Engineering Manager

Actalent; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Group Manager, Substation Engineering to lead a national team of substation engineers in a fully remote role. You will guide both Physical Substation and P&C design efforts, develop talent, and drive technical excellence across multiple projects that advance grid modernization for utilities and EPCs nationwide.

The role emphasizes mentorship, high-level project oversight, and collaboration with senior leadership to shape growth and innovation in a remote-first environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering required.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• 10+ years in Physical Substation Design and/or Protection & Control (P&C) Design.
• 4+ years in engineering leadership or management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop an exceptional team of substation engineers.
• Provide oversight for complex transmission and distribution projects.
• Review and approve substation design packages for quality and accuracy.
• Partner with project leaders to maintain client satisfaction and delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

PE License

Job description

Group Manager, Substation Engineering100% Remote | Lead High-Impact Grid Modernization Projects | Build and Mentor Elite Engineering TeamsReady to Lead the Future of Power Infrastructure?

The electric grid is evolving faster than ever, and we're looking for an experienced engineering leader to help shape what's next.

If you're a seasoned Substation Engineering professional who thrives on developing talent, driving technical excellence, and delivering complex utility projects, this is an opportunity to lead a growing national team making a direct impact on the future of energy.

As our Group Manager, Substation Engineering, you'll guide a team of talented engineers through some of the industry's most important transmission and distribution projects while helping build a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

This isn't just a management role.

It's a chance to influence the strategy, growth, and technical direction of a nationally recognized substation practice.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• 100% Remote Leadership Role
• Lead a High-Performing National Engineering Team
• Influence Major Utility & EPC Projects
• Balance Technical Leadership with Team Development
• Help Shape the Future of Grid Modernization
• Significant Visibility with Executive Leadership
• Opportunity to Drive Business Growth and Innovation
• Mentor the Next Generation of Engineering Leaders

Your Impact

As Group Manager, you'll oversee a team of approximately seven engineers supporting complex substation projects across the country.

You will play a critical role in:

• Developing engineering talent
• Driving technical excellence
• Ensuring quality and project success
• Supporting business growth
• Strengthening client relationships
• Building scalable engineering processes

Most importantly, you'll help deliver infrastructure that powers communities, industries, hospitals, schools, and economic growth nationwide.

What You'll Be DoingLead and Develop an Exceptional Team

• Inspire, mentor, and coach a team of substation engineers
• Guide both Physical and Protection & Control (P&C) engineering efforts
• Conduct performance reviews, career planning, and professional development discussions
• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, collaboration, and innovation
• Help engineers strengthen technical expertise and systems-thinking capabilities

Drive Technical Excellence

• Provide oversight for complex transmission and distribution projects
• Review and approve substation design packages for quality and accuracy
• Ensure designs align with industry standards, client requirements, and engineering best practices
• Review key design elements including:
• General Arrangements
• Grounding Plans
• Bus Configurations
• Substation Physical Layouts
• Engineering Specifications

Manage Project Resources and Priorities

• Balance staffing, workloads, budgets, and project schedules
• Support successful delivery of multiple concurrent projects
• Identify risks and proactively resolve technical and operational challenges
• Partner with project leaders to maintain high-quality deliverables and client satisfaction

Support Strategic Growth

• Collaborate with sr leadership on business development initiatives
• Participate in proposals, client presentations, and strategic planning efforts
• Support recruiting efforts to attract top engineering talentHelp expand and strengthen a growing national substation practice

Who We're Looking For

You're more than an experienced engineer.

You're a leader who enjoys helping others succeed while maintaining the highest technical standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Professional Engineer (PE) License
• 10+ years of experience in:
• Physical Substation Design and/or
• Protection & Control (P&C) Design
• 4+ years of engineering leadership or management experience
• Strong expereince in high-voltage substation engineering
• Demonstrated QA/QC experience reviewing engineering packages
• Experience leading teams and managing technical resources
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Experience

• Experience in both Physical and P&C Design
• PMP Certification
• Leadership of geographically dispersed or national engineering teams
• Utility and EPC project experience
• Business development and client engagement experience
• Passion for engineering innovation and process improvement

The Ideal Candidate

We're seeking a leader who:

• Enjoys mentoring and developing engineers
• Leads through collaboration and influence
• Builds trust with clients and teammates
• Thinks strategically while remaining technically engaged
• Brings energy, curiosity, and innovation to the organization
• Is excited about helping grow a nationally recognized engineering team

Our Culture

We believe great engineering starts with great people.

Our team is built around:

• Collaboration over hierarchy
• Technical excellence without ego
• Continuous learning and development
• Inclusion and respect
• Knowledge sharing and mentorship
• Innovation and forward thinking

You'll join a remote-first environment where engineers across the country work together to solve complex challenges, support one another's growth, and deliver exceptional results for clients.

Shape the Future of Energy Infrastructure

• This is a unique opportunity to combine technical leadership, people development, and strategic influence in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the engineering industry.
• If you're ready to lead talented engineers, drive meaningful infrastructure projects, and help build the future of a growing national substation practice, we'd love to talk with you.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $140000.00 - $160000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 2, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.