Principal Substation Engineer (Seattle/Portland/Boise)

Industry

Energy

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

This role will sit ON-SITE at either one of these office locations: Seattle WA, Portland OR, Boise ID

The energy industry is undergoing rapid and dramatic changes, transforming the utility landscape to enhance safety, reliability and sustainability. In response, Jacobs is expanding its Transmission & Distribution (T&D) operations in North America and is looking for a Principal Substation Engineer in its Energy & Power Group to tackle the complexities of decarbonization and utility modernization to deliver a cleaner and more secure energy future. 

As a Principal Substation Engineer, you will be working closely with our regional and global Transmission & Distribution (T&D) delivery teams to support our utility/developer clients and operations teams as we expand our energy transition portfolio. You will play a crucial role in directly interfacing with utility/developer clients on development of Substation design deliverables for utility upgrades including greenfield/brownfield & AIS/GIS substations, offshore wind facilities, and developer interconnection facilities. Prior experience in the design of utility transmission and distribution systems will be highly regarded.

In addition, with evolving needs during energy transition, Jacobs is often called upon as program managers to deliver the major programs and overhauls of the T&D networks. You will provide engineering overview, expertise, and direction while acting as an independent technical advisor representing owner's interests. 

The successful candidate shall demonstrate relevant experience and technical knowledge in Substation Design applied to transmission and distribution projects for utilities and developers. You will be in a client interfacing position and will be responsible for understanding the client standards, provide feedback on the application and be able to develop Substation design deliverables fully and independently as required for the projects on-time and within the budget. You may also be called upon to act as an Owner’s consultant/ Owner’s Engineer (OC/OE).

As a Principal Substation Engineer within the group, you will mentor team members across North America and globally with Jacobs Global Integrated Delivery (GID). Your will be working with a cross functional team to both support the sales and proposal preparation process for new contracts and the committed high-quality delivery of those services to the client.

Involvement with professional societies such as the IEEE, PES and similar including interest in participating in industry conferences, seminars, trade shows, and networking events to promote company services and stay updated on industry innovations and advancements is a plus.

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Here's what you'll need

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, Electrical Power Engineering or related engineering discipline
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) within United States
• Minimum 12 years of direct Substation design experience with utility or consulting organization
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of High Voltage substation components: Transformers, Circuit Breakers, Disconnect Switches, Circuit Switchers, Capacitor Banks, Station Service Transformers, Reactors, Rigid Bus, Gas Insulated Substation (GIS), Switchgear buildings, Control house, underground cable potheads, etc is strongly preferred
• Prior experience in development of substation designs from conceptual through the development of IFC drawings including general arrangement plan and sections, conduit and trench plan and sections, Grounding plan and sections, Bill of Materials, Conduit Schedules, Construction details, etc.
• Familiarity with grounding system design and lighting and lightning protection designs for substation
• Ability to perform substation AC/DC Station Service calculations and studies, voltage drop calculations
• Prior experience in development and review of related equipment vendor specifications including control house/switchgear building, construction/commissioning specifications
• Demonstrated ability to perform QA/QC of design calculations, construction drawings, and specifications.
• Familiarity and experience with CADD platforms such as Autodesk or Bentley products
• Prior experience as a owner’s representative is strongly preferred
• Ability to perform project scoping, prepare task orders, design review of work by others, owner's compliance verifications
• Ability to perform field visits and walk-downs as required for client projects and providing engineering support for clients through the construction
• Willingness to train, mentor junior staff and develop training modules, setup processes for the group
• Strong communication and technical writing skills 
• Team player with great interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.

Posted Salary Range: Minimum

155,600.00

Posted Salary Range: Upper

204,000.00

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $155,600.00 to $204,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on June 09, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

At Jacobs, we’re partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you’ll commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Onsite employees are expected to attend a Jacobs Workplace on a full-time basis, as required by the nature of their role.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support .

Locations

City State Country
Seattle	Washington	United States
Boise	Idaho	United States
Portland	Oregon	United States
Portland	Oregon	United States