Substation Physical Designer

Socket.dev; Oak Brook (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership (ESOP)

Mentorship from senior engineers and>?

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Nexus Engineering Group seeks a Substation Physical Designer to develop the physical design for high-voltage substations. You’ll create general arrangement layouts, elevations, grounding, conduit routing, and equipment placement, growing toward independent design on projects.

You’ll work with a collaborative team, travel to sites, and apply IEEE/ANSI/NEC/NESC standards while advancing from production support to lead designer. ESOP ownership and mentorship accompany strong growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Associate Degree in a technical discipline or equivalent technical experience.
• 2+ years of experience in substation, power delivery, or electrical design.
• Proficiency with CAD (AutoCAD and/or MicroStation).
• Familiarity with substation physical design — layouts, grounding (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, and equipment placement.
• Working knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, NEC, and NESC standards.
• Ability to travel to project and substation sites, some of which are not accessible by public transportation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and revise physical layouts, elevation and section views, below-grade drawings, and supporting documentation in CAD, with growing independence as you develop.
• Lay out grounding systems (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, bus arrangements, and equipment placement.
• Build and maintain cable/conduit lists, nameplates, and client-specific documentation.
• Assist the project lead in developing physical documentation, applying technical design standards.
• Apply internal and external processes, procedures, and design standards (IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC).
• Coordinate with drafters, designers, other disciplines, clients, and vendors to deliver complete, constructible packages.

Skills

CAD proficiency (AutoCAD/MicroStation)

Substation design knowledge

IEEE/ANSI/NEC/NESC standards

Travel flexibility

General electrical design exposure

Education

Associate Degree in technical discipline

Tools

Inventor/SDS experience

WinIGS

CDEGS

AGi32

Visual Lighting

Job description

Nexus Engineering Group is employee-owned, full-service, and growing our Substation Department. As a Substation Physical Designer, you’ll develop the physical design of high-voltage substation projects — and grow from production support toward independent design.

You’ll produce the general arrangement layouts, elevation and section views, grounding, conduit routing, and equipment placement that bring substations to life — from new builds to upgrades and expansions. Working alongside a collaborative team of engineers and designers, you’ll take on more ownership as you develop, building toward independent design of substation physical packages.

Why Nexus

You’ll own a piece of what you build. Nexus is employee-owned through our ESOP, so the value you help create comes back to you — not just outside shareholders. We invest in our engineers and give them room to grow into greater ownership of the work.

What you can expect:

• Employee ownership (ESOP) — build equity in the firm as it grows
• Real ownership that grows with you — from production support toward independent design
• Mentorship from senior engineers and designers on a collaborative team
• Full-service EPCm exposure, from concept through startup, across a diverse client base
• Career paths that grow with you — toward technical leadership, project management, or discipline leadership
• Flexible work arrangements where business needs allow

What You’ll Do

• Develop and revise physical layouts, elevation and section views, below-grade drawings, and supporting documentation in CAD, with growing independence as you develop.
• Lay out grounding systems (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, bus arrangements, and equipment placement.
• Build and maintain cable/conduit lists, nameplates, and client-specific documentation.
• Assist the project lead in developing physical documentation, applying technical design standards.
• Apply internal and external processes, procedures, and design standards (IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC).
• Coordinate with drafters, designers, other disciplines, clients, and vendors to deliver complete, constructible packages.

What We’re Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Associate Degree in a technical discipline or equivalente technical experience.
• 2+ years of experience in substation, power delivery, or electrical design.
• Proficiency with CAD (AutoCAD and/or MicroStation).
• Familiarity with substation physical design — layouts, grounding (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, and equipment placement.
• Working knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, NEC, and NESC standards.
• Ability to travel to project and substation sites, some of which are not accessible by public transportation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Inventor or Substation Design Suite (SDS) experience.
• Grounding or photometric analysis software (WinIGS, CDEGS, AGi32, Visual Lighting, or equivalent).
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification, with progress toward Professional Engineer (PE) licensure.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This role combines office-based design work with periodic visits to substation and construction sites. This role may require:

• Periodic travel to substation and construction sites
• Appropriate PPE on site, including arc-rated clothing
• The ability to access outdoor substation yards and walk uneven terrain, with or without reasonable accommodation

About Nexus Engineering Group

Nexus Engineering Group, a distinguished independent full-service engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCm) firm, provides comprehensive support to clients from concept through startup. With over a decade of demonstrated engineering and design success, Nexus stands out as the firm of choice for those valuing integrity and expertise.

At Nexus, you will be part of a talented and passionate team dedicated to excellence and innovation. We foster a collaborative and engaging work environment, making it a place where you’ll enjoy contributing to impactful projects. Joining Nexus means aligning with a firm renowned for its creativity, dedication, and relentless focus on achieving client goals.

Equal Opportunity Employer & Reasonable Accommodation

Nexus Engineering Group, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Nexus Engineering Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require an accommodation to participate any part of the recruitment process, please contact us at [e-mail].

Sponsorship & Work Authorization

Nexus Engineering Group does not provide employment visa sponsorship of any kind, including CPT, OPT, or employment-based visas. Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States and must be able to maintain that authorization throughout employment without any action, filing, or sponsorship by the company. This requirement applies both at the time of hire and on a continuing basis for the duration of employment.