Substation Physical Engineer

Jacobs; Clark (NJ); Hybrid; USD 129,400 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Unlimited Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO)

Job summary

Jacobs in Clark, NJ, is seeking a Substation Physical/P&C Engineer to lead the design and modernization of energy utility projects. You will engage directly with clients, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality design work for substations and supporting energy transition initiatives.

The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background with at least 8 years in substation design. The position offers competitive benefits including health coverage and an unlimited paid time off policy.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of Substation Physical/Protection & Control design experience.
• Licensed Professional Engineer in the United States.
• Advanced knowledge of protection philosophies for high-voltage substations.

Responsibilities

• Design Substation Physical and P&C deliverables for energy projects.
• Act as a technical advisor and client representative.
• Mentor team members across North America and globally.

Skills

Substation Physical Design

Protection & Control Design

Utilities Knowledge

SCADA Communication Design

CADD Platforms

Strong Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's or Advanced Degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

acSELerator QuickSet Software

Autodesk

Bentley Products

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission‑critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting‑edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

The energy industry is undergoing rapid and dramatic changes, transforming the utility landscape to enhance safety, reliability and sustainability. In response, Jacobs is expanding its Transmission & Distribution (T&D) operations in North America and is looking for a Substation Physical and P&C Engineer in its Energy & Power Group to tackle the complexities of decarbonization and utility modernization to deliver a cleaner and more secure energy future.

As a Substation Physical/P&C Engineer, you will be working closely with our regional and global Transmission & Distribution (T&D) delivery teams to support our utility/developer clients and operations teams as we expand our energy transition portfolio. You will play a crucial role in directly interfacing with utility/developer clients on Substation Physical and P&C methodologies, development of design deliverables for utility upgrades including greenfield/brownfield & AIS/GIS substations, offshore wind facilities, and developer interconnection facilities. Prior experience in the design of utility transmission and distribution systems will be highly regarded.

In addition, with evolving needs during energy transition, Jacobs is often called upon as program managers to deliver the major programs and overhauls of the T&D networks. You will provide engineering overview, expertise, and direction while acting as an independent technical advisor representing owner's interests.

The successful candidate shall demonstrate relevant experience and technical knowledge in Substation Physical Design and Protection & Control applied to transmission and distribution projects for utilities and developers. You will be in a client‑interfacing position and will be responsible for understanding the client standards and protection philosophies, provide feedback on the application and be able to develop Substation design deliverables fully and independently as required for the projects on‑time and within the budget.

As a Substation Physical/P&C Engineer within the group, you will mentor team members across North America and globally with Jacobs Global Integrated Delivery (GID). Your work will involve supporting the sales and proposal preparation process for new contracts and the committed high‑quality delivery of those services to the client.

Involvement with professional societies such as the IEEE, PES and similar including interest in participating in industry conferences, seminars, trade shows, and networking events to promote company services and stay updated on industry innovations and advancements is a plus.

Here's what you'll need

• Bachelor's or Advanced Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Power Engineering or related engineering discipline (Completion of Master’s degree will account for 1 year of professional experience)
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) within United States and ability to obtain additional PE licenses if needed
• Minimum 8 years of direct Substation Physical/Protection & Controls (Physical) design experience with utility or consulting organization
• Advanced knowledge of various protection philosophies and relaying functions including line protection, transformer protection, breaker failure, cap bank protection, communication‑based schemes, differential protection, etc as it applies to High‑Voltage substations.
• Prior experience in development of substation protection and control designs through the development of drawings including panel arrangements/layouts, one lines/single lines, three lines, AC schematics, DC schematics, equipment wiring and relay panel wiring
• Prior experience in development of substation physical designs through the development of drawings including general arrangement plan and sections, conduit and trench plan and sections, Grounding plan and sections, Bill of Materials, Conduit Schedules, etc.
• Familiarity with grounding system design and lighting and lightning protection designs for substation.
• Ability to perform SCADA communication design for substation projects
• Ability to perform substation AC/DC Station Service calculations and studies, voltage drop calculations, Control/fiber cable sizing and selection
• Prior experience in development and review of related equipment vendor specifications including control house/switchgear building
• Demonstrated ability to perform QA/QC of design calculations, construction drawings, and specifications.
• Familiarity with Relay Settings acSELerator QuickSet Software
• Familiarity and experience with CADD platforms such as Autodesk or Bentley products
• Prior experience as a owner’s representative is a plus
• Ability to perform project scoping, prepare task orders, design review of work by others, owner's compliance verifications
• Ability to perform field visits and walk‑downs as required for client projects and providing engineering support for clients through the construction
• Strong communication and technical writing skills
• Team player with great interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well‑being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full‑time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $129,400.00 to $179,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on May 27, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

At Jacobs, we’re partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you’ll commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.