Substation Engineer

Job Title: Substation Engineer
Job Description
The Substation Engineer will perform physical substation, protection, and control engineering for high voltage electric utility projects ranging from 12 kV to 500 kV. The role focuses on delivering safe, reliable, and efficient substation designs for projects that vary in size and complexity, from small distribution equipment upgrades to large transmission substation developments. The engineer will support the full project lifecycle, including scope development, design, coordination, and execution, while helping ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.
Responsibilities

• Perform physical substation engineering for high voltage electric utility projects ranging from 12 kV to 500 kV, including both distribution and transmission substation facilities.
• Develop and review physical substation designs, including yard layouts, plans, sections, details, grounding systems, lightning protection, control building arrangements, interior and exterior raceways, and auxiliary AC/DC power systems, as well as associated bills of material.
• Design and review protection and control systems, including panel arrangements, one-line and single-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, AC and DC schematics, equipment wiring, and relay panel wiring.
• Prepare engineering calculations and technical studies such as grounding studies, lightning protection studies, and AC/DC load studies, and document results in clear technical reports.
• Develop equipment specifications for procurement and support factory acceptance testing to ensure equipment meets project and industry standards.
• Prepare and support project scopes, schedules, and budgets, and actively monitor and help ensure that project milestones, timelines, and financial targets are met.
• Coordinate design activities with multidisciplinary teams, including Civil/Structural, Networks, Transmission Line, and other relevant departments to ensure integrated and constructible designs.
• Effectively communicate and coordinate project activities with internal stakeholders, including project managers, and external stakeholders such as clients and contractors.
• Work independently on assigned tasks and projects, demonstrating ownership of deliverables and accountability for quality and timeliness.
• Direct, mentor, train, and/or supervise efforts of less-experienced engineers-in-training (EITs) and designers, providing technical guidance and supporting their professional development.
• Use standard design and modeling software tools, including PLS CAD, AutoCAD, Plant 3D, AutoPipe, and Revit, to produce accurate and compliant design documents.
• Apply standard office productivity tools, including Microsoft Office, to prepare calculations, reports, presentations, and project documentation.
• Support project execution within the Power Market Sector, contributing to planning, design, and implementation activities as required.
• Collaborate with colleagues to foster a culture of trust, shared learning, and continuous improvement across projects and teams.
• Perform other engineering and project-related duties as needed to support successful project delivery.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in project execution within the Power Market Sector.
• Experience in substation engineering with a strong emphasis on physical substation design.
• Proficiency in physical substation design, including yard layouts, grounding, lightning protection, control building arrangements, raceways, and auxiliary AC/DC power systems.
• Knowledge of protection and control design, including panel arrangements, one-line/single-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, AC/DC schematics, equipment wiring, and relay panel wiring.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the relevant licensing board for the location of the position (for example, Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng)), or EIT/FE as a minimum requirement.
• Previous experience in project execution within the Power Market Sector.
• Computer skills in Microsoft Office applications.
• Proficiency with standard Power Market Sector design software, including PLS CAD, AutoCAD, Plant 3D, AutoPipe, and Revit.
• Ability to prepare engineering calculations and technical studies such as grounding, lightning protection, and AC/DC load studies.
• Ability to develop detailed equipment specifications and support procurement and factory acceptance testing.
• Strong communication skills to coordinate effectively with managers, clients, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Ability to work independently and manage tasks to meet established schedules and budgets.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Previous experience with an engineering consulting firm is preferred.
• Experience with protection and controls (P&C) design in substation applications.
• Experience mentoring, training, or supervising less-experienced engineers and designers.
• Familiarity with Plant 3D, AutoPipe, and Revit for multidiscipline coordination and 3D modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to a collaborative, trust-based team culture.
• Interest in long-term career development within the Power Market Sector and substation engineering.

Work Environment
The role supports a flexible work arrangement and can accommodate fully remote candidates who reside within the New England market. Ideally, the engineer will live near one of the offices in New England and be willing to work in the office a few days per week, but for the right candidate a fully remote arrangement is available. Work is primarily performed in a professional office or home-office setting using standard engineering and design tools such as PLS CAD, AutoCAD, Plant 3D, AutoPipe, Revit, and Microsoft Office. The organization emphasizes a collaborative culture where team members build on each other's experiences and perspectives to deliver high-quality solutions for clients and communities. The company operates under an employee-ownership model, and after a six-month contract period through a staffing partner, eligible employees may access stock options in addition to a comprehensive salary and benefits package.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Boston, MA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $47.00 - $50.00/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)
Workplace Type
This is a hybrid position in Boston,MA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jul 21, 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 click.appcast.io 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.