Sr. Structural Engineer

Senior Structural Engineer

GRIDWORKS

EPC | Solar | BESS | Substation | Transmission

Department: Engineering – Structural

Reports to: Director of Structural Engineering

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt

Discipline Focus: Substation, High-Voltage Equipment Supports, and Transmission Lines

About Gridworks

Gridworks is a self-perform EPC contractor delivering utility-scale solar PV, battery energy storage (BESS), substation, and high-voltage transmission projects across North America. We design, engineer, procure, and build the infrastructure that connects generation to load. Our Albuquerque office is a hub for our structural engineering practice, supporting substation, switchyard, and transmission line projects from concept through commissioning.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Structural Engineer with deep expertise in substations, high-voltage equipment supports, and transmission lines to join our team. In this role, you will lead structural design, serve as Engineer of Record (EOR) on assigned projects, partner closely with our self-perform construction teams, and provide technical oversight when structural EOR responsibility is delegated to external engineering firms.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineer of Record: Seal and stamp structural drawings and calculations for substations, switchyards, and transmission line projects, taking professional responsibility for design integrity, code compliance, and constructability.
• Substation Structural Design: Lead design of high-voltage equipment supports including dead-end and A-frame structures, bus supports (rigid and strain), switch stands, lightning masts, control buildings, and equipment foundations for breakers, transformers and capacitor banks.
• Transmission Line Structures: Engineer steel monopoles, lattice towers, H-frames, and direct-embed and drilled-pier foundations for 69 kV through 500 kV+ transmission lines.
• Foundation Engineering: Design drilled piers, anchor bolt assemblies, grillage foundations, and direct-embed installations using software such as LPILE, FAD, MFAD, and CAISSON; coordinate geotechnical investigations and pile load test programs.
• Code & Standard Compliance: Apply ASCE 113 (substation structures), ASCE 10 (lattice towers), ASCE 48 (steel poles), IEEE 605 (bus design), NESC, ASCE 7, AISC 360, ACI 318, and applicable utility-specific structural standards.
• EPC Self-Perform Collaboration: Partner with construction, field engineering, procurement, and project management to deliver designs that are buildable, optimized for our self-perform crews, and aligned with project schedules and budgets.
• Site Engagement: Travel to project sites (estimated 15–25%) for site walks, foundation inspections, structure erection support, RFI resolution, and construction QA/QC.
• Vendor Coordination: Review and approve structural submittals from pole, lattice tower, and equipment OEMs; perform independent verification of vendor-supplied calculations.
• External EOR Oversight: On projects where structural EOR responsibility is delegated to a third-party engineering firm, serve as Gridworks technical lead — review external EOR calculations, drawings, and design basis documents for substation structures, foundations, and transmission line scopes; verify load cases, code interpretations, and utility standard compliance; track formal review comments through resolution; and represent Gridworks in design coordination meetings with the external EOR.
• Multidiscipline Coordination: Work closely with electrical, civil, and protection & control engineers to integrate structural designs with bus arrangements, grounding, control cable trench layouts, and corrosion mitigation strategies.
• Standards & Tools: Develop and maintain structural design standards, calculation templates, and QA/QC procedures for substation and transmission practice; contribute to estimating support and proposal development.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering from an ABET-accredited program.
• 10–15 years of progressive structural engineering experience, with a meaningful portion focused on substation, high-voltage, and/or transmission line projects.
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license; ability to obtain New Mexico PE within 6 months of hire and additional state licensure as project needs require.
• Demonstrated experience serving as Engineer of Record on substation and/or transmission projects.
• Experience reviewing and providing technical oversight of external/third-party EOR calculations and drawings.
• Proficiency with PLS-CADD, PLS-POLE, and/or PLS-TOWER for transmission and substation steel structure design.
• Proficiency with general structural analysis software such as STAAD.Pro, RISA-3D, SAP2000, and/or RAM.
• Foundation design experience with LPILE, FAD, MFAD, or equivalent tools.
• Working knowledge of AutoCAD and/or MicroStation for drawing review and coordination.
• Strong command of ASCE 113, ASCE 10, ASCE 48, IEEE 605, NESC, ASCE 7, AISC 360, and ACI 318.
• Ability to travel to project sites within the United States as required (15–25%).

Preferred Qualifications

• Structural Engineer (SE) license.
• Master's degree in Structural Engineering or related discipline.
• Direct experience sealing and stamping drawings as EOR for substation and transmission line structures.
• Experience with utility client standards (e.g., investor-owned utilities, public power, ISO/RTO interconnection scope).
• Experience designing structures for collector substations and generator interconnection facilities tied to solar/BESS plants.
• Familiarity with seismic qualification requirements for substation equipment (IEEE 693).
• Experience working in an EPC or self-perform construction environment.
• Experience supporting proposals, estimating, and constructability reviews.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary in the range of [Salary Range: $140,000 – $200,000], commensurate with experience and licensure.
• Annual performance bonus and long-term incentive eligibility.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits effective day one.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Generous PTO, paid holidays, and parental leave.
• Professional development support, including PE/SE exam reimbursement, continuing education, and conference attendance.
• A high-impact role on projects that directly modernize and expand the grid.

Equal Opportunity

Gridworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.