Distribution Designers

Catapult Federal Services; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Catapult Federal Services in Houston, TX is seeking a Distribution Designer II/III for a hybrid role combining office-based design and field visits. You will develop detailed design packages for overhead and underground electric distribution, review data, and collaborate across engineering, project management, and construction teams.

The ideal candidate has 2+ years in distribution design, proficiency with CAD/GIS tools, and experience with pole loading software.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years distribution design experience (Level II), 4+ years (Level III).
• Experience with electric utility or utility consulting environments.
• Knowledge of overhead and underground distribution systems.
• Familiarity with design tools and coding standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop design and construction work packages for distribution systems.
• Review scopes, records, field data, and client documentation for requirements.
• Perform field visits to verify conditions and collect data.
• Prepare designs for poles, conductors, transformers, and underground cables.
• Support calculations: voltage drop, sag/tension, fault current.
• Coordinate with various teams to meet quality, schedule, and budget targets.
• Prepare material lists, cost estimates, permits, and ROW documents.
• Maintain project records and communicate status to stakeholders.

Skills

Electric distribution design

Field coordination

Project management

Written & verbal communication

Reading maps/diagrams

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology or related

ABET-accredited program preferred

Tools

BOUD

O-Calc

SPIDAcalc

PoleForeman

GIS

CAD

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Job description

Engineering

Houston, Texas Contract To Hire Jul 29, 2026

Distribution Designer II/III

Department: Engineering / Distribution Design

Location: Hybrid Houston Tx— combination of office-based design work and local/regional field visits

Role Type: Full-time

About Our Client

Our client is a utility engineering organization supporting electric distribution projects for utility, cooperative, and municipal customers. They deliver overhead and underground distribution design services, partnering closely with utility clients on projects ranging from routine upgrades to complex underground and urban distribution work. The team values accuracy, safety, and continuous improvement, and offers designers the opportunity to work across the full project lifecycle — from field assessment through construction support.

Job Description

The Distribution Designer II/III will support the design and development of overhead and underground electric distribution projects, preparing detailed design and construction packages from initial field review through final construction documentation. Day-to-day work blends office-based design (using CAD, GIS, and pole-loading software) with field visits to verify existing conditions and collect data. This role directly impacts project quality and safety by identifying design conflicts and system risks before work is released, and by ensuring all work complies with utility standards and applicable codes. The designer will collaborate with engineering, project management, field, and construction teams, and will manage multiple projects simultaneously against quality, schedule, and budget expectations. The ideal candidate is someone with direct utility or utility-consulting experience who can work independently and is comfortable moving between office design work and field assessments.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Independently develop design and construction work packages for overhead and underground electric distribution systems
• Review project scopes, utility records, field data, and client documentation to determine design requirements
• Perform field visits to collect measurements, identify existing utility conditions, and verify project requirements
• Prepare distribution designs involving poles, conductors, transformers, secondary systems, service connections, underground cable, and conduit
• Perform or support engineering calculations, including wood pole loading, guying, conductor sag/tension, voltage-drop/flicker, cable-pulling, and demand/fault-current calculations
• Utilize distribution design, pole-loading, GIS, CAD, and work-management systems to complete project documentation
• Prepare material lists, cost estimates, construction notes, permits, easement documentation, and right-of-way applications
• Coordinate designs around existing utilities, roadway requirements, property restrictions, and environmental considerations
• Support complex underground cable and conduit projects, including congested or urban environments
• Provide technical support during construction and respond to field personnel design questions
• Complete post-construction reviews and verify compliance with client standards and approved designs
• Identify potential design issues, construction conflicts, and system risks before work is released
• Assist with outage investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective/mitigation design development
• Maintain accurate project records and communicate project status and recommendations to internal teams and utility clients
• Manage multiple projects while meeting quality, schedule, and budget expectations

Required Experience/Skills

• Minimum 2 years of electric distribution design experience (Level II); typically 4+ years of progressively responsible experience (Level III)
• Experience working directly for an electric utility, electric cooperative, municipality, or utility engineering consulting firm
• Demonstrated experience designing overhead and underground electric distribution systems
• Working knowledge of utility construction standards, distribution equipment, and field-design practices
• Experience with one or more distribution design/pole-loading tools such as BOUD, O-Calc, SPIDAcalc, PoleForeman, or similar
• Experience using GIS, CAD, work-management, or job-estimating systems
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and related applications
• Ability to read and interpret utility maps, construction drawings, one-line diagrams, field sketches, and engineering specifications
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision while collaborating across engineering, project-management, field, and construction teams
• Ability and willingness to perform a combination of office and field work
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for local project-site visits (mileage reimbursed)

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience applying National Electrical Safety Code standards
• Experience with ESRI-based GIS platforms
• Experience with AutoCAD, MicroStation, or similar drafting tools
• Knowledge of utility permitting, easements, right-of-way requirements, and joint-use coordination
• Experience preparing project estimates, bills of material, and construction work orders
• Experience coordinating protective devices or reviewing distribution-system loading
• Familiarity with utility work-management and customer-information systems
• Experience reviewing the work of junior designers or providing technical guidance to team members

Education

Associate or bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology, Drafting, Design, Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline preferred.

Keywords

Distribution Designer | Electric Utility | Overhead Distribution | Underground Distribution | Pole Loading | SPIDAcalc | GIS | CAD | NESC | Utility Engineering