Substation Designer- Physical

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.; Raleigh, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. seeks a Substation Designer - Physical (CAD Technician) to prepare civil and physical electrical drawings for high voltage substations and renewable energy interconnections in Raleigh/Charlotte or Madison.

You will collaborate with engineers and other drafters to deliver high-quality drawings. CAD experience, particularly AutoCAD, and familiarity with substation projects are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years CAD experience, with preference for AutoCAD.
• Familiarity with transmission and distribution projects, in addition to substation projects.

Responsibilities

• Create and draft engineering drawings for substation projects using CAD.
• Collaborate with engineers and other drafters to correct discrepancies in drawings and designs related to substations.
• Produce drawings including General Arrangements, Plan and Elevation views, grounding, foundation, cable trough/conduit, and related substation details.
• Review work for accuracy before submission to supervisor or reviewer.
• Manage multiple substation projects and meet project schedules and quality requirements.

Skills

CAD software

AutoCAD

Substation knowledge

Transmission & distribution

Job description

Description

Substation Designer - Physical

Westwood Professional Services

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a collaborative, detail-orientated Substation Designer - Physical (CAD Technician) to join our team in our Raleigh or Charlotte, NC or Madison, WI offices. The Substation Designer - Physical will prepare civil and physical electrical drawings for high voltage utility substations projects and renewable energy interconnections. The position would require the employee to work with engineers and consultants to create these drawings. Westwood has a highly experienced and dynamic team of individuals dedicated to providing high-level professional services to our clients.

• Computer-Aided Design and Drafting: Create and draft all engineering products and deliverables using CAD software, specifically for substation projects.
• Collaboration: Work closely with engineers and other drafters to identify and correct discrepancies in drawings and designs related to substations.
• Drafting Tasks: Produce various types of drawings specific to substations, including:
• General Arrangements of substation layouts
• Plan Views and Elevation Views of substation structures
• Grounding Plans and Details for substation grounding systems
• Foundation Plans and Details for substation equipment
• Cable Trough/Conduit Plans and Details for cable management
• Foundation Layout Plans for substation components
• Import tables and calculations (e.g., BOMs) and create notes for each drawing.
• Steel Structure Fabrication Drawings (preferred) for substation structures
• Concrete Foundation Detail Drawings (preferred) for substation equipment
• Oil Containment Detail Drawings (preferred) for transformers and other equipment
• Metal Grate Platforms Detail Drawings (preferred) for access and safety
• Fire Wall Detail Drawings (preferred) for fire protection in substations
• Self-Checking: Review and verify all work for accuracy before submission to the supervisor or designated reviewer.
• Project Management: Understand and meet project schedules and quality requirements specific to substation projects.
• Efficiency: Complete drawings accurately and efficiently, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
• Detail Orientation: Maintain a high level of detail and quality in all work related to substation design.
• Multi-Project Handling: Manage multiple substation projects simultaneously and adapt to changes in work assignments as needed.
• Project Delivery Support: Assist in the overall delivery of substation projects, including communication via phone or email, attending meetings, and preparing necessary project documents.
• Provide interdepartmental support when required.
• Project Execution: Ability to coordinate designer efforts to develop required deliverables while working on multiple projects concurrently.
• Ability to coordinate designer efforts to develop required deliverables while working on multiple projects concurrently.
• Ability to coordinate efforts with other various external and internal project team members
• Familiarity in identifying when coordination is needed with certain design disciplines such as transmission line engineers, distribution line engineers, civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, and surveyors.
• Act as the QA/QC lead for drafting reviews
• Support assigned PM in project management activities, including but not limited to proposal development, resource allocation, and schedule adherence.
• Coaching Others: Leverage experience by mentoring and training members of the team.
• Lead by example and be accountable for own actions.
• Support Consistency: Follow department processes and procedures.
• Continue strong customer focus attitude that Westwood is known for.
• Support Business: Serve as a specialist for Physical design and provide consultation and guidance to colleagues and other project teams.
• Provide clear and honest feedback to project team, external stakeholders, and clients.
• Help develop approaches to accommodate client unique requests.
• Work to advise Management about how to maximize return on investment for the team.

Requirements

• CAD Experience: Minimum of 3 years of CAD experience, with a preference for AutoCAD.
• Project Knowledge: Familiarity with transmission and distribution projects, in addition to substation projects.

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative "One Team" mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision. We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry’s top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.