Substation Senior Structural Engineer

HDR; Oakland (CA); Hybrid; USD 132,107 - 204,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid time away

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Substation Senior Structural Engineer in California. You will lead design responsibilities for structural engineering tasks related to substations and transmission systems. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience, holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering, and is skilled in using design software. The position offers a competitive salary range of $132,107 - $204,500 and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of technical design experience with high voltage electrical projects.
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board.
• Previous experience with architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm.

Responsibilities

• Lead structural engineering tasks for substation members.
• Prepare and review specifications for construction and materials.
• Mentor and supervise project engineers.

Skills

Technical design experience

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

Master’s degree in Structural Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

RAM

ETABS

SAFE

PLS‑Tower

Mathcad Prime

STAAD

RISA

MFAD

L‑Pile

Job description

Substation Senior Structural Engineer

At HDR, we are committed to creating a welcoming environment where every employee is valued and respected, and where each person is empowered to bring their authentic self and novel ideas to work each day. As part of our Power sector, you will help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our engineers have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century, and you’ll work side‑by‑side with these experts to contribute to reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead, oversee, review, and/or execute structural engineering tasks for a variety of substation structural members such as rolled steel shapes, lattice steel framing, and folded plate tubular steel shapes. Engineering duties include detailed design, calculations, and detailing for fabrication or development of loading and concept drawings for submittal to a steel fabricator to design and fabricate.
• Lead, oversee, review, and/or execute foundation design tasks for substation structures, including drilled piers, spread footings, driven piles, and potentially other types, using industry standard software.
• Support physical substation layout designs, plans, elevations/sections, details, and associated bills of materials.
• Prepare and /or review specifications for construction & materials.
• Assign project tasks and provides technical guidance to project team members.
• Coordinates and/or performs quality checks and reviews for project deliverables per the HDR Quality Management Systems (QMS) requirements, processes, and procedures to deliver a world class quality product to the client. Performs quality checks and/or reviews of projects from other teams on an as needed basis.
• 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 one or more Project Engineers, EIT’s, or CADD/Designers.
• Ability to lead multiple projects concurrently, utilizing teams in different locations.
• Work with senior engineers and technical leaders to identify and develop specific technical expertise and will attend training and seminars focused on further development and understanding of complex concepts related to their discipline.
• May also assist with developing technical papers and/or presentations that showcase HDR’s technical capabilities at industry conferences or other events.
• Participate in project reviews as needed.
• Some travel may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Structural Engineering.
• SE license or ability to obtain preferred. SE license in Hawaii and California is a plus.
• Technical design experience with physical/outdoor design of high voltage electrical switchyard and substation projects of varying complexity up to 500kV.
• Familiarity with the latest NESC, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, ASCE-113 and other industry standards.
• Experience using industry standard design software, including PLS‑Tower and Mathcad Prime.
• Previous consulting firm experience.
• Minimum 10 years of technical design experience with high voltage electrical switchyard and substation projects of varying complexity, including foundation and steel structural design.
• Working knowledge of the latest AISC‑360, ASCE‑7, ACI‑318, and other industry standards.
• Experience using industry standard design software, including STAAD, RISA, MFAD, L‑Pile, or Equivalent.
• Track record of working cooperatively with diverse teams, regional, department, and technical managers and project staff.
• 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
• A minimum of 10 years structural engineering experience as it relates to building design
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• 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
• Requires understanding of gravity analysis and lateral analysis
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture is a must

Benefits and Compensation

The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. The targeted salary range for this position (based on experience and location) is $132,107 - $204,500. HDR provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, short and long‑term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, an employee referral bonus, and tuition reimbursement.

Primary Location

United States - North Carolina - Charlotte

Other Locations

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

Industry

Power

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

Business Class

Substation Engineering

Job Posting

Nov 24, 2025

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.