Electrical Substation Engineer III

Omaha Public Power District; Omaha (NE); Hybrid; USD 89,000 - 109,000; Full time

Job summary

Omaha Public Power District is seeking an Electrical Substation Engineer III to lead medium-to-large substation projects, oversee protection evaluations, and support strategic planning for major equipment replacements or new builds. You will mentor early-career engineers and collaborate with internal teams and external consultants.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and 5+ years in substation or protection engineering, with strong knowledge of relays and fault

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related field.
• Experience with medium-to-large substation projects and system protection.
• Strong knowledge of protective relays and fault analysis.
• Ability to lead engineering components of complex projects.
• Ability to coordinate with internal teams and external consultants.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of medium-to-large substation projects including transformer and circuit breaker replacements and new configurations.
• Perform advanced protection analysis and relay coordination to ensure reliable protection.
• Manage substation project execution including scoping, estimating, scheduling, and procurement oversight.
• Oversee external design partners and ensure alignment with standards.
• Develop and refine engineering standards and best practices.

Skills

Substation project leadership

Protection engineering

Relay coordination

System fault analysis

Mentoring/technical leadership

Stakeholder coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Protection modeling software

Relay setting tools

Job description

Opportunity Profile

What This Role Delivers

Electrical Substation Engineer III professionals at OPPD provide advanced engineering expertise that improves the functionality, safety, and long-term performance of the district's substations and protection systems. You will lead medium-to-large project designs, oversee complex system protection evaluations, and support strategic planning for major equipment replacements or new substation builds. This role strengthens OPPD's mission by ensuring reliable protection and operational performance and by mentoring early-career engineers.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the design of medium-to-large substation projects, including transformer replacements, circuit breaker replacements, and new substation configurations.
• Perform advanced analysis of protection schemes, relay coordination, and system fault response; develop solutions to ensure accurate and reliable protection.
• Manage substation project execution, including scoping, estimating, scheduling, and material procurement oversight.
• Oversee external design partners by defining requirements, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring alignment with OPPD standards.
• Develop and refine engineering standards, specifications, and best practices to improve design consistency and operational performance.

What You Will Bring

• Demonstrated ability to successfully complete essential duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

What Will Help You Stand Out

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related field
• 5+ years substation engineering or protection engineering experience
• Strong knowledge of protective relays, fault analysis, and system protection principles
• Demonstrated ability to lead engineering components of medium-to-large projects
• Ability to coordinate with both internal teams and external consultants
• Experience designing major substation modifications or new substations
• Proficiency with protection modeling software or relay setting tools
• Demonstrated mentoring or technical leadership experience

Work Location

• Office: Work will be performed in a modern office environment amid normal conditions of dust, odors, fumes, and noises.
• Field: Work will be performed outside in a wide variety of weather conditions (snow, rain, heat, cold, wind, etc.), terrain, and other natural environmental hazards as well as pollen and other airborne allergens.
• Travel: Must be able to travel throughout the service territory and report to various locations in a timely manner as needed.

Work Environment

• Work will be performed in high traffic environments.
• Will work around energized high voltage electrical equipment.
• Will work in construction areas that present many physical hazards.
• Will work at heights.

Strength Factor

Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.

Salary/Wage Info

Grade: S5

Minimum: $98,877

Midpoint: $123,596

Our Culture & Mission

At Omaha Public Power District, everything starts with people - our teams, our communities, and the customer owners who count on us. As the 12 th largest public power utility in the U.S., we serve more than 900,000 people across 13 counties, and we take that responsibility seriously.

We lead with integrity, support one another, and do what's right, because how we serve matters just as much as what we deliver. Our goal is simple: provide affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible energy today and for generations to come.

We create power with purpose. Your work here has real impact; on families, on the environment, and on the future of energy. And we believe great ideas can come from anywhere.

If you want to be part of a team that takes care of the community and the people who serve it, you're in the right place. We back up our mission by taking care of our employees, too; which is why our benefits are among the most comprehensive and competitive in the region.

EOE: Protected Veterans/Disability