Lead Substation Electrical Engineer

RigUp; Reading (Berks County); Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

RigUp, Inc. is seeking a Lead Substation Electrical Engineer to steer advanced design and technical leadership for 69kV+ substations.

You will manage greenfield and expansion projects, supervise engineers and drafters, and ensure QA, budgets, and schedules are met. Strong communication and field experience are essential, with remote-friendly US-wide work options.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering required.
• PE license in the United States required.
• 12+ years in high-voltage substation design (69kV+).
• Experience with EPC or consulting firms; utility background must show deliverables.
• Experience designing equipment layouts for transformers and switchyard infrastructure.
• Familiar with power distribution networks and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Execute physical substation design for 69kV+ projects and related switchyards.
• Create complete design packages including layouts, plans, elevations, and grounding.
• Develop equipment specifications and support procurement.
• Conduct power system studies: load flow, short circuit, protection, coordination.

Skills

Leadership

Project coordination

Technical communication

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license (US)

Tools

SKM

ETAP

EasyPower

CDAC

CYME

MS Office

Job description

The Lead Substation Electrical Engineer provides advanced engineering, physical design, and technical leadership for high-voltage substation and switchyard facilities operating at 69kV and above. As an integral component of the Power Networks practice, this role oversees the complete design execution of greenfield projects, system expansions, and facility modifications for The Client and its customers. The position functions as a technical authority and project team leader, directing subordinate engineering personnel, performing complex electrical system studies, and ensuring all deliverables adhere strictly to quality assurance protocols, project budgets, and execution schedules.

Core Responsibilities

• Execute comprehensive physical substation design, structural layout analysis, and overall engineering for greenfield switchyards and substations, additions, and modifications operating at 69kV and higher.
• Generate complete engineering design packages, encompassing site plans, general arrangements, plan and elevation views, conduit plans, grounding configurations, lighting, lightning protection and shielding, control building layouts, AC station service, DC auxiliary systems, and Bills of Material.
• Develop detailed equipment specifications, design transformers and major components, and provide technical procurement support.
• Conduct auxiliary electrical power system studies, including load flow, short circuit, voltage drop, protection and coordination, ampacity, and battery sizing.
• Execute rigorous engineering calculations covering substation grounding, lightning protection, insulation coordination, lighting, bus sizing and mechanics, transformer sizing, fault currents, and auxiliary AC/DC sizing.
• Perform independent technical audits and quality assurance reviews on engineering documents to guarantee compliance with project procedures, applicable codes, drawing standards, and document management protocols.
• Serve as lead engineer on project assignments, providing direction, technical coordination, and supervision to engineers and drafting personnel.
• Formulate technical proposals, project cost estimates, scope documents, and client presentations.
• Liaise with cross-functional departments, project managers, and external clients to resolve complex technical challenges and align system interfaces.
• Conduct on-site walkdowns and field investigations at designated job locations as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license in the United States.
• 12 or more years of dedicated electrical engineering experience in high-voltage physical substation design (69kV and above), including direct project leadership and supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated background with an EPC firm or consulting engineering organization. Candidates from utility backgrounds must demonstrate direct production of design deliverables and greenfield (from scratch) substation design.
• Demonstrated experience developing equipment layouts and detailed designs for power transformers and switchyard infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of power distribution systems and power network infrastructure (utility/power networks focus; non-oil and gas, non-generation).
• Working proficiency with power systems analysis and modeling software, including SKM, ETAP, EasyPower, and CDAC.
• Working knowledge of governing industry codes, manufacturing standards, and regulatory frameworks.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong written, verbal, and technical communication capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience estimating capital project costs and drafting formal technical proposal narratives.
• Familiarity with CYME power engineering software.
• Location in or alignment with the U.S. Eastern Time Zone.
• Location: Remote (United States); preference for candidates located near Reading, PA. Candidates requiring a TN Visa must relocate to Reading, PA and operate on-site from the office.
• Hybrid/Remote Status: Remote within the United States (excluding TN Visa holders). Candidates must be capable of working on an Eastern Time Zone (Reading, PA) schedule. Occasional travel to job sites for walkdowns is required.
• Contract Duration: Contract (temporary-to-permanent growth position with potential for conversion based on performance).