection Test Sets
• Power Quality Analyzers
• Electrical Diagnostic Equipment
• Harmonic Monitoring Equipment 

Preferred Certifications

• OMICRON Certified Testing Engineer
• OEM Protection Relay Certifications (ABB / Siemens / GE / Schneider)
• HV/LV Switching Authorization
• CMRP Certification (Preferred)
• ADNOC Electrical Competency Certification

Key Competencies

• Power System Protection
• Relay Configuration & Testing
• Fault Analysis & Disturbance Investigation
• Root Cause Analysis
• Electrical Network Reliability
• Shutdown & Turnaround Support
• Technical Report Writing
• SAP EAM Knowledge
• Vendor & OEM Management
• Strong Troubleshooting and Problem-Solving Skills

If you have any questions please contact Gelson Dsouza (View email address on jobs.bilfinger.com).

Bilfinger is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or other characteristics protected by law.

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