Substation Engineer - Physical

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. seeks a Substation Physical Engineer to lead high voltage substation design for utility and renewable interconnection projects.

You will develop general arrangements, plan views, grounding analyses, and construction documents, applying NEC and NESC standards. Collaborate with designers, field teams, and clients to meet milestones, prepare equipment specs and BOMs, and perform AC/DC calculations for station service and battery sizing, contributing to safe,

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years in high voltage substation design.
• Proficient with CDEGS or WinIGS for grounding studies.
• Strong familiarity with NEC and National Electrical Safety Code.

Responsibilities

• Design high voltage (4kV–230kV) and EHV substations, including general arrangements and plan elevations.
• Prepare grounding, cable trough/conduit plans, BOMs and equipment specs.
• Perform grounding, lightning, and station service calculations; conduct sizing of batteries.
• Coordinate with internal/external project teams and clients to meet milestones.
• Produce construction documents and support procurement and construction activities.

Skills

High voltage substations design

Grounding analysis

Team coordination

Technical reporting

NEC knowledge

Tools

CDEGS

WinIGS

Job description

Description

Substation Physical Engineer

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Substation Physical Engineer to join our team. The Substation Physical Engineer serves as an engineer on electric substation design projects for high-voltage utility systems and renewable energy interconnection projects. He/she will apply NESC, NEC, and other applicable codes and standards in the engineering design and will also independently produce high voltage physical arrangements, plan and elevations views, station grounding analysis, layout, and details, cable trough and conduit plans, AC and DC calculations to determine station service and battery system requirements, preparation of equipment specifications and bill of materials, and preparation of construction documents. He/she will also work with other internal and external project stakeholders to ensure project milestones and expectations of contracted services are met. Westwood has a highly experienced and dynamic team of individuals dedicated to providing high-level professional services to our clients.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Performs all aspects of design for high voltage (4kV – 230kV) and EHV (above 230kV) substation projects to include:
  • Development of
    • General Arrangements
    • Plan Views and Elevation Views
    • Grounding Plans
    • Cable Trough/Conduit Plans
    • Specifications for Major Primary Equipment (transformers, breakers, switches, etc.)
    • Documentation for Design Calculations
    • Bill of Materials
    • Construction Documentation (Sequence and RFP)
  • Studies
    • Grounding
    • Lightning
    • AC and DC calculations for Station Service and Battery System Sizing.
    • Bus Fault Stress Analysis
  • Technical Support
    • Procurement
    • Construction
  • Active Coordination
    • Ability to work seamlessly with Physical Designer to develop required drawings.
    • Ability to coordinate efforts with other various external and internal project team members, with 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.
  • Other Expectations
    • Keenly focused on the production of high-quality work and supports continuous improvement efforts.
    • Enjoys working in a fast-paced environment on multiple projects.
    • Responsible for assisting with identifying key client interests and drivers and may determine the key clients in some instances.
    • Communicates client interests and drivers to project team members and develop approaches to accommodate these concerns in the performance of the work.
    • Serves as a technical specialist for system protection and communication and has knowledge and skillset to provide consultation and guidance to project teams.
    • Remove any impediments that are obstructing the engineering team from achieving its goals.
    • Works to advise Management about how to maximize ROI for the team.
    • Attending all client technical review meetings.

Requirements

• Minimum of 4 years related work experience in the field of high voltage substation design
• Proficient in use of CDEGS, WinIGS, or similar program for lightning and grounding studies.
• Proficiency in assessing mechanical forces and thermal effects of high fault currents on rigid bus.
• Good knowledge of the industry and technology trends specific to substations.
• Strong familiarity with the NEC and National Electrical Safety Code

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.