Senior HV Substation Engineer & Regional Tech Lead

CDM Smith; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; 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. Lead HV substation design, mentor staff, support growth, and oversee performance, utilization, and resource planning.

The role requires leading design for 230kV–345kV projects, acting as EOR, reviewing deliverables, and coordinating with multidisciplinary teams through design, construction, and startup.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, or Electrical Technology or related discipline.
• Professional engineer (PE) license.
• 15 years of related experience.
• Domestic and/or international travel may be required.

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.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of engineers and designers to support technical excellence and career growth.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support employee development through coaching, training, mentoring, succession planning, and professional registration efforts.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and retain top engineering talent to meet project and business needs.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support employee engagement initiatives and recognize key achievements, certifications, promotions, and career milestones.
• Manage team utilization, staffing, workload distribution, direct labor, and profitability goals.
• Coordinate resource planning and project staffing with Technical Discipline Managers and project leadership.
• Monitor project budgets, schedules, and performance to support successful project delivery.
• Support business development activities, including proposals, presentations, strategic pursuits, and client relationship management.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners, and key stakeholders while ensuring compliance with quality, safety, ethics, and training requirements.

Skills

Leadership

HV substation design

AIS/GIS substations

Project management

Client relations

Communication

Resource planning

Quality & safety

Cross-discipline collaboration

Education

Electrical Eng degree

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. Lead HV substation design, mentor staff, support growth, and oversee performance, utilization, and resource planning.

The role requires leading design for 230kV–345kV projects, acting as EOR, reviewing deliverables, and coordinating with multidisciplinary teams through design, construction, and startup.