Substation Engineer

Substation Engineer

WSP is initiating a search for a Substation Engineer to support our Data Center Infrastructure Team in San Diego, CA. The following locations will also be considered: Kansas City, KS, Seattle, WA, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Houston, TX and St. Louis, MO.

As demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure accelerates, our clients are developing some of the world's largest, most complex, and most power-intensive facilities. In this role, you will help deliver the electrical infrastructure that enables next-generation data center campuses—projects requiring hundreds of megawatts of power and unprecedented levels of planning, engineering, and coordination. You will work across the full project lifecycle, playing a key role in delivering critical infrastructure for some of the industry's most prominent clients. What makes this opportunity unique is the breadth of collaboration across WSP's global organization. You will work alongside top experts in their field to solve highly complex infrastructure challenges. This multidisciplinary environment provides exposure to the full range of technical and strategic considerations required to successfully develop large-scale data center campuses. You will contribute to the planning and design of substations, transmission interconnections, and site electrical infrastructure while supporting fast-paced projects that demand innovation, technical excellence, and strong collaboration. If you're energized by large-scale infrastructure projects, enjoy solving complex technical challenges, and want to help shape the future of digital infrastructure, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact while accelerating your career on some of the most significant power delivery projects being developed today.

In this role, you'll help shape the early vision for substation design and electrical infrastructure supporting cutting-edge data center projects. You'll contribute to developing preliminary concepts and layouts that inform key feasibility and planning decisions—giving you exposure to the most strategic phase of project delivery. This role contributes to early-stage substation planning and design development for data center clients, working collaboratively across business lines to support feasibility, site evaluation, and infrastructure planning.

Your Impact

• Support multidisciplinary coordination for site evaluation, planning, and infrastructure integration
• Contribute to proposal development, including technical input and scope definition
• Assist in execution of substation projects across planning, design, procurement, and construction phases
• Coordinate with internal teams, utilities, vendors, and stakeholders for project delivery
• Participate in site visits and field activities to validate design assumptions and resolve issues
• Support development of project schedules, deliverables, and budgets
• Perform substation design tasks including:
  • One-line diagrams, schematics, and wiring diagrams
  • Layouts, grounding, lightning protection, and basic SCADA systems
• Prepare design deliverables such as general arrangements, sections, BOMs, and cable/conduit plans
• Support development of equipment specifications and vendor coordination
• Follow QA/QC procedures and verify accuracy of deliverables
• Prepare reports, calculations, and technical documentation
• Work collaboratively with senior engineers and project leads
• Maintain compliance with codes, standards, and company policies
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP's Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering
• 3+ years of substation design experience
• Experience supporting physical or protection & control design
• Understanding of utility substation systems and equipment
• Familiarity with substation design processes and standards
• Ability to perform engineering calculations and interpret technical documents
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to manage assignments with moderate supervision
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP's health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Engineering
• EIT certification; on path to obtain a PE licensure
• Experience supporting multi-discipline projects

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation: Expected Salary (all locations): $78,600 - $135,000

About Us

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career.

At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.