Substation Engineer (Physical Design Focus)

ThinkingAhead Executive Search; United States; Remote; USD 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ThinkingAhead Executive Search is sourcing a Substation Engineer – Physical Design (Remote) to shape and grow a new substation practice. You will lead physical design tasks, GA layouts, and coordination with multiple disciplines while influencing processes, standards, and long-term direction.

The role emphasizes mentorship, capability-building, and the ability to evolve into a lead position as the team scales within a high-backlog, remote, client-facing environment across the U.S.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical, Civil, or Structural Engineering (or related field).
• Solid experience with substation physical design and related scope such as GA drawings, grounding, or layout.
• Familiarity with AutoCAD, MicroStation, or similar design software.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a small, remote, distributed team.
• Self-starter mentality; build-with-us role, not plug-and-play.

Responsibilities

• Perform physical design for substation projects, including site layout, equipment arrangement, grounding, structural steel, foundations, conduit and cable routing.
• Develop and review GA drawings, plan and elevation views, and construction packages.
• Coordinate with electrical, protection & controls, and civil/structural disciplines to ensure integrated, constructible designs.
• Support material takeoffs, equipment specifications, and design calculations.
• Apply relevant codes and standards (NESC, IEEE, client guidelines) throughout design work.
• Define processes and standards with CEO and team as the group grows.
• Interface with major utility and engineering clients to support delivery and schedules.
• Mentor others and grow into a lead role over time.

Skills

Substation design

GA drawings

Electrical eng.

Communication

Education

Bachelors in Electrical/Civil/Structural Eng

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Job description

Substation Engineer – Physical Design (Remote)

LinkedIn title field suggestion: Substation Engineer

Build a substation practice from the ground up, with a full backlog, direct CEO access, and a clear path to leadership.

About the Opportunity

Our client is a fast-growing professional services firm, founded in 2022, that provides engineering, project management, and consulting solutions to utility, corporate, industrial, commercial, and municipal clients nationwide. Distribution work is currently the firm's largest profit center, and the CEO has intentionally been building a core substation engineering group to grow the business. The physical design team is lean, with just two engineers today, and it sits on a robust, well-secured backlog of work with major utility and engineering clients including Oncor, Burns & McDonnell, CenterPoint, FirstEnergy, Georgia Power, and others.

This is a chance to join a small, high-trust substation team early and have real influence over its direction. The CEO is looking for a strong Physical Design engineer who can do more than execute: someone who can help shape how the team works, mentor as it grows, and become a long-term core piece of the substation practice as it scales alongside the firm's distribution business. The role is open on level (mid to senior), but leadership potential and the ability to grow into a more central role over time matter more than hitting an exact years-of-experience number.

What You'll Do

• Perform physical design for substation projects, including site layout, equipment arrangement, grounding, structural steel, foundations, conduit and cable routing, and related civil/structural scope
• Develop and review substation general arrangement (GA) drawings, plan and elevation views, and construction packages
• Coordinate with electrical, protection & controls, and civil/structural disciplines to ensure integrated, constructible designs
• Support material takeoffs, equipment specifications, and design calculations
• Apply relevant codes and standards, including NESC, IEEE, and utility-specific design guides, throughout design work
• Work closely with the CEO and the existing team to help define processes and standards as the group grows
• Interface directly with major utility and engineering clients to support project delivery and schedules
• Take on mentorship and technical leadership as capacity allows, with a real opportunity to grow into a lead role over time
• Ideal candidate (senior end): Lead design work independently, mentor others, and serve as a go-to technical resource on a small team with high visibility

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical, Civil, or Structural Engineering (or a related field)
• Solid experience with substation physical design, such as GA drawings, structural layout, grounding, or related scope
• Familiarity with AutoCAD, MicroStation, or similar design software
• Strong communication skills and comfort working in a small, remote, distributed team
• A self-starter mentality; this is a build-with-us role, not a plug-and-play seat

Preferred Qualifications

• PE license (strongly preferred at the senior end, roughly 10+ years of experience)
• EIT certification and progress toward PE licensure (at the more junior end, roughly 4–5 years of experience)
• Strong foundational design skills with a clear trajectory toward more ownership (more junior end)
• Location: Remote (U.S.)
• Employment type: Full-time
• Level: Mid-Level to Senior (open range; leadership potential is a priority)
• Reports to: Engineering Leadership / CEO
• Compensation and benefits: Remote flexibility; direct access to and investment from the CEO; job security without bureaucracy, thanks to a small team with a big backlog; a real opportunity to shape the team's direction and grow into a senior or leadership position as the group scales; work with recognizable, high-quality clients