Senior Physical Substation Engineer - Power Delivery

WESTWOOD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INC • Charlotte, NC

5h

About The Position

The Substation Senior Engineer - Physical will be part of an electric substation design team and will be responsible for the engineering and design of multiple projects ranging from small “quick turn-around” to large complex substations. This position provides the opportunity to directly apply your knowledge of engineering to design projects ranging from 12kV to 500kV. As a Substation Engineer - Physical, you will apply NESC, NEC, ASCE and other applicable standards in engineering design and will independently perform engineering analyses, plans and specifications, as well as material procurement and construction documents.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited engineering program.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in substation physical design engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise in substation physical design, including layouts, equipment arrangements, grounding systems, and constructability considerations.
• Advanced knowledge of engineering analysis methods, including grounding design, station service calculations, and equipment/bus loading.
• Proven ability to lead the development and review of complex engineering deliverables with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality.
• Strong understanding and application of applicable codes and standards (e.g., NESC, NEC, IEEE, ASCE) and client-specific requirements.
• Demonstrated leadership in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and delivering integrated engineering solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with proven experience leading client interactions and technical discussions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects or major scopes of work, balancing technical, schedule, and quality requirements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and advanced working knowledge of engineering design and drafting tools (e.g., AutoCAD, MicroStation, or similar).
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to independently resolve complex technical challenges.

Nice To Haves

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Advanced experience with grounding analysis tools (e.g., CDEGS, WinIGS) and other engineering analysis software.
• Experience leading full substation design packages from concept through IFC and construction support.
• Familiarity with utility-specific standards, practices, and multi-client program execution.
• Experience contributing to proposals, technical scopes, and project estimation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of substation projects, maintaining ownership of physical design scope, technical decisions, and deliverable quality.
• Serve as the technical lead for substation physical design, providing direction and oversight for general arrangements, plan and elevation views, equipment layouts, and cable routing/conduit designs.
• Develop and approve complex engineering designs related to station configuration, equipment arrangement, and constructability considerations.
• Perform, review, and provide technical oversight of engineering studies, including grounding system design, lightning protection analysis, and bus fault force evaluations.
• Review and approve calculations associated with station service and DC system requirements, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and alignment with project needs.
• Lead the development and finalization of equipment specifications and bills of material for major substation components, ensuring compliance with client and project requirements.
• Interpret and enforce applicable codes, standards, and client-specific requirements (e.g., NESC, NEC, IEEE, ASCE) across all design deliverables.
• Oversee design integration across disciplines (protection and controls, civil, structural, transmission, distribution, geotechnical, survey), ensuring a complete and constructible design package.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for clients, leading design reviews, technical discussions, and resolution of complex engineering issues.
• Lead quality control efforts, including performing and overseeing design reviews, ensuring adherence to company standards, processes, and best practices.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineering staff, including reviewing work, guiding design approaches, and supporting professional development.
• Manage multiple projects or major scopes of work concurrently, with accountability for technical quality, schedule adherence, and alignment with project objectives.
• Support project management efforts by contributing to scope development, schedule planning, risk identification, and resource coordination.
• Lead engineering support during procurement and construction phases, including oversight of submittal reviews, RFI responses, and resolution of field issues.
• Conduct and lead site visits, field walkdowns, and construction coordination efforts to validate design assumptions and support project execution.
• Ensure constructability, operability, and maintainability considerations are incorporated into all design solutions.
• Communicate effectively with clients, management, and project teams through clear, concise documentation and technical leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including development of design standards, best practices, tools, and workflows.

Benefits

• Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

What This Job Offers

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