CAD Designer (Substation)

Jacobs; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 104,560,000 - 137,312,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental

Vision

Basic life insurance

401(k) plan

Paid time off (17 days/year)

Seven paid holidays

Caregiver leave

Stock purchase plan

Legally mandated benefits

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a CAD Designer to perform advanced design and drafting for high‑voltage transmission and distribution substation projects. You will apply drafting standards, support multidisciplinary teams, and deliver design deliverables from concept through construction.

The role requires 5+ years of drafting experience in electrical utility or substation, advanced AutoCAD/Civil 3D skills, and familiarity with Plant 3D, Revit, or similar 3D tools.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Drafting, Design Technology, Engineering Technology or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of drafting and design experience supporting electrical utility or substation projects.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD and/or Civil 3D.
• Experience with Plant 3D, Revit or other 3D Modeling Software.
• Experience developing physical substation design drawings for transmission and distribution projects.
• Strong understanding of substation layouts, grounding systems, conduit systems, cable routing, structural plans, and equipment arrangements.
• Experience using ProjectWise and Autodesk Forma for document management and collaboration.
• Ability to interpret engineering calculations, specifications, vendor drawings, and design criteria.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam, Microsoft Office Suite, and Microsoft Teams.
• Strong organizational, communication, and coordination skills.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple projects and deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Establish CAD project environments, manage reference files, coordinate data sources, and maintain drawing standards.
• Provide CAD leadership and technical guidance to project teams and junior drafters/designers.
• Work with globally distributed teams to meet client needs and deliver bold solutions.
• Support projects by maximizing design, digital technology, and GID collaboration.

Skills

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

Substation design

3D modeling

Project coordination

Documentation

Bluebeam

Microsoft Teams

OpenBuildings

Education

Associate degree in Drafting/Engineering Technology

Tools

Plant 3D

Revit

Autodesk Forma

Bentley MicroStation

OpenBuildings

Substation Design software

ProjectWise

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission‑critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting‑edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

It is an exciting time to be part of Jacobs as our Energy & Power business continues to experience tremendous growth. We are working with established clients across the globe to deliver the Energy Transition. From major renewable energy projects, electrification and decarbonization programs to expand grid capacity, to high voltage interconnectors and offshore grids, we are integrating a multitude of these elements to build a cleaner and more resilient energy future.

As a CAD Designer, you will perform advanced design and drafting assignments for high‑voltage transmission and distribution substation projects. You will apply extensive knowledge of drafting standards, substation design practices, and CAD technologies while collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams in a global environment. This role serves as a technical resource for project teams, supporting the development of high‑quality design deliverables from concept through construction.

Responsibilities Will Include

• Establish CAD project environments, manage reference files, coordinate data sources, and maintain drawing standards.
• Provide CAD leadership and technical guidance to project teams and junior drafters/designers.
• You will be a part of teams diverse in culture and discipline, working to meet the clients’ needs as a cohesive unit. We want you to be empowered to deliver the boldest solutions for our clients.
• At Jacobs, we are partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you will commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Associate degree in Drafting, Design Technology, Engineering Technology, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of drafting and design experience supporting electrical utility or substation projects.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD and/or Civil 3D.
• Experience with Plant 3D, Revit or other 3D Modeling Software
• Experience developing physical substation design drawings for transmission and distribution projects.
• Strong understanding of substation layouts, grounding systems, conduit systems, cable routing, structural plans, and equipment arrangements.
• Experience using ProjectWise and Autodesk Forma for document management and collaboration.
• Ability to interpret engineering calculations, specifications, vendor drawings, and design criteria.
• Proficiency with Bluebeam, Microsoft Office Suite, and Microsoft Teams.
• Strong organizational, communication, and coordination skills.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple projects and deadlines.

Ideally, you will also have

• Experience with Bentley MicroStation, OpenBuildings, or Substation Design software platforms.
• Experience supporting substation projects from 12 kV through 500 kV.
• Familiarity with utility and client-specific design standards.
• Knowledge of IEEE, NESC, and utility design practices.
• Understanding of design workflows from conceptual engineering through construction support.
• Autodesk Certified Professional or Bentley certification.
• Experience working with geographically distributed project teams.

Your health.

Your well‑being.

Your security.

Your future.

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about.

• medical
• dental
• vision
• basic life insurance
• 401(k) plan
• paid time off (allocated plans start date 17 days per calendar year)
• seven paid holidays
• caregiver leave
• the ability to purchase company stock at a discount
• legally mandated benefits

The base salary range for this position is $75,900.00 to $99,675.00; though will be paid hourly based on hours worked. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Job posted on September 23, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

At Jacobs, we’re partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you’ll commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.