Lead High Voltage CAD Designer

AES US•Indianapolis, NJ

22h•$100,000 - $124,950•Remote

About The Position

The AES Corporation is seeking a team-oriented Lead High Voltage CAD Designer to support high voltage substation and transmission design, along with PV and BESS land development design. The role is primarily aligned with the High Voltage Engineering group, with approximately 75% of work focused on high voltage design and approximately 25% supporting PV and BESS land development. The team provides pre-construction development and execution engineering for high voltage facilities associated with renewable energy power plants, ranging from 35kV to 500kV. The position may be performed flexibly anywhere in the United States and includes travel and fieldwork of up to 10%. A growth opportunity for a leadership role within the design team is noted. The successful candidate will create and review design drawings and technical exhibits, coordinate design inputs across internal teams and external stakeholders, and maintain CAD standards and documentation processes. The role requires proficiency in technical drafting, particularly high voltage CAD design, and the ability to support renewable energy site development work in a fast-paced environment. The expected salary at commencement is $100,000 to $124,950 per year. Base pay may vary based on individualized factors, and the total compensation package also includes an annual bonus. Benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) eligibility, and paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave.

Requirements

Associate degree or higher, or a two-year AAS degree, emphasizing Computer Aided Design, Drafting and Design Technology, engineering, or equivalent experience.
At least 8 years of drafting/design experience, including high voltage substation and/or transmission CAD design.
Proficiency in AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office applications, and related drafting tools.
General knowledge of electrical systems, drawings, diagrams, terminology, and code considerations for high voltage substations.
Familiarity with high voltage equipment such as main power transformers, circuit breakers, relay panels, and related substation components.
Ability to support PV and BESS land development design tasks, including site plans, layouts, single-line diagrams, and coordination of civil and electrical design inputs.
Strong communication skills and ability to lead and support design discussions among internal stakeholders.
Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a fast-paced environment.
Detail-oriented approach with problem-solving, critical-thinking, verbal communication, and written communication skills.
Experience creating and maintaining CAD tools, templates, blocks, symbol databases, or design standardization resources.

Nice To Haves

Experience creating Bills of Materials for substation, transmission, PV, or BESS projects.
Experience with AutoCAD Civil 3D, PLS-CADD, shapefiles, GIS-based inputs, and renewable energy site development data.
Familiarity with solar PV designs, BESS layouts, civil and grading design, site design constraints, and land development considerations.
Experience coordinating with land, permitting, real estate, survey, and construction teams on renewable energy projects.
Familiarity with regional civil constraints such as wetlands, floodplains, karst topography, access limitations, and other site development considerations.
Ability and willingness to continue learning across high voltage, PV, and BESS design disciplines while maintaining primary alignment with the HV group.

Responsibilities

Perform approximately 75% of work for the High Voltage Engineering group, developing up to 30% substation packages in AutoCAD and/or Bluebeam for facilities from 35kV to 500kV. Packages may include single-line diagrams, substation and control-building layouts, electrical elevations, access plans, relay-panel elevations, and related exhibits.
Provide drafting support for transmission line engineering by developing technical exhibits depicting transmission structure and pole designs, rights-of-way, and existing transmission line crossings for RFP and development-stage documents.
Perform approximately 25% of work supporting PV and BESS land development, including preliminary AutoCAD site plans, project layouts, early-stage design packages, single-line diagrams, civil and electrical construction details, and related documentation.
Collaborate with project engineers, substation and transmission leads, development engineers, engineering managers, real estate, survey, land, permitting, and project management teams.
Integrate and analyze survey data, shapefiles, site constraints, and subject matter expert input to develop accurate HV, PV, and BESS layouts.
Develop and maintain CAD standards, templates, tools, blocks, and symbol databases for substation, transmission, PV, and BESS projects.
Develop major equipment databases and support preparation of Bills of Materials as a by-product of design packages.
Coordinate with land and permitting teams to evaluate substation pads, project layouts, access, wetlands, cultural or archaeological areas, floodplain impacts, topography, and other development constraints.
Coordinate with project engineers, substation leads, and equipment manufacturers to confirm adequate turn radii, access routes, and equipment delivery access.
Generate drawings that meet company standards, quality control procedures, completeness and accuracy expectations, and applicable code considerations.
Review external consultant substation designs, focusing on minimum clearances, structure design, electrical components, and alignment with AES standards.
Develop and maintain documentation control processes to ensure drafting and engineering documentation is uploaded successfully to AES project data rooms.
Work independently and collaboratively to meet deadlines, communicate proactively, and support design discussions with technical and non-technical stakeholders.