Substation CAD Drafter

Mott MacDonald; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 97,000 - 119,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Short-term/long-term disability

Paid holidays

PTO

Parental leave

Company paid life insurance

Job summary

At Mott MacDonald, we are seeking an Electrical Designer/Drafter to support substation projects in North America. You will prepare AutoCAD drawings, develop packages through 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC, and ensure compliance with owner standards and utility specifications.

You will draft AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, and cable schedules, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams. A technical degree and 3–8+ years of experience are preferred, with strong attention to detail and

Qualifications

• Associate degree or technical certificate in Electrical Engineering Technology; bachelor’s preferred but not required.
• 3–8+ years of experience as an Electrical Designer or Drafter in substation or power delivery projects.
• Proficient in AutoCAD for utility/EPC projects.
• Understanding of high-voltage substations (AIS or GIS) and substation equipment/layouts.
• Basics of protection and control concepts (CTs, PTs, relays, panels, AC/DC systems).
• Ability to work from sketches, redlines and markups; manage multiple drawing packages.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple drawing packages concurrently.

Responsibilities

• Prepare detailed AutoCAD drawings for substation physical design (GA/plans/elevations).
• Develop drawing packages at 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC stages.
• Incorporate owner standards and utility specifications into drawings.
• Revise and maintain drawings based on QA/QC and client comments.
• Draft and update AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, and cable schedules.
• Support relay/control engineers with drawings and redlines; assist with as-built docs.
• Coordinate with electrical, civil, and structural designers to ensure drawing consistency.
• Follow CAD standards; participate in drawing reviews and address comments efficiently.

Skills

AutoCAD

Substation experience

Substation layouts

P&C concepts

Engineer sketches redlines

Attention to detail

Education

Associate degree or technical certificate in Electrical Engineering Technology

Tools

MicroStation

Job description

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Boston, MA, US Westwood, MA, US Iselin, NJ, US New York, NY, US

Contract Type: Regular (US only)

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Energy

Discipline: Electrical

Job Ref: 14316

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water.

We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career‑defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story.

If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America.

Key Responsibilities:

Substation Physical Design & Drafting

• Prepare detailed AutoCAD drawings for substation physical design, including:
• General arrangements (GAs), plans, elevations, and sections
• Equipment layouts and clearances
• Conduit, cable trench, and duct bank routing
• Grounding plans and details
• Control house layouts and interface details
• Develop drawing packages at 30%, 60%, 90%, and IFC stages
• Incorporate owner standards, utility specifications, and project go‑by drawings
• Revise and maintain drawings based on internal QA/QC and client comments

Protection & Control (P&C) Design Support

• Draft and update:
• AC and DC schematics
• Wiring and interconnection diagrams
• Panel layouts and elevations
• Cable schedules and termination drawings
• Support relay and control engineers with drawing production and redlines
• Assist with as‑built documentation and design updates

General Design Support

• Coordinate with electrical, civil, and structural designers to ensure drawing consistency
• Support drawing registers, transmittals, and document control
• Follow internal CAD standards, layering conventions, and title block requirements
• Participate in drawing reviews and address comments efficiently

Required Qualifications:

• Associate degree or technical certificate in Electrical Engineering Technology or similar (Bachelor’s preferred but not required)
• 3–8+ years of experience as an Electrical Designer or Drafter, preferably in substation or power delivery projects
• Strong proficiency in AutoCAD (utility or EPC experience strongly preferred)
• Practical understanding of:
• High‑voltage substations (AIS or GIS)
• Substation equipment and layouts
• Basic P&C concepts (CTs, PTs, relays, panels, AC/DC systems)
• Ability to work from engineer sketches, redlines, and markups
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple drawing packages concurrently

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with AutoCAD, MicroStation
• Familiarity with utility standards (e.g., National Grid, NYPA, ISO‑NE, NYISO, PJM)
• Experience supporting wind, solar, BESS, or data center substations
• Understanding of IEEE substation standards (layout, grounding, clearances)
• Experience working in multi‑disciplinary project teams

Benefits & Reward

At Mott MacDonald, our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, providing them with a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. We provide a comprehensive benefit package that includes 401k, medical, dental and vision insurance, short‑term/long‑term disability, paid holidays, PTO, parental leave, and company paid life insurance.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

The expected salary for this position is $97,000 - $119,000

Collaboration at Our Core

At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we’re together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in‑office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face‑to‑face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet client, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.