Regional HV Substation Lead Engineer

CDM Smith; Clarksville (TN); Hybrid; USD 134,000 - 248,000; Full time

Job summary

CDM Smith is seeking a Senior Substation Physical Engineer | Regional Technical Leader to provide technical and organizational leadership within our Power and Energy practice. This role combines advanced engineering expertise in HV substation design with responsibility for leading a team of engineering professionals.

The successful candidate will serve as a recognized technical authority for substation physical design, lead complex project execution, mentor engineering staff, support business

Qualifications

• Leadership ability with a track record of developing, mentoring, and retaining high‑performing engineering teams.
• Strong expertise in HV substation design, utility standards, and power delivery infrastructure.
• Broad knowledge of substation physical design, including AIS/GIS, grounding, lightning protection, equipment arrangements, station service systems, and protection & control integration.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects, budgets, schedules, resources, and competing priorities.
• Strong client relationship management and business development skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Working knowledge of utilization, profitability, staffing, and other consulting business metrics.
• Commitment to quality, safety, innovation, continuous improvement, and exceptional client service.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines, offices, and digital delivery teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, execution, and delivery of HV substation projects ranging from 230kV to 345kV.
• Serve as Engineer of Record (EOR) and technical authority for substation physical design, including AIS/GIS substations, equipment layouts, grounding, lightning protection, and station service systems.
• Review and approve engineering deliverables, studies, and calculations to ensure compliance with client requirements, industry standards, and CDM Smith quality procedures.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to support integrated project delivery from planning and design through construction, commissioning, and startup.
• Drive technical excellence through quality reviews, engineering standards development, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

HV substation design

Leadership

Client relationship management

Budget & scheduling

Engineering standards

Communication skills

Collaboration across disciplines

Quality & safety

People development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering

Professional engineering (PE) license

Tools

Power system software

Job description

CDM Smith is seeking a Senior Substation Physical Engineer | Regional Technical Leader to provide technical and organizational leadership within our Power and Energy practice. This role combines advanced engineering expertise in HV substation design with responsibility for leading a team of engineering professionals.

The successful candidate will serve as a recognized technical authority for substation physical design, lead complex project execution, mentor engineering staff, support business