P&C Designer II | Substation Protection & Control Design | Houston, TX

Tappwfs; Texas; On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Tappwfs in Houston, TX is seeking a P&C Designer II to own complete substation protection and control design packages and guide drafters in delivering built, tested, and energized solutions.

You’ll work across utility, renewables, battery storage, industrial, and petrochemical projects, lead drafting activities, and evolve toward senior or lead designer responsibilities. This role offers growth in an engineering-led environment with constructability feedback and field integration.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of electrical system design experience.
• Electrical substation design experience (required).
• A two-year associate degree or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD or MicroStation. Knowledge of both is a plus.
• A basic understanding of power system protection and control systems.
• Strong mechanical design capabilities and the ability to evaluate constructability.
• An understanding of field concepts, practices, and procedures, and of industry-standard drafting practices.

Responsibilities

• Delivering complete, accurate P&C design packages by applying established protection and control design principles to your assigned projects.
• Raising the quality of the whole team's output by guiding and directing drafting personnel.
• Building three-line diagrams and detailed AC and DC schematics covering current circuits, potential circuits, protective relaying, control systems, and alarm systems.
• Producing point-to-point wiring diagrams, terminal block layouts, and equipment wiring diagrams that crews can build from with confidence.
• Calculating, quantifying, specifying, and verifying materials so projects are equipped correctly the first time.
• Adapting standard designs to fit project-specific requirements while applying industry practices and design standards.
• Keeping projects moving by collaborating across disciplines and reporting progress and issues to your team supervisor.

Skills

Clear communication

Teamwork

Problem solving

Education

Two-year associate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Job description

P&C Designer II | Substation Protection & Control Design | Houston, TX

Own complete substation P&C design packages, guide drafters, and see your designs built, tested, and energized.

20th October, 2026

P&C Designer II | Substation Protection & Control Design | Houston, TX This role may also be known as: Protection and Control Designer, Substation Designer, Electrical Designer – Protection & Control, Relay and Control Designer

Role Snapshot Own complete substation P&C design packages, guide drafters, and see your designs built, tested, and energized.

• Your schematics go from screen to switchyard, with the same firm designing, installing, testing, and maintaining the work.
• You'll design across utility, renewables, battery storage, industrial, and petrochemical projects.
• You'll guide drafting personnel and work with minimal oversight, a clear step toward a lead role.

Ever finished a set of schematics and never found out what happened to them? This is a different kind of design seat.

Our client is a fully integrated electrical power system services firm. They design, install, test, and maintain medium and high voltage electrical infrastructure for clients locally, nationally, and internationally. Because every phase of the work happens under one roof, P&C designers here are close to the field and see how their drawings perform in the real world.

If you have four or more years of electrical system design behind you, substation work on your resume, and you're ready to be trusted with full design packages and the drafters who support them, this is a role built to grow your career, not just keep you busy.

Why This Opportunity Is Different

• Range of work you won't find at most design shops. Utility, renewable energy, battery storage, industrial, petrochemical, and other critical infrastructure projects all run through this team, so your experience broadens with every assignment.
• Engineering-led culture. Design quality is taken seriously, and designers work as part of multidisciplinary project teams instead of in an isolated drafting pool.
• Real autonomy. This is a Designer II role, which means you'll deliver high-quality packages with minimal oversight and adapt standard designs to fit each project's needs.
• Leadership exposure. You'll provide technical direction to drafting personnel and coordinate drafting activities, a natural stepping stone toward senior or lead designer responsibilities.
• Field connection. The same organization installs and tests what you design, so constructability feedback is real, fast, and makes you a better designer.
• Stability and support. A comprehensive Total Rewards package and a supportive, high-performance environment where people feel valued and empowered.

What You'll Be Doing

• Delivering complete, accurate P&C design packages by applying established protection and control design principles to your assigned projects.
• Raising the quality of the whole team's output by guiding and directing drafting personnel.
• Building three-line diagrams and detailed AC and DC schematics covering current circuits, potential circuits, protective relaying, control systems, and alarm systems.
• Producing point-to-point wiring diagrams, terminal block layouts, and equipment wiring diagrams that crews can build from with confidence.
• Calculating, quantifying, specifying, and verifying materials so projects are equipped correctly the first time.
• Adapting standard designs to fit project-specific requirements while applying industry practices and design standards.
• Keeping projects moving by collaborating across disciplines and reporting progress and issues to your team supervisor.

What We're Looking For

• A minimum of 4 years of electrical system design experience.
• Electrical substation design experience (required).
• A two-year associate degree or equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD or MicroStation. Knowledge of both is a plus.
• A basic understanding of power system protection and control systems.
• Strong mechanical design capabilities and the ability to evaluate constructability.
• An understanding of field concepts, practices, and procedures, and of industry-standard drafting practices.
• The ability to handle ad hoc tasks and shifting priorities without losing quality.
• Clear written and verbal communication, strong teamwork, creative problem solving, and a reliable work ethic.

Compensation & Work Model

• Compensation is competitive and will be discussed during the screening process.
• Benefits include two medical plan options, dental and vision coverage, company-paid short-term and long-term disability, company-paid basic life insurance for employees and dependents, a 401(k) with company match, and flexible spending accounts.
• Work model will be confirmed during the screening process.

Location & Travel

Houston, Texas. Specific work location and any travel requirements will be confirmed during the screening process.