Construction Lead Principal

American Electric Power; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 116,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

American Electric Power seeks a Construction Lead Principal to provide leadership and field oversight across transmission lines, substations, and distribution projects. The role emphasizes safe, efficient construction and coordination with Construction Management and partners to align schedules and field activities.

Ideal candidates hold a bachelor’s degree with extensive field experience, and are capable of leading teams, managing outages, and communicating project status using MS Office,

Qualifications

• Must have degree/experience as specified in the job description
• Ability to read and interpret one-line station diagrams and transmission line switching diagrams
• Experience in coordinating outages and understanding P&C zones of protection

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and field oversight for transmission lines, substations, and distribution work
• Coordinate with Construction Management and cross-functional partners to align schedules
• Identify and address safety risks and maintain safe work practices
• Support project planning, execution, and reporting using MS Office tools and collaboration platforms

Skills

Leadership

Safety awareness

Reading diagrams

Project coordination

MS Office

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management/Engineering

ABET-accredited Engineering Technology

Associate degree in Construction Management Technology/ABET-accredited Engineering Technology

High school diploma with 14 years experience

Tools

Power BI

Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook)

Teams/SharePoint/OneDrive

GIS platforms

Job description

Job Posting End Date11-21-2026Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.Job SummaryThe role of a Construction Lead Principal within one or more primary disciplines including Constructability, Construction Planning, Transmission Lines, Substations, Distribution, Fiber Communications, or Tower Communications is to provide leadership and field oversight to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality construction execution, with a strong emphasis on identifying and addressing safety risks. This position serves as the subject matter expert and primary liaison between Construction Management and cross functional partners, supporting project planning, coordination, and execution while ensuring alignment across stakeholders, schedules, and field activities.Job DescriptionWhat You'll Do:Transmission Lines, Substations, and DistributionRequires expertise in high-voltage and medium-voltage electrical infrastructure construction, including transmission line systems, distribution networks, and substation equipment such as transformers, breakers, and bus systems. Includes interpretation of discipline-specific technical documentation such as transmission plan and profile drawings, structure loading trees, sag and tension charts, substation one-line diagrams, protection and control schematics, and distribution staking sheets and feeder layouts. Involves construction methods unique to these systems, including conductor stringing, sagging and tension operations, structure erection, substation equipment installation, and distribution activities such as pole setting, framing, and overhead and underground conductor installation. Requires coordination of work in energized or near-energized environments with consideration for construction, outage sequencing, planning, switching requirements, and system reliability impacts.What We're Looking For:Construction Lead Principal SG9EducationBachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field with eight (8) years of experience in the applicable discipline;OR Bachelor’s degree in Construction Technology or ABET accredited Engineering Technology with ten (10) years of relevant experience;[JB1.1]OR Associate degree in Construction Management Technology or ABET-accredited Electrical or Civil Engineering Technology with twelve (12) years of relevant experience;OR high school diploma (or equivalent) with fourteen (14) years of experience in construction, project execution, or field operations within electric utility or infrastructure environments.Experience:A thorough knowledge of the Bulk Electric System, from a design and/or operations perspective, AND experience within Construction Management, Transmission Engineering, Transmission Operations, or Distribution Operations is required to fulfill responsibilities of this job.Related experience is defined as involvement with Construction Management, Transmission Engineering, Transmission Operations, or Distribution Operations.In addition:Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, mentor, and train junior personnel.Must be a team player, inquisitive, analytical, and be able to interact with and maintain working relationships with diverse teams.Ability to read and interpret one-line station diagrams and transmission line switching diagrams.Aptitude to understand switching and tagging and clearance points, with knowledge of P&C zones of protection.Capacity to lead in understanding, developing, and transmitting complex outage reservation communications to capital project stakeholders.Must have strong computer skills and apply skills to provide business-specific reports.Promote a healthy culture within the Construction Management Team through effective collaboration.Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook, for data analysis, reporting, and communicationsExperience using Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive for collaboration, document management, and team coordinationFamiliarity with Power BI for data visualization and reporting, and Power Automate for workflow optimization is a plusStrong ability to develop professional presentations, dashboards, and reports to communicate project status, risks, and performance metricsExperience working in a digital, collaboration-driven environment with structured file management and version control practicesAbility to quickly learn and apply enterprise systems such as project scheduling tools, work management systems, and GIS platformsStrong organizational and documentation skills to support standardized processes, reporting, and knowledge sharing across teamsAn understanding of Bulk Electric System operations, construction management practices, or engineering disciplines supporting transmission, distribution, or communication infrastructure is required.Candidates must demonstrate strong analytical and technical capabilities, including the ability to interpret project documentation, plans, and schedules.Travel Requirements: >25%In addition to competitive compensation, AEP offers a unique comprehensive benefits package that aims to support and enhance the overall well-being of our employees.Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We DoAt AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!American Electric Power (On-Site)#LI-Onsite#AEPCareers#ConstructionCompensation DataCompensation Grade:SP20-009Compensation Range:$116,255.00 - $151,132.50The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.Hear about it first! Get job alerts by email. Log in to your Candidate Home Account today! If you don't have an account, you can create one.It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.