Lead Substation Project Engineer

WSP • Austin, TX

1d

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Lead Substation Project Engineer to support complex substation design projects, manage project execution, and mentor junior staff. The role is based in Austin, Fort Worth, or Houston, Texas, or Overland Park, Kansas. A hybrid or in-office setup is preferred to support collaboration and mentorship. Occasional travel and site visits may be required.

The position provides high-level technical assistance and guidance for utility, industrial, and commercial projects, including due diligence, investigation, remediation, impact assessment, permitting, design, development, and construction. Work covers transmission and distribution substations, power distribution and regulation, renewable energy, and protection and control systems across utility, transportation, building, and government contexts. The engineer prepares reports and documentation concerning materials, installations, designs, components, and construction specifications, and ensures work meets or exceeds industry standards for design, safety, and functionality.

The Lead Substation Project Engineer supports the Area Lead/Department Manager in achieving department goals, maintaining quality standards, and strengthening client relationships. The role includes project management and client relations, technical design and execution, construction support, interdisciplinary coordination, and team mentorship. The engineer is expected to follow client standards and processes, manage multiple priorities, exercise responsible and ethical judgment, and comply with WSP policies and its Code of Conduct.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 7 to 10 years of relevant post-education experience as an electrical engineer providing design deliverables for capital projects in power generation, transmission, and distribution at utility, industrial, or commercial scale.
• Engineer license required.
• Proficiency in electrical engineering principles, practices, processes, design/build, and applying them to permitting and project-related work.
• Extensive knowledge of infrastructure design.
• Comprehensive knowledge of adjacent disciplines such as electrical engineering, protection and control, SCADA, and telecommunications.
• Experience with electrical infrastructure planning, design, and construction management, including involvement in rehabilitation, new-design, and construction projects.
• Specific knowledge of relevant engineering and electrical construction laws, codes, regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
• Ability to perform technical computations and calculations using electrical engineering principles, interpret plans and specifications, and compare facts with applicable regulations.
• Ability to plan and conduct inspections and investigations relating to facility or structure construction and design, applying relevant regulations and policies.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to express ideas professionally to engineering and non-engineering audiences.
• Strong self-leadership, attention to detail, multitasking, and prioritization in a dynamic work environment.
• Ability to work independently with minimal oversight and guide junior team or project members while adhering strictly to QA/QC.
• Proficiency in technical writing, office automation, discipline-specific design software, technology, mathematics, predictive models, spreadsheets, and tools. Examples include CADD, Aspen, CAPE, ETAP, WIN IGS, Inventor, and AutoCAD Electrical.
• Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to apply technical knowledge to testing results, data collation, computations, and statistical analysis, and determine effective, economical, and logical solutions.
• Effectiveness in coordinating and directing subcontractors and others to complete tasks safely and efficiently.
• Ability to work project-specific schedules that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Engineering.
• 10 or more years of experience in substation design.
• Experience in 230 kV through 765 kV substation design and IEEE/ANSI standards.
• Experience managing people on a multidisciplinary project team.
• Experience with MicroStation V8 or newer, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, or Inventor.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage project schedules, budgets, and quality for assigned projects.
• Support the Area Lead/Department Manager in managing relationships with alliance clients.
• Perform quality assurance and quality control for client deliverables.
• Support project reporting and proposal development.
• Contribute to substation equipment specifications.
• Make occasional project-related trips and site visits.
• Perform and direct others in detailed design of medium- to extra-high-voltage substations, including one-line, schematic, and wiring diagrams; SCADA and communications; station physical layouts, sections, elevations, and control enclosure details; cable and conduit plans; ground grid, foundation, and structural plans; lightning protection and yard lighting plans; and bills of materials.
• Perform substation studies and calculations, including AC, DC, lightning analysis, and voltage drop.
• Specify and select substation equipment.
• Provide construction support and coordinate across disciplines.
• Support mentorship and training of team members.
• Adhere to client standards and processes when working independently or as part of a team.
• Track and organize tasks of varying importance and size in a fast-paced environment.
• Make responsible and ethical decisions regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and follow WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
• Uphold workplace safety and comply with WSP health, safety, drug/alcohol, and harassment policies.
• Work schedules that meet project-specific requirements, which may extend beyond the typical workweek.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage.
• Retirement savings.
• Paid sick leave.
• Paid vacation or other personal time.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior