Lead Substation Electrical Engineer

AECOM•Chicago, IL

2d•$140,000 - $190,000•Remote

About The Position

AECOM is seeking a Lead Substation Electrical Engineer to join their Energy practice in a remote role based anywhere in the United States. This position offers the opportunity to lead the design and delivery of critical transmission, distribution, renewable energy, and grid modernization projects while working alongside some of the industry's top engineering professionals. As a technical leader within AECOM's Power Delivery team, you will play a key role in helping utilities and energy clients navigate an evolving energy landscape by delivering innovative, reliable, and resilient substation solutions. Whether supporting grid expansion, renewable energy integration, or infrastructure modernization, you'll have the flexibility of a remote work environment while contributing to impactful projects across North America. As a Lead Substation Electrical Engineer, you will provide technical leadership for the planning, design, and delivery of utility-scale substation projects. Working with multidisciplinary teams, clients, and project managers, you will support projects from concept development through construction while ensuring technical excellence, quality, and client satisfaction. This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, mentoring others, and building strong client relationships while contributing to the continued growth of AECOM's Energy business.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline and 6 years of relevant experience or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education.
Professional Engineer (PE) license.
Strong understanding of electrical engineering principles, utility infrastructure, and power delivery systems.
Knowledge of industry standards and codes such as IEEE, NESC, and NEC.
Strong communication, leadership, and client relationship skills.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively in a remote environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting transmission and distribution substation projects.
Experience leading engineering tasks, reviewing technical deliverables, and coordinating project teams.
Experience with industry-standard engineering and design software such as AutoCAD, MicroStation, ETAP, Aspen, CAPE, or similar tools.
Willingness to travel periodically for project, client, and team needs.
Advanced degree in Engineering or a related technical field and 10 years of relevant experience.
Experience supporting utility, renewable energy, grid modernization, or energy transition projects.
Experience mentoring engineers and contributing to technical leadership initiatives.
Familiarity with substation physical design, protection and control systems, SCADA integration, or related power system applications.

Responsibilities

Lead the engineering and design of transmission and distribution substation projects for utility, renewable energy, and industrial clients.
Provide technical guidance and oversight for substation physical design, protection and control integration, grounding systems, equipment layouts, and power delivery infrastructure.
Support the development and review of one-line diagrams, protection schemes, equipment specifications, construction packages, and design documentation.
Apply engineering expertise throughout project phases including planning, conceptual design, detailed design, procurement, and construction support.
Support engineering studies and analyses related to grounding, equipment sizing, fault current evaluations, and substation design considerations.
Stay current with evolving technologies, industry standards, and utility practices related to substations, grid modernization, and power delivery systems.
Lead engineering tasks and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams to deliver high-quality work on schedule and within budget.
Support project planning, resource coordination, technical reviews, and project execution activities.
Provide technical oversight for substation upgrades, expansions, brownfield modifications, and greenfield projects.
Collaborate with project managers to identify and mitigate risks while maintaining project objectives and client expectations.
Support construction activities through technical consultation, design clarifications, and resolution of field issues.
Build strong relationships with utility, renewable energy, and industrial clients.
Participate in client meetings, technical workshops, presentations, and project reviews.
Support proposal development, scope definition, cost estimates, and pursuit efforts.
Identify opportunities to expand services and strengthen long-term client partnerships.
Collaborate with regional and national teams to support strategic growth initiatives.
Mentor engineers and designers while supporting technical development and knowledge sharing.
Collaborate with civil, structural, transmission, protection and control, and program management teams.
Contribute to engineering best practices and continuous improvement initiatives across the Energy practice.
Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, safety, and collaboration.