Substation Senior Structural Engineer

HDR; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 132,107 - 204,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Paid time off

Retirement savings plan with employer match

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Senior Structural Engineer to design and oversee high voltage substation projects up to 500kV. The successful candidate will lead engineering tasks, collaborate with diverse teams, and mentor junior engineers. A Bachelor's degree and over 10 years of experience are required, along with proficiency in engineering software. This role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years structural engineering experience related to building design.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered.
• Experience with high voltage switchyard and substation projects up to 500kV.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute structural engineering tasks for substation structural members.
• Prepare or review construction and materials specifications.
• Coordinate and perform quality checks and reviews for project deliverables.

Skills

Structural engineering experience

Leadership

Collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

Master’s degree in Structural Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

RAM

ETABS

SAFE

Job description

Substation Senior Structural Engineer

Join HDR to design and oversee high voltage substation projects up to 500kV, leveraging steel structure and foundation analysis. The role involves leading structural engineering tasks, collaborating with cross‑disciplinary teams, and mentoring junior engineers across the practice.

HDR is an employee‑owned, nationally ranked engineering firm focused on advancing power delivery solutions worldwide. The Substation Sr. SE will work in multiple office locations to deliver world‑class quality and support sustainable infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead, oversee, review, and/or execute structural engineering tasks for substation structural members such as rolled steel shapes, lattice steel framing, and folded plate tubular steel shapes—detailed design, calculations, and fabrication drawing preparation.
• Lead, oversee, review, and/or execute foundation design tasks (drilled piers, spread footings, driven piles, etc.) using industry‑standard software.
• Support physical substation layout design, plans, elevations, sections, details, and associated bills of materials.
• Prepare or review construction and materials specifications.
• Assign project tasks and provide technical guidance to project team members.
• Coordinate and perform quality checks and reviews for project deliverables per HDR QMS requirements and processes.
• Collaborate with transmission line civil/structural engineers to cross‑train and share resources.
• Collaborate with other engineers to develop and maintain standards.
• Work independently and direct, mentor, train, and/or supervise project engineers, EITs, or CADD/designers.
• Lead multiple projects concurrently, utilizing teams in different locations.
• Work with senior engineers and technical leaders to identify and develop technical expertise, attending training and seminars.
• Assisting in developing technical papers and presentations that showcase HDR’s capabilities at industry conferences.
• Participate in project reviews as needed.
• Travel may be required.

Preferred / Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Structural Engineering.
• SE license or ability to obtain preferred; license in Hawaii and California is a plus.
• Experience with high voltage switchyard and substation projects up to 500kV.
• Familiarity with NESC, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, ASCE‑113, and other industry standards.
• Experience with PLS‑Tower, Mathcad Prime, STAAD, RISA, MFAD, L‑Pile or equivalent design software.
• Previous consulting firm experience.
• Minimum 10 years of technical design experience with high‑voltage projects.
• Knowledge of AISC‑360, ASCE‑7, ACI‑318 and related standards.
• Track record of working cooperatively with diverse teams.
• Self‑starter with strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong conceptual, organizational, problem‑solving, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years structural engineering experience related to building design.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered (e.g., PE or P.Eng).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, RAM, ETABS, SAFE or similar analytical software.
• Experience in design calculations and layouts.
• Ability to design and detail in steel, concrete, masonry, and wood.Understanding of gravity and lateral analysis.
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or consulting firm.
• Commitment to HDR’s employee‑owned culture.

Location

Primary Location: United States — North Carolina, Charlotte

Other Locations: Texas (Round Rock), Pennsylvania (Bethlehem), Oregon (Salem), Maryland (Baltimore), Montana (Missoula), Texas (Houston), California (Irvine), Wisconsin (Madison), New York (Buffalo), Washington (Tacoma), Nevada (Reno), Colorado (Fort Collins), California (Folsom), Oregon (Portland), Montana (Bozeman), Colorado (Durango), Washington (Seattle), Nevada (Las Vegas), Montana (Billings), Texas (Dallas), Montana (Helena), Washington (Spokane), Virginia (Arlington), Washington (Pasco), Texas (Austin), California (Claremont), Massachusetts (Boston), Colorado (Denver), Oregon (Bend), Missouri (St Louis), Arizona (Tucson), Arkansas (Little Rock), Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg), Washington (Olympia), Washington (Vancouver), Colorado (Colorado Springs), Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Hawaii (Honolulu), Maryland (Fulton), Arizona (Phoenix), Kentucky (Louisville), Georgia (Atlanta), South Carolina (Greenville), Illinois (Rosemont), California (Walnut Creek), Tennessee (Memphis), Montana (Kalispell), Virginia (Richmond), Washington (Gig Harbor), Rhode Island (Providence), Ohio (Cleveland), Florida (Tampa), Florida (West Palm Beach), Ohio (Columbus), Tennessee (Chattanooga), Kentucky (Lexington), Kansas (Olathe), Georgia (Pooler), Washington (Bellevue), Missouri (Kansas City), North Carolina (Wilmington), Tennessee (Nashville), California (San Jose), New Jersey (Newark), Florida (Pensacola), New Mexico (Albuquerque), New York (White Plains), Minnesota (St Paul), California (San Francisco), South Carolina (Charleston), Virginia (Roanoke), South Carolina (Columbia), Virginia (Vienna), Florida (Orlando), Alaska (Anchorage), Minnesota (Minneapolis), Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), New York (Syracuse), California (San Diego), Virginia (Norfolk), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), Virginia (Glen Allen), California (Riverside), Nebraska (Lincoln), Montana (Butte), Florida (Miami), Nebraska (Omaha), New Jersey (Pennington), California (Sacramento), Connecticut (Rocky Hill), New York (New York), Michigan (Ann Arbor), Utah (Salt Lake City), North Carolina (Raleigh), Texas (San Antonio), West Virginia (Charleston), Connecticut (Hartford)

Benefits & Compensation

The targeted salary range for this position is $132,107 – $204,500, depending on skills, experience, education, and geographic location. HDR offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, short‑ and long‑term disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, paid time off, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus, and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Opportunity Employment

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest, and conviction records.