Substation Electrical Engineer

Switchgear Magazine; Salt Lake City (UT); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking an Electrical Substation Engineer to support high voltage substation projects in Salt Lake City, UT or Portland, OR. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering and 5–7 years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include developing diagrams, designing layouts, and ensuring compliance with standards. This role promises impactful work within a collaborative team dedicated to delivering exceptional engineering solutions.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in electrical substation engineering for utility or EPC projects.
• Strong understanding of IEEE, NESC, and utility substation design standards.
• Experience with substation design tools such as AutoCAD, MicroStation, or 3D modeling platforms.

Responsibilities

• Develop substation one line and three line diagrams.
• Design physical substation layouts, including equipment arrangement and grounding systems.
• Perform electrical engineering calculations, such as grounding grid analysis and short circuit evaluations.

Skills

Electrical substation engineering

Attention to detail

Understanding of IEEE and NESC standards

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

3D modeling platforms

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking an Electrical Substation Engineer to support the design and engineering of high voltage substation projects ranging from 12 kV to 500 kV. This role focuses on developing comprehensive substation design packages that ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of utility scale substations in both greenfield and brownfield environments.

District Overview

Kiewit Power Delivery is a full-service engineering and construction solutions provider operating across North America. Our experience and expertise span all aspects of the transmission and distribution market from high voltage overhead and underground transmission to distribution and automation design and construction capabilities. With these broad capabilities, we operate in the electric utility, renewable energy, industrial, and oil & gas markets. As part of Kiewit, we are integrated with 135 years of construction and engineering experience that provides holistic solutions, differentiating our team from the rest of the industry.Our rapidly growing power delivery business has opened new locations across North America to strengthen our market presence while executing work within the communities that we live. We have invested in industry-leading design technology and platforms while also expanding our construction equipment fleet with the advanced, and safest equipment on the market. We are committed to building upon our history as one of the safest companies to work for by equipping our craft with the best tooling and safety programs available.

We are an innovative team that prides itself on excellence through continuous improvement and an unwavering commitment to deliver for our clients. Our staff collaborates with Kiewit’s vast internal network of resources that span heavy civil and infrastructure, vertical and commercial buildings, mining, as well our oil and gas and power generation markets, to drive safe and cost-effective solutions that achieve client expectations and further Kiewit’s legacy of excellence.

Location

This position is based out of our office in Portland, OR or Salt Lake City, UT.

Responsibilities

• Develop substation one line and three line diagrams that define system configuration, equipment ratings, and project scope.
• Design physical substation layouts, including equipment arrangement, bus configurations, grounding systems, and cable routing.
• Prepare detailed equipment specifications for transformers, breakers, switches, buswork, insulators, surge arresters, and auxiliary systems.
• Perform electrical engineering calculations, such as grounding grid analysis, ampacity studies, short circuit evaluations, and insulation coordination.
• Develop conduit and cable schedules, raceway designs, and interconnection requirements for substation equipment.
• Review vendor drawings and technical documentation to ensure compliance with project requirements and industry standards.
• Collaborate with civil, structural, and transmission line engineering teams to ensure integrated and constructible substation designs.
• Provide technical support during procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning, ensuring design intent is maintained through energization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 5–7 years of experience in electrical substation engineering for utility or EPC projects.
• Strong understanding of IEEE, NESC, and utility substation design standards.
• Experience with substation design tools such as AutoCAD, MicroStation, or 3D modeling platforms.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to interpret and produce complex electrical drawings and engineering documentation.