Substation Designer

ACTalent; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an experienced Substation Designer to support planning, design, and delivery of electric utility substation projects. The role focuses on physical substation design for AIS and GIS, mentoring junior staff, and coordinating with engineers and project managers in a hybrid Houston environment.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in substation design, proficiency with Autodesk Inventor (SDS) and AutoCAD, and a solid understanding of industry codes, grounding, and raceways.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in drafting or engineering tech preferred.
• 8+ years in substation or utility design.
• Experience with AIS and GIS physical design.
• Proficiency in Autodesk Inventor (SDS) and AutoCAD.

Responsibilities

• Develop detailed physical substation designs for AIS/GIS projects.
• Create and modify drawings, models, layouts, and construction packages.
• Use AutoCAD, SDS, and Inventor to produce accurate deliverables.
• Prepare BOMs, material takeoffs, equipment layouts.
• Ensure designs comply with codes and internal standards.
• Perform design reviews and quality checks.
• Coordinate with engineers, designers, PMs and other disciplines.
• Support project scheduling and milestones.
• Mentor junior designers and technicians.
• Participate in design standard development and process improvements.
• Support field activities when needed.

Skills

Substation design

AIS/GIS experience

Autodesk Inventor

AutoCAD

Engineering calculations

Codes & standards

Mentorship

Communication skills

Education

Associate's Degree in Drafting/Design Technology

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

AutoCAD

SDS

Job description

Substation DesignerOverview

We are seeking an experienced Substation Designer to support the planning, design, and delivery of electric utility substation projects for a nationally recognized engineering and infrastructure consulting organization.

The ideal candidate will have experience in utility and power infrastructure projects, experience with substation physical design, and the ability to provide technical leadership and mentorship within a collaborative, multi-disciplinary engineering environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop detailed physical substation designs for AIS and GIS projects supporting transmission and distribution infrastructure.

• Create and modify engineering drawings, models, layouts, and construction packages using industry-standard design software.

• Utilize tools such as AutoCAD, SDS, and Autodesk Inventor to produce and maintain accurate design deliverables.

• Prepare material takeoffs, equipment layouts, bill of materials, and design documentation.

• Ensure designs comply with applicable engineering standards, utility requirements, codes, and internal quality procedures.

• Perform design reviews and quality checks to verify technical accuracy and consistency.

• Coordinate closely with engineers, designers, project managers, and other disciplines to support successful project execution.

• Support project scheduling and planning efforts to meet design milestones and client expectations.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior designers and technicians.

• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives, design standard development, and best-practice implementation.

• Support occasional field activities including site visits, data collection, construction support, and design verification.

Qualifications

• Associate's Degree in Drafting, Design Technology, Engineering Technology, or a related discipline preferred.

• 8+ years of experience in substation design, utility design, or related power delivery projects.

• Strong experience with physical substation design for AIS and/or GIS facilities.

• Advanced proficiency with Autodesk Inventor (SDS), AutoCAD, and other design/modeling software.

• Knowledge of substation layouts, equipment arrangements, grounding, conduit systems, raceways, foundations, control buildings, and associated civil/electrical interfaces.

• Experience supporting utility, transmission, distribution, or power infrastructure projects.

• Ability to interpret engineering calculations, specifications, and design criteria.

• Strong understanding of industry codes, standards, and utility design practices.

• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Experience mentoring less experienced designers or technicians is highly preferred.

Preferred Experience

• Utility consulting or EPC project experience.

• Experience working on large-scale transmission and substation programs.

• Familiarity with multi-disciplinary engineering environments involving civil, structural, electrical, and protection & controls teams.

• Exposure to construction support, field engineering, and commissioning activities.

• Experience developing or maintaining design standards and drafting procedures.

Why This Opportunity?

• Join a nationally recognized engineering organization supporting some of the largest power delivery and grid modernization programs in North America.

• Work on complex utility infrastructure projects that directly impact the reliability and growth of the electric grid.

• Collaborate with industry-leading engineering professionals in a highly technical and innovative design environment.

• Opportunity for long-term career growth within a company known for its expertise in power, energy, and infrastructure solutions.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Houston, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $55.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Houston, TX.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 24, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Houston,TX.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.