Senior High Voltage CAD Designer

AES Corporation; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

AES Corporation in the United States is seeking a Senior HV CAD Designer to support high voltage substation and transmission design, with 75% focus on HV and 25% on PV/BESS land development. This hybrid role offers collaboration with HV Project Engineers and multiple teams across renewable projects.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of drafting experience, proficiency with AutoCAD and Bluebeam, and strong communication and organizational skills.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher in CAD/Drafting or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years drafting/design experience in HV substation or transmission CAD.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Office.
• General knowledge of electrical systems, HV substations, and related codes.
• Experience creating and maintaining CAD tools, templates, blocks, and standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop up to 30% substation packages in AutoCAD/Bluebeam for 35kV–500kV facilities, including single line diagrams and layouts.
• Draft transmission line exhibits representing pole designs, ROWs, and cross‑sections for bids and development documents.
• Support PV and BESS land development with site plans, layouts, and design packages.
• Collaborate with HV Project Engineers, Substation Leads, Transmission Leads, and other teams to support renewable project development.
• Integrate survey data, shapefiles, site constraints, and SME input for HV, PV, and BESS layouts.
• Develop and maintain substation, transmission, PV, and BESS CAD standards, templates, tools, and symbol databases.
• Create BOMs as a by‑product of design packages.
• Coordinate with land and permitting teams to evaluate site constraints and access.
• Review external substation designs for minimum clearances and alignment with AES standards.
• Maintain documentation control for project drafting and engineering records in AES data rooms.
• Travel up to 10%.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Detail-oriented

Problem solving

Leadership potential

Education

Associate degree in CAD/Drafting

Tools

AutoCAD

Bluebeam

Microsoft Office

Job description

Are you ready to be part of a company that isn't just talking about the future, but actively shaping it? Join The AES Corporation, the largest US-based global power company with a team of 8,300 employees across 12 countries.

AES has been ranked #1 by BloombergNEF in renewable energy sales to corporations in the US and Americas for five consecutive years, providing electricity for millions of people worldwide.

We are proud to foster a strong workplace culture, earning prominent positions in Great Place to Work rankings across the markets where we operate. AES was also named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year in 2026, highlighting our dedication to integrity, transparency, and responsible business practices.

Our spirit of innovation continues to earn industry recognition. AES is the only seven-time winner of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Awards in the twenty-first century, a distinction honoring global leadership in advancing the electric power industry.

If you're ready to be part of a company that’s not just adapting to change, but driving it, AES is the place for you. We're not just building a more sustainable future, we’re powering it.

The High Voltage Engineering team delivers both pre‑construction development engineering and execution engineering for high voltage facilities associated with renewable energy power plants, with voltage ranges from 35kV up to 500kV. We are currently looking for a dynamic, team‑oriented Senior HV CAD Designer to support high voltage substation and transmission design while also supplementing PV and BESS land development design needs. This hybrid role will remain aligned primarily with the HV group, with approximately 75% of the individual’s work focused on high voltage design and approximately 25% supporting PV and BESS land development efforts. The ideal candidate is proficient in the technical aspects of drafting, enjoys working in a fast‑paced environment, and is comfortable collaborating with multiple internal and external stakeholders throughout the design process.

Location: Possibility of flexible work anywhere in the US.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform approximately 75% of work in support of the High Voltage Engineering group, developing up to 30% substation packages in AutoCAD and/or Bluebeam for facilities ranging from 35kV up to 500kV, including single line diagrams, substation layouts, control building layouts, electrical elevation views, substation access, site access, relay panel elevations, and related design exhibits.
• Provide drafting support for transmission line engineering by developing technical exhibits that represent transmission structure pole designs, rights‑of‑way, and existing transmission line crossings for RFP and development‑stage documents.
• Perform approximately 25% of work in support of PV and BESS land development efforts, including preliminary AutoCAD site plans, project layouts, early‑stage design packages, single line diagrams, civil and electrical construction details, and related design documentation.
• Collaborate with HV Project Engineers, Substation Leads, Transmission Leads, Development Engineers, Engineering Managers, real estate, survey, land, permitting, and project management teams to support integrated renewable project development.
• Integrate and analyze survey data, shapefiles, site constraints, and input from subject matter experts to support accurate HV, PV, and BESS design layouts.
• Develop and maintain substation, transmission, PV, and BESS CAD standards, templates, tools, blocks, and symbol databases to improve consistency, quality, and design efficiency.
• Develop databases of major equipment for substation, transmission, PV, and BESS projects and support the development of Bills of Materials as a by‑product of design packages.
• Coordinate with land and permitting teams to evaluate substation pads, PV/BESS layouts, site access, equipment access, wetlands, cultural or archeological areas, floodplain impacts, topography and other development constraints.
• Coordinate with HV Project Engineers, Substation Leads, and major equipment manufacturers to confirm adequate turn radii, access routes, and site access for equipment delivery.
• Generate drawings that align with company drawing standards, templates, quality control procedures, completeness expectations, accuracy requirements, and applicable code considerations.
• Review external consultant substation designs with emphasis on minimum clearances, structure design, electrical components, and alignment with AES design standards.
• Develop and maintain documentation control processes to ensure project drafting and engineering documentation are uploaded successfully to AES project data rooms.
• Work independently and collaboratively to meet established deadlines, communicate proactively with project teams, and support design discussions among technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Growth opportunity for a leadership role within the design team.
• Travel and fieldwork up to 10%.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher, or a two‑year AAS degree, with emphasis on Computer Aided Design, Drafting and Design Technology, engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of proven drafting/design experience, including high voltage substation and/or transmission CAD design experience.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office applications, and related drafting tools.
• General knowledge of electrical systems, drawings, diagrams, terminology, and code considerations for high voltage substations.
• Familiarity with HV equipment such as main power transformers, circuit breakers, relay panels, and related substation components.
• Ability to support PV and BESS land development design tasks, including site plans, layouts, single line diagrams, and coordination of civil and electrical design inputs.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to lead and support design discussions among internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a fast‑paced environment.
• Detail‑oriented approach with strong problem‑solving, critical thinking, verbal communication, and written communication skills.
• Experience creating and maintaining CAD tools, templates, blocks, symbol databases, or design standardization resources.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience creating Bills of Materials for substation, transmission, PV, or BESS projects.
• Experience with AutoCAD Civil 3D, PLS‑CADD, shapefiles, GIS‑based inputs, and renewable energy site development data.
• Familiarity with solar PV designs, BESS layouts, civil and grading design, site design constraints, and land development considerations.
• Experience coordinating with land, permitting, real estate, survey, and construction teams on renewable energy projects.
• Familiarity with regional civil constraints such as wetlands, floodplains, karst topography, access limitations, and other site development considerations.
• Ability and willingness to continue learning across high voltage, PV, and BESS design disciplines while maintaining primary alignment with the HV group.

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed to building strength and delivering long‑term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. Respecting all backgrounds, differences and perspectives enables us to improve the lives of our people, customers, suppliers, contractors, and the communities in which we live and work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.

The expected salary for this position, at commencement of employment, is between $87,000 and $104,550/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position also includes annual bonus. The benefits offered for this position are: medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) eligibility, and paid time off (including vacation, sick leave time, and parental leave). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if a candidate receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an "at-will position" and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.