Substation Designer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title

Substation Designer

Job Description

This position involves creating design drawings in 2D or 3D for Transmission and Distribution electrical substations, supporting design criteria and standardization efforts. The designer will produce engineering drawings using AutoCAD, AutoDesk 3D Inventor, or Autodesk Map 3D (P4A), and develop specifications and material requirements for substation projects with a focus on safety, quality, scheduling, and cost efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Create and modify scaled 2D drawings and 3D models for electrical substations.
• Design physical aspects such as foundation layouts, grounding layouts, conduit layouts, switchgear assembly layouts, substation layouts, switch house layouts, and electrical bus design.
• Specify and order materials for electrical substation design packages, including stock, non-stock, and shop-fabricated materials.
• Transmit drawing packages and supporting specifications using the Transmission Engineering job transmittal program.
• Coordinate and communicate with engineers and other departments involved in electrical substation design.
• Interact with manufacturers, vendors, and committee members to resolve equipment and material issues.
• Support Substation Construction, Field Services, Project Management, and Substation Maintenance.
• Conduct site visits for projects, including pre-construction meetings, during construction, and post-construction.
• Some overnight travel will be required.

Essential Skills

• Proficiency in substation design and AutoCAD.
• Experience in substation engineering and power delivery.
• Ability to create/manipulate 2D drawings and 3D models for electrical substations.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office products.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work well in a team.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology, or at least 5 years of related industry experience.
• High school diploma with at least 8 years of significant related industry experience.
• Understanding of electrical substation equipment, utility electric grid operations, and electrical power system theory.
• Knowledge of the National Electric Safety Code, National Electric Code, and OSHA safe operating practices.
• Experience using 3D modeling software such as SDS Inventor or Autodesk 3D (P4A).
• Experience with document management and estimating systems.
• Experience using progress reporting software such as Primavera P6.
• Ability to mentor others and teach job-related skills.

Work Environment

This position requires in-person attendance four days a week at the office located in the Colonnade Parkway area of Birmingham, AL. The work environment emphasizes teamwork, effective communication, and a commitment to meeting customer needs.

This is a Contract position based out of Birmingham, AL.

The pay range for this position is $25.00 - $40.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Birmingham,AL.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 31, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.