The Role
The Application Engineer will support SEL customers by applying SEL products, contributing to product development, and participating in marketing activities while providing training and technical guidance.
Summary Generated by Built In
Job Description
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) designs and manufactures products and solutions that protect and control power systems around the world. For over 40 years, SEL has been at the forefront of innovation in protective relays, automation, communications, and cybersecurity, helping utilities and industrial customers improve reliability, safety, and efficiency of critical infrastructure where failure is not an option.
Today, SEL technology operates in substations, industrial plants, renewable generation facilities, and mission-critical infrastructure worldwide.
Are you the person we’re looking for?
Our customers in electric utilities, industrial automation, renewable energy, and critical infrastructure rely on SEL for dependable protection, automation, and control solutions. As an Application Engineer, you will work directly with these customers as a trusted technical advisor, helping them design, implement, and optimize SEL solutions.
You will serve as a key technical resource supporting both pre- and post-sales activities, building strong customer relationships, supporting system design decisions, and ensuring successful deployment of SEL technologies.
You are someone who thrives at the intersection of engineering and customer engagement. You enjoy solving complex power system and automation challenges, but you also understand how technical decisions impact operational reliability and business outcomes. You can collaborate with protection and automation engineers one hour and support a sales engineer in closing a project the next. You are curious, practical, and driven to help customers build safe and reliable systems.
In return, SEL offers competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, professional development opportunities, and the chance to work on mission-critical infrastructure alongside a highly collaborative and purpose-driven team.
We are open to hiring this role in our Burnaby or Calgary offices.
In this role, you will:
- Serve as the technical representative of SEL, acting as a liaison between customers and SEL engineering, manufacturing, and support teams
- Provide technical expertise on SEL protection, automation, and communications solutions in both pre-sales and post-sales engagements
- Support the sales team with consultative technical guidance, including system design, device selection, and solution architecture
- Assist customers with application design, settings development, configuration, testing, and commissioning support
- Manage customer technical requirements from project initiation through commissioning and ongoing support
- Build and maintain strong relationships with customer engineering and operations teams to identify new opportunities and ensure long-term success
- Deliver technical presentations, training sessions, and demonstrations both on-site and virtually
- Participate in industry events, trade shows, and technical seminars representing SEL
- Develop and maintain knowledge of industry trends, standards, and competitive solutions to support continuous improvement
- Travel to customer sites as needed (typically 25–30% travel)
You will have:
- Experience working at the intersection of customer engagement and engineering, ideally in a technical sales or application engineering role
- Hands-on experience with power systems, protection relays, automation systems, or industrial control systems
- Strong understanding of power system fundamentals, including protection schemes, SCADA, communications protocols (e.g., DNP3, IEC 61850), and substation automation
- Experience with commissioning, testing, or configuring protective relays and control systems is an asset
- Familiarity with industrial networking and cybersecurity principles is an asset
- Knowledge of utility, industrial, or renewable energy markets
- Broad understanding of trends in grid modernization, digital substations, and power system reliability
- Strong business acumen with the ability to connect technical solutions to customer value
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to perform effectively in high-pressure field or customer environments
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience
- Ability to write and speak English coherently
Bonus qualifications:
- Experience with SEL products or similar protection and control platforms
- Knowledge of power system protection standards and practices (IEEE, IEC)
- Experience with SEL software, and/or SEL RTAC & Automation platforms
- Background in substation commissioning, protection coordination, or system studies
Competitive pay. Superior benefits. Inspiring work.
People are at the core of our company. We welcome you to learn more about how we support employees.
- SEL makes an annual Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution for eligible employees. The group RRSP also supports personal contributions.
- We offer top tier health insurance that includes extended coverage for medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
- We recognize the importance of a healthy life balance and offer: Statutory paid holidays, personal holidays, annual vacation accrual starting at 15 days, 9 paid sick days, parental leave that covers up to 90% of regular earnings, and family medical and compassionate leave.
- We foster growth and development of our employees through avenues such as apprenticeships, tuition assistance, and engineering development programs.
- Ask our team about other benefits including wellness, and adoption assistance.
Pay Range Data
New hires generally start with a base salary between $95,000 - $120,000 per year depending on skills and experience. We base our starting pay offer on location and job-related factors such as candidate experience, training, knowledge, and skills.
Communication with Applicants
We communicate with all applicants. If you do not receive a response about your application, please check your SPAM filter or reach out to us at [email protected].
SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent engineering degree
- Typically 2+ years of experience in power systems
- Ability to write and speak English coherently
- Proven technical training, speaking, writing, and customer service skills
- Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and has not been reviewed or approved by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL).
-
Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage is described as comprehensive, with the employer covering a significant share of premiums. Feedback suggests on-site clinics, EAP, and wellness programs further strengthen day-to-day health support at major campuses.
-
Retirement Support — Employee ownership through an ESOP is positioned as a meaningful long-term benefit for full-time employees. Feedback suggests many view the ownership model and retirement programs as strong components of total rewards.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid vacation and sick time are characterized as generous alongside company holidays and special leave options. Feedback suggests time off begins accruing immediately and supports key life events.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Insights
What's It Like to Work at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)?
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Culture & Values
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Career Growth & Development
What's the Work-Life Balance Like at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)?
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Leadership & Management
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Company Growth, Stability & Outlook
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
The Company
What We Do
SEL serves the power industry worldwide through the design, manufacture, supply and support of products and services for power system protection, monitoring, control, automation, communications and metering. For more than 30 years, SEL has offered unmatched local technical support, a 10‐year, worldwide warranty and a commitment to making electric power safer, more reliable and more economical.
