Design Engineer II, Transmission (Remote)

SOLV Energy, LLC; California; Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

SOLV Energy is seeking a Design Engineer II, Transmission to own the preliminary transmission line design and engineering lifecycle for utility-scale solar, BESS, and interconnection projects. This fully remote role leads design from kickoff through handoff, aligning scope, schedule, risks, and technical assumptions before execution begins.

The position requires a Bachelor's in electrical or civil engineering, 3+ years in transmission line design, and proficiency with PLS tools, AutoCAD, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical, civil, or related engineering from an accredited institution.
• 3+ years of experience in transmission line design or related power engineering.
• Proficiency with transmission line design software and related standards (NESC, IEEE).
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Own preliminary transmission line design and technical ownership from kickoff to handoff.
• Coordinate routing, conductor sizing, and 10% design deliverables.
• Review client documents and interconnection requirements.
• Lead coordination with engineering consultants and internal teams.
• Support BD, estimating, and scheduling with design input.
• Ensure compliance with NESC, IEEE, and other standards.
• Mentor junior staff and manage project workload.

Skills

Transmission line design

Engineering analysis

Communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical or civil engineering

Tools

PLS-CADD

PLS-POLE

PLS-TOWER

AutoCAD

MicroStation

GIS

Job description

SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation projects nationwide. The Design Engineer II, Transmission owns the preliminary transmission line design and engineering lifecycle for assigned utility-scale solar, BESS, and related interconnection projects. This role serves as the primary technical owner from BD kickoff through Design-to-Preconstruction handoff, aligning preliminary design, scope, schedule, risk, and technical assumptions before execution begins. This role is fully remote. Specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Position Responsibilities and Duties

Preliminary Transmission Line Design and Technical Ownership Own the first-pass preliminary transmission line and gen-tie design approach for assigned pursuits and projects by reviewing all applicable requirements and project-specific inputs to define the design basis, key assumptions, route and point of interconnection requirements, line configuration, conductor and shield wire assumptions, structure and foundation assumptions, clearances, quantities, risks, and open items needed to support the 10% design deliverable. Review client provided documents, technical exhibits, PPAs, interconnection agreements, utility and ISO handbooks, owner standards, and related project information to identify requirements, assumptions, risks, opportunities, and scope outside of SOLV standards. Serve as the primary transmission line subject matter expert for assigned projects and coordinate technical inputs from engineering consultants, survey and geotechnical teams, environmental and permitting teams, land and right-of-way stakeholders, substation design, procurement, estimating, scheduling, utilities, and other specialty subcontractors. Lead development of the 10% transmission line design, including routing, conductor and structure sizing, and related refinements, to support estimating with pricing.

Estimate and Scope Alignment Coordinate with estimating and scheduling to ensure the preliminary transmission line design, route length, structure quantities, conductor and hardware assumptions, scope narrative, schedule, and commercial assumptions are aligned. Review estimates for technical completeness and identify gaps, exclusions, owner-furnished equipment, allowances, contingencies, route or point of interconnection uncertainty, and scope items that require clarification or escalation. Deliver the owner reviewed preliminary transmission line design to estimating and BD in accordance with the project stage-gate schedule.

Client and Project Engagement Participate in routine client meetings to review technical exhibits, explain preliminary transmission line design assumptions, identify risks, and clarify route, point of interconnection, utility, and other requirements outside of SOLV standards. Support contractual exhibit reviews, markups, and technical responses needed to facilitate LNTP, while escalating material commitments, non-standard requirements, and significant risk. Communicate transmission line design decisions, open items, risks, and required owner or utility inputs clearly to internal and external stakeholders.

EOR and Engineering Consultant Coordination Prepare and issue proposal requests to transmission line EORs and engineering subcontractors. Review received proposals for technical scope, deliverables, exclusions, assumptions, and commercial alignment. Align EOR and subcontractor proposals with the project scope, route and point of interconnection assumptions, estimate, schedule, and LNTP requirements, and submit the final proposal information to BD, scheduling, estimating, engineering controls, and other required stakeholders.

Handoff and Early Execution Readiness Prepare the transmission line engineering scope, proposal information, schedule inputs, EOR or consultant coordination details, route and point of interconnection assumptions, risks, and open items needed for handoff to the Preconstruction Engineering team. Support the handoff process by clearly transferring RFIs, client and utility comments, design risks, procurement constraints, required decisions, and unresolved technical items to the HV engineering team.

Quality Assurance, Value Engineering, and Documentation Review and approve preliminary transmission line design deliverables for assigned projects and verify alignment with NESC, IEEE, utility, ISO, owner, SOLV, AHJ, and vendor requirements. Propose cost-effective, reliable, and constructible alternatives for route selection, conductor and shield wire, structure systems, foundations, crossings, access, and point of interconnection interfaces, and resolve design challenges in collaboration with internal teams, EORs, consultants, vendors, and clients. Maintain accurate documentation of route evaluations, design iterations, technical decisions, client and utility comments, proposal revisions, assumptions, risks, and handoff materials. Use established checklists and standards, identify recurring issues, and recommend improvements for incorporation into department processes and standards.

Team Leadership and Development Assign and coordinate work for transmission line designers, engineers, interns, and technical support staff on assigned projects; review work for quality, completeness, and schedule compliance. Mentor junior team members and identify training or development needs related to transmission line routing, line design criteria, conductor and structure selection, clearances, utility requirements, RFP review, estimating support, and project handoff.

Minimum Skills or Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, civil, or related engineering from an accredited institution.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure or equivalent certification is a nice-to-have, not a must.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in transmission line design or engineering, utility-scale renewable energy, gen-tie, or related power engineering.
• Demonstrated proficiency in transmission line design software (PLS-CADD, PLS-POLE, PLS-TOWER, AutoCAD, MicroStation, GIS, or similar).
• Strong understanding of transmission line design principles, routing, conductor and shield wire selection, sag-tension, clearances, structure systems, foundations, and industry standards (NESC, IEEE, etc).
• Thorough understanding of local, state, and federal regulations related to transmission line design, utility infrastructure, and solar development.
• Familiarity with utility interconnection requirements, point of interconnection requirements, right-of-way and permitting considerations, and contract language.
• In-depth knowledge of applicable engineering principles and industry best practices.
• Effective communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and deliver results under tight deadlines.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits

• Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Compensation Range: $84,511 - $105,639 Pay Rate Type: Salary