Director - UG Transmission Engineering

NV5, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

NV5, Inc. seeks a Director of Underground Transmission Engineering in San Diego, CA. Lead a design team, deliver constructible, safe, and efficient underground transmission packages, and serve as client technical lead throughout project lifecycles.

Responsibilities include engineering QA/QC, field data collection, and cross‑functional collaboration to win work and expand NV5’s portfolio in California and the Western U.S. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• B.S. Degree in Civil, Structural, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET‑accredited program.
• 8+ years of experience in design of underground transmission lines.
• Communication & Leadership skills and client‑facing abilities.
• Experience leading a team to produce quality underground transmission construction ready designs.
• Knowledge of UG Transmission Software including pull planner, and line rating programs a plus.
• Professional Engineering (P.E.) registration in the state of California is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Act as the responsible engineer and client point of contact for power delivery projects.
• Lead a team of 12-15 direct reports which include engineers, designers, and drafters.
• Assist in marketing, promotion and business development efforts retain and add new regional clients.
• Complete and submit technical proposals to win new work.
• Prepare, review, and P.E. seal technical calculation reports and construction documents meeting client and NV5 requirements.
• Assist in the routing and design of underground transmission lines using industry‑standard tools.
• Support the preparation of engineering drawings, specifications, bill of materials and technical documentation.
• Participate in field visits to collect data and support construction activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure project success.
• Contribute to project planning, cost estimation and proposal preparation.
• Maintain organized records of project decisions and communications.
• Develop your career via peer‑learning and sharing knowledge with other experienced engineers, attending conferences and training and mentoring junior staff.
• Manage multiple projects and provide engineering QA/QC
• Travel to client sites as needed.
• Assist with development of UG Plan & Profile and construction packages

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Client-facing

Team leadership

ABET background

Problem solving

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Tools

Pull Planner

Line rating software

Job description

Overview

Director - UG Transmission Engineering – (San Diego, CA)

At NV5, we understand the aging electrical grid faces significant challenges. The need for resiliency to withstand harsher weather while meeting increasing demands for power and power delivery are challenges we face every day. Navigating through permitting and regulation has increased design complexity and time to design and build desperately needed new and revitalized transmission assets.

By harnessing our expertise and providing cutting‑edge solutions, NV5 steps in as a leader, to enhance transmission system capacity, fortify against fire and storm risks, and elevate the reliability of electrical service for utility customers. Leveraging proprietary design methodologies and state‑of‑the‑art modeling software, we tackle complex obstacles head‑on, reducing construction timelines and costs associated with power delivery projects.

We have an opportunity for a talented & ambitious Engineer with Underground (UG) Transmission, Project Management, and Leadership experience to join us as a Director – Underground (UG) Transmission Engineering based in San Diego (San Diego and Surrounding Areas).

This is a pivotal role leading a design & engineering team in the development of complex underground transmission projects. You will use your experience, skills, and creativity to solve problems and ensure clients receive safe, reliable, constructable, and efficient “issue for construction” job packages.

This role requires technical and leadership abilities as well as excellent communication skills to maintain relationships, act as a client technical lead, and establish new relationships while inspiring the team to produce high quality designs. This position will grow our engineering portfolio throughout California and the Western US.

You will work on challenging assignments with your team, producing construction packages, investigating, troubleshooting, and solving a wide variety of UG transmission line and related engineering problems, keeping projects on budget and on schedule while supporting projects through construction.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Act as the responsible engineer and client point of contact for power delivery projects.
• Lead a team of 12-15 direct reports which include engineers, designers, and drafters.
• Assist in marketing, promotion and business development efforts retain and add new regional clients.
• Complete and submit technical proposals to win new work.
• Prepare, review, and P.E. seal technical calculation reports and construction documents meeting client and NV5 requirements.
• Assist in the routing and design of underground transmission lines using industry‑standard tools.
• Support the preparation of engineering drawings, specifications, bill of materials and technical documentation.
• Participate in field visits to collect data and support construction activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure project success.
• Contribute to project planning, cost estimation and proposal preparation.
• Maintain organized records of project decisions and communications.
• Develop your career via peer‑learning and sharing knowledge with other experienced engineers, attending conferences and training and mentoring junior staff.
• Manage multiple projects and provide engineering QA/QC
• Travel to client sites as needed.
• Assist with development of UG Plan & Profile and construction packages

Qualifications

We are seeking the following experience:

• B.S. Degree in Civil, Structural, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET‑accredited program.
• 8+ years of experience in design of underground transmission lines.
• Communication & Leadership skills and client‑facing abilities
• Experience leading a team to produce quality underground transmission construction ready designs.
• Knowledge of UG Transmission Software including pull planner, and line rating programs a plus
• Professional Engineering (P.E.) registration in the state of California is highly desirable.

NV5 offers competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, life insurance, PTO, 401(k) and professional development/advancement opportunities.

The salary range for this position is $180,000 - $250,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications. Additional compensation may include restricted stock units, performance‑based bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package covering medical, dental, PTO, 401(k), unlimited FTO (Flexible Time Off) and professional development opportunities.

NV5 provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. NV5 complies with applicable state and local laws governing non‑discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.