Substation Physical Designer

I & S Group, Inc.; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

Paid time off

Bi-annual profit sharing

ESOP

Job summary

ISG is seeking a Substation Physical Designer in Des Moines, IA to develop intelligent 3D substation models, equipment layouts, bus plans, and detailed drawings using Autodesk Inventor, SDS, and Vault. You will collaborate across engineering teams to ensure constructible, compliant designs for transmission and distribution projects.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of experience in electromechanical design, strong GD&T knowledge, and a degree in Engineering Technology or related field.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Autodesk Inventor and electromechanical design.
• Engineering Technology or related degree.
• Experience with utility substation projects.
• Proficient in Inventor, SDS, Vault, and AutoCAD.
• Strong attention to detail and teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Develop 3D substation models and construction drawings.
• Create equipment layouts, bus plans, elevations, grounding plans, and foundations.
• Coordinate electromechanical equipment integration across disciplines.
• Generate fabrication drawings applying GD&T and standards.
• Support reviews, loading evaluations, and constructability checks.

Skills

Autodesk Inventor

SDS Substation Design Suite

Autodesk Vault

AutoCAD

3D Substation Modeling

Electrical Design

Education

Engineering Technology degree

Tools

SDS (Substation Design Suite)

Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk Vault

Job description

Substation Physical Designer

Department: Power

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Des Moines, IA

Compensation: $75,000 - $100,000 / year

Description

Founded in 1973, ISG is a multi-disciplinary, employee-owned firm providing architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning services to communities across the nation. Guided by our mission: simplify solutions and passionately design the future; we partner with clients to turn complex challenges into meaningful, lasting impact.

We are seeking an experienced Substation Physical Designer with expertise in Autodesk Inventor, SDS (Substation Design Suite), Autodesk Vault, and 3D substation design to support the development of transmission and distribution substation projects. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in substation physical layout design, electromechanical equipment integration, detailed fabrication drawings, GD&T application, and intelligent 3D model development.

This position will work in collaboration with Engineers and multidisciplinary design teams to develop high-quality design packages, create intelligent 3D models, and produce construction drawings while ensuring compliance with client standards, utility requirements, and industry best practices.

ISG employee owners are motivated by a shared goal to stretch the limits of great design and positively influence each other, our clients, and the communities we serve. Within our Energy Business Unit, ISG’s Power Group play a vital role in delivering resilient infrastructure solutions, supporting projects and clients nationwide and local to Cleveland, OH. We’ve listed a compensation range that reflects our expectations for this role, including both direct and indirect components. We understand that your experience and value may fall outside of this range. If you feel you're a strong fit but your compensation needs differ, we’re open to a conversation—let’s talk.

Essential Duties

• Partner with engineers and multidisciplinary teams to develop intelligent 3D substation models that support safe, reliable, and constructible designs.
• Create physical design deliverables including equipment layouts, bus plans and sections, elevations, grounding plans, foundation plans, conduit layouts, structural steel arrangements, and drawing packages.
• Develop and maintain 3D models using Autodesk Inventor, SDS, and Autodesk Vault.
• Coordinate electromechanical equipment integration, support structures, bus arrangements, and interfaces across electrical and structural disciplines.
• Generate construction, fabrication, and shop drawings while applying GD&T principles, fabrication standards, and quality requirements.
• Perform equipment placement studies, clearance verification, clash detection, and constructability reviews to ensure design accuracy and efficiency.
• Support conductor routing, material takeoffs, bill of materials development, and equipment assembly modeling.
• Collaborate on design reviews, loading evaluations, and compliance reviews related to utility standards, client requirements, and industry best practices.
• Review vendor information and integrate equipment data into project designs and models.
• Support the development of bid, construction, and as-built drawing packages while maintaining project data and design revisions within Autodesk Vault.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• 5+ years of experience in Autodesk Inventor and electromechanical design.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Drafting Technology, or a related field.
• Experience supporting utility clients and transmission/distribution substation projects.
• Proficiency with Autodesk Inventor, SDS (Substation Design Suite), Autodesk Vault, and AutoCAD.
• Experience creating intelligent 3D models and generating construction drawings from those models.
• Strong understanding of transmission and distribution substation design principles.
• Familiarity with IEEE standards, NESC requirements, utility design standards, ASCE 7 loading criteria, and structural steel detailing practices.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to design quality.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and problem-solving skills.
• A desire to mentor others, share knowledge, and contribute to team success.
• Commitment to delivering accurate, efficient, and constructible designs.

ISG Employee Owner Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Paid time off, pro-rated amount available on your start date
• Paid holidays and paid volunteer time
• Paid parental leave
• Bi-annual profit sharing
• Employee Ownership Stock Plan (ESOP)
• 401K retirement plan
• Life insurance
• HSA and FSA options
• Bereavement leave
• Supplemental voluntary benefits
• Short term and long-term disability
• Parking reimbursement, varies on office location