Substation Senior Structural Engineer

HDR; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 132,107 - 204,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off and parental leave

Retirement savings with employer match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Substation Senior Structural Engineer in Tacoma, WA. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in high-voltage substation design and possess strong leadership and collaboration skills. Responsibilities include leading structural tasks, ensuring quality outputs, and mentoring junior staff. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive salary based on experience.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years' structural engineering experience related to building design.
• Ability to design and detail in steel, concrete, masonry, and wood.
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or consulting firm.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute structural engineering tasks for substation projects.
• Prepare and review specifications for construction and materials.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance.

Skills

Leadership in structural engineering tasks

Technical design experience

Strong communication skills

Consulting experience

Collaboration and team skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

Master’s degree in Structural Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

STAAD

Mathcad Prime

Job description

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity and actively encourage a diverse, inclusive work environment where your authentic self is celebrated. We are seeking a Substation Senior Structural Engineer (Substation Sr. SE) to join our nationally ranked Power Delivery team.

Substation Senior Structural Engineer

As a Substation Sr. SE, you will lead the structural engineering and design components of high‑voltage switchyard and substation projects up to 500 kV, working alongside PMs and cross‑functional teams. You will oversee detailed design, calculations, and coordination of steel and foundation systems; support substation layout and documentation; and mentor junior engineers. You will also contribute to best‑practice development and deliver high‑quality outputs across multiple office locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead, oversee, review, and execute structural engineering tasks for substation structural members such as rolled steel shapes, lattice steel framing, and folded plate tubular steel shapes.
• Lead, oversee, review, and execute foundation design tasks for substation structures, including drilled piers, spread footings, driven piles, and other foundations.
• Support physical substation layout designs, plans, elevations, details, and associated bills of materials.
• Prepare and review specifications for construction and materials.
• Assign project tasks and provide technical guidance to team members.
• Coordinate and perform quality checks and reviews for project deliverables per HDR Quality Management Systems requirements.
• Collaborate with transmission line civil/structural engineers to cross‑train and share resources.
• Collaborate with other engineers to develop and maintain design standards.
• Work independently and mentor 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 specific technical expertise.
• Assist with developing technical papers and presentations showcasing 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; SE license in Hawaii and California is a plus.
• Experience with high‑voltage electrical switchyard and substation projects up to 500 kV.
• Familiarity with NESC, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, ASCE‑113 and other industry standards.
• Proficiency with PLS‑Tower and Mathcad Prime.
• Previous consulting firm experience.
• Minimum 10 years of technical design experience in high‑voltage switchyard and substation projects, including foundation and steel structural design.
• Working knowledge of AISC‑360, ASCE‑7, ACI‑318 and other standards.
• Experience using STAAD, RISA, MFAD, L‑Pile or equivalent design software.
• Track record of working cooperatively with diverse teams, regional, department, and technical managers.
• 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).
• Experience with analytical software such as AutoCAD, RAM, ETABS, SAFE or similar.
• Design calculations and layout experience.
• Ability to design and detail in steel, concrete, masonry, and wood.
• Understanding of gravity analysis and lateral analysis.
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or consulting firm.
• Commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture.

Benefits

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, health, performance and success, including medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off, parental leave, paid holidays, retirement savings with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. The salary range for this position is $132,107–$204,500, depending on skills, experience, education and location.

Location

• United States – North Carolina – Charlotte
• 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
• 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
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• 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
• 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

Schedule

Full‑time

Employment Type

Regular

Business Class

Substation Engineering

Employment Equity Statement

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.