Lead Substation Physical Engineer

Substation Engineering Company; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Substation Engineering Company is seeking a lead electrical engineer to drive design efforts for high voltage substations up to 765 kV, overseeing complex projects from concept through final as-built documentation.

You will mentor junior engineers, perform code-compliant calculations, coordinate with civil, protection, and commissioning teams, review drawings and specs in AutoCAD and MicroStation, and ensure timely, safe, and cost-effective deliverables.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with 5+ years of substation experience.
• Professional Engineer license is required or actively pursued.
• Strong communication and teamwork capabilities are essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead design efforts for HV substations up to 765 kV, including estimates and layouts.
• Provide technical direction and ensure QA/QC across project deliverables.
• Coordinate with other engineering disciplines and clients to meet schedules.
• Mentor junior engineers and review drawings and calculations.

Skills

Electrical design

HV substations

Team leadership

Budget tracking

Analytical skills

English communication

Education

BSEE

PE license

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Job description

Substation Engineering Company (SECo) is a full-service engineering and design firm delivering high-quality solutions to electric utilities nationwide. Our expertise spans substation, switchyard, transmission, and distribution projects, enhanced by advanced laser scanning and 3D modeling capabilities. We integrate strong engineering fundamentals with efficient, forward-thinking processes to deliver safe, reliable, and constructible solutions for critical infrastructure.

In partnership with Tier 1 Utility Design, Inc. (Tier 1), a certified woman-owned engineering firm, we cultivate a collaborative, engineering-driven environment where ideas are shared openly, challenges are addressed proactively, and technical excellence is the standard. Our team is committed to ownership, continuous improvement, and a supportive culture that values both professional growth and work-life balance.

Job Description:

Lead-level electrical engineering position focusing on the performance of both routine and complex activities and tasks related to the design of high voltage substations (up to 765kv).

Typical duties include (but are not limited to):

• Provides estimating, engineering, and design analysis for new and retrofit switchyard and substation projects up to 765kV.
• Designs and modifies physical design, specifications and layouts of major equipment and structures required for high voltage switchyards and substations.
• Prepares drawings for Site Plans, Plan and Elevation Views, Grounding, Conduit, Lighting and control building arrangements and details, AC Station Service, DC Systems and Bills of Material.
• Performs calculations such as grounding design, voltage drop, circuit ampacities, lightning protection analysis, bus calculations, transformer and bus sizing calculations, and AC and DC auxiliary system sizing calculations.
• Monitors budget and schedule for assigned tasks.
• Works in a team environment, coordinating requirements with other engineering and design disciplines.
• Provides technical direction to subordinate team members.
• Holds responsibility for the quality assurance of the documents to the applicable company and client standards.

Desired Education, Experience, and Training:

• BSEE with 5+ years of relevant experience in substation engineering with strong knowledge of applicable theories, practices and accepted procedures.
• Professional Engineering License required.
• Ability to quickly develop broader knowledge through performing structured functional assignments, such as collecting and analyzing data related to specific tasks.
• Computer proficiency required as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with AutoCAD and MicroStation preferred.
• Accuracy and attention to detail, as well as the ability to meet deadlines and complete assignments.
• Basic written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Commitment to customer service and ability to work in a team-oriented environment.