Electrical Substation Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Substation Engineer

Location: Irvine, CA (Hybrid)
Job Type: Full-Time

About the Opportunity:

We are seeking a Senior Substation Engineer to join a growing engineering team supporting high profile utility and power infrastructure projects. This position is ideal for an experienced engineer who thrives in a collaborative environment and enjoys leading the technical design and execution of complex transmission and distribution substation projects.

You will play a key role in delivering innovative engineering solutions while mentoring junior engineers, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and ensuring projects are completed with the highest standards of quality, safety, and technical excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the engineering design and technical execution of transmission and distribution substation projects from concept through construction support.
• Develop project execution plans and oversee technical deliverables throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as the technical lead while partnering with Project Managers to support project scope, schedules, budgets, and overall project success.
• Prepare and review engineering calculations, design packages, specifications, and construction drawings.

• Design and review:

  • High voltage substations.
  • Physical layouts.
  • Grounding systems.
  • Lightning protection.
  • Control buildings.
  • Auxiliary AC/DC systems.
  • Conduit and cable routing.
  • Bills of Material (BOMs).
• Coordinate with civil, structural, protection and control, and transmission engineering teams.
• Perform quality assurance and technical reviews to ensure compliance with industry standards and engineering best practices.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and leadership to engineers, designers, and drafters.
• Support proposal development, project planning, risk management, and technical presentations.
• Manage multiple engineering projects simultaneously while maintaining quality and schedule expectations.
• Participate in occasional client meetings and site visits as needed.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in electrical substation engineering.
• Strong experience designing transmission and distribution substations.
• Knowledge of utility engineering standards including IEEE, ANSI, IEC, and applicable electrical codes.
• Experience preparing engineering calculations, drawings, specifications, and construction documents.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering software such as:

  • AutoCAD
  • MicroStation
  • PLS-CADD
  • Plant 3D
  • AutoPIPE
  • Revit
• Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Ability to lead multiple projects while mentoring junior staff.
• U.S. Citizenship is required due to project requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• California Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience designing substations up to 765 kV .
• Experience with CDEGS or other grounding analysis software.
• Previous consulting engineering or electric utility experience.
• Candidates local to the Irvine, CA area are strongly preferred.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to work on impactful utility infrastructure projects that support the modernization and reliability of the electric grid. You'll join a collaborative engineering team where you'll have the opportunity to lead challenging projects, mentor developing engineers, and continue growing your technical expertise while making a lasting impact on critical energy infrastructure.