Lead Substation Engineer

Sigil Partners; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Sigil Partners is seeking a Lead Substation Engineer to join our Houston-based engineering team. The role focuses on substation physical and Protection & Control design, QA/QC, and project leadership with technical mentoring for junior engineers.

You will work in a hybrid model (Houston office four days weekly) and travel about 10% regionally within Texas. This is a technical leadership role with ownership of complex projects and client interaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Eight+ years of related substation design experience.
• Experience in substation physical design or Protection & Control design.
• Strong communication with internal teams and clients.
• Ability to meet deadlines in high-pressure environments.
• Collaborative leadership style and teamwork.
• Willingness to work in Houston four days per week.
• Willingness to travel ~10% within Texas.

Responsibilities

• Execute substation physical and/or Protection & Control design projects.
• Coordinate with internal teams and clients to meet requirements.
• Perform QA/QC on substation design projects.
• Read and review one-line, three-line diagrams and related drawings.
• Prepare and check bills of materials for projects.
• Provide lifecycle project support from scoping to implementation.
• Apply National Electrical Safety Code requirements.
• Collaborate with designers and drafters to produce drawings.
• Support construction activities and client meetings as needed.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance.
• Deliver projects within scope, schedule, and budget.

Skills

Substation design

Protection & Control design

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Mentoring engineers

Independent work

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

CAD tools

WinIGS

CDEGS

Job description

Work Type: Hybrid - four days in the Houston office and one day remote

Travel: Approximately 10% regional travel within Texas

Relocation assistance available for non-local candidates

Visa support available but only H1B visa transfer only, no full sponsorship available

Position Overview

We are seeking a Lead Substation Engineer to join a growing engineering organization supporting utility and power-delivery projects. This position offers a strong engineering culture, meaningful technical ownership, and opportunities to mentor junior engineers while continuing to advance your own career. The Lead Substation Engineer will execute substation physical and/or Protection & Control projects, provide QA/QC oversight, support technical training, and serve as a technical liaison with clients. This is a technical leadership position focused on project execution, task coordination, and mentoring rather than formal personnel management.

What You'll Do

• Execute substation physical and/or Protection & Control design projects.
• Communicate effectively with internal teams and clients to meet project requirements.
• Perform quality-control checks on substation physical and P&C design projects.
• Read, develop, and review substation drawings, including one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, schematics, wiring diagrams, plan-and-section drawings, and conduit and grounding drawings.
• Create and check bills of materials for substation physical and P&C projects.
• Provide complete project lifecycle support, from initial scoping through final design and implementation.
• Apply the minimum requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code to the design process.
• Work with client standards to implement project designs.
• Collaborate with designers and drafters to create the required drawings for each project.
• Support construction-related project activities.
• Occasionally attend site visits, walkdowns, and client meetings at customer locations.
• Assign project tasks and provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior engineers.
• Maintain compliance with applicable quality-control procedures and safe-work practices.
• Deliver projects in accordance with established scope, schedule, and budget.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary design team that includes engineers, designers, and CAD technicians.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Eight or more years of related substation design experience.
• Demonstrated experience in substation physical design, Protection & Control design, or both.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with internal teams and clients.
• Ability to meet deadlines in high-pressure situations.
• Collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Self-starter who can work independently with minimal direction.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated problem-solving ability in both team-based and independent environments.
• Ability to work in the Houston office approximately four days per week.
• Ability to travel approximately 10% within Texas for site walkdowns and client-facing activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer license.
• Working knowledge of Protection & Control design.
• Experience with bus calculations.
• Experience with grounding studies, lightning-protection studies, and lighting studies.
• Experience performing AC and DC calculations.
• Experience with WinIGS or CDEGS.
• Experience working with CAD tools.
• Master's degree in a related field.
• Field testing or commissioning experience.
• Project Management Professional certification.

Engineering Culture and Career Development

The organization provides an engineering-driven environment where experienced professionals can take ownership of complex projects, mentor developing engineers, and broaden their technical and project leadership capabilities. Career-development resources may include:

• Professional Engineer licensure support and recognition.
• Developmental leadership training.
• Technical upskilling opportunities.
• Continuing education and learning resources.
• Opportunities to progress into broader technical, project, and organizational leadership roles.

Benefits Highlights

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with HSA-eligible options.
• A 401(k) retirement plan with a standard company match of 100% on up to 6% of eligible pay and immediate vesting of company contributions.
• Paid time off, 11 paid holidays for most employees, and up to 160 hours of paid parental leave for eligible employees.
• Company-provided life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment coverage, and disability benefit options.
• Employee stock purchase plan offering eligible participants a 10% discount.
• Employee Assistance Program, mental-health resources, and wellness tools.
• Family-support resources that may include backup childcare, eldercare, caregiver services, and pet-care benefits.