Senior Substation Engineer
About The Position
Our client is a fully integrated electrical power system services firm delivering end‑to‑end solutions across utility, renewable energy, battery storage, industrial, petrochemical, and other critical infrastructure markets. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the organization applies deep subject‑matter expertise and an engineering‑led approach to designing, installing, testing, and maintaining medium‑ and high‑voltage electrical infrastructure for clients locally, nationally, and internationally. Their wholly owned subsidiary provides multidisciplinary engineering services for industrial, commercial, utility, infrastructure, and process facility projects across Texas and the United States. Teams support power distribution systems, substations, central utility plants, water/wastewater facilities, industrial plants, oil & gas environments, commercial facilities, and brownfield retrofit projects from conceptual engineering through commissioning. They are a hands‑on engineering organization that values technical excellence, field collaboration, practical problem solving, and long‑term client partnerships. The Senior Substation Engineer leads engineering teams in the design and implementation of complex industrial power distribution, utility infrastructure, and electrical system projects. This role is ideal for a technically strong electrical engineer who excels in multidisciplinary project leadership, field support, mentoring engineering staff, and developing practical solutions for active operating facilities and industrial environments.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
- 15–20 years of professional experience in industrial/substation electrical engineering, substation consulting engineering, or utility infrastructure.
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) strongly preferred.
- Experience with industrial power systems, substations, and medium/high‑voltage distribution systems.
- Strong working knowledge of NEC, NESC, IEEE, ANSI, NFPA, API, and related standards.
- Proficiency with SKM, ETAP, EasyPower, or similar software.
- Experience with protective relays and SEL relay systems preferred.
- Experience supporting field investigations, brownfield projects, retrofits, and facility upgrades.
- Strong leadership, organizational, and project coordination skills.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and mentoring junior staff.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a focus on quality, safety, and client satisfaction.
Nice To Haves
- Industrial facilities
- Utility infrastructure
- Substation design and coordination
- Water/wastewater treatment facilities
- Oil & gas or petrochemical facilities
- Power distribution systems
- Protective relaying and coordination studies
- PLC and industrial control systems
- Central utility plants
- Construction support and commissioning
- EPC or consulting engineering environments
Responsibilities
- Lead electrical engineering design for industrial, utility, commercial, and infrastructure projects.
- Oversee medium‑ and high‑voltage systems including 480V, 5kV, 15kV, 25kV, 34.5kV, and 138kV.
- Develop and review one‑line diagrams, electrical plans, grounding systems, conduit layouts, cable schedules, equipment layouts, and electrical details.
- Perform and oversee load calculations, voltage drop studies, short circuit studies, coordination studies, arc flash studies, and system modeling using SKM, ETAP, EasyPower, or similar tools.
- Lead physical substation design and coordination.
- Support protective relay applications, relay coordination, relay settings, and power system protection philosophies.
- Develop and review sequences of operation for protective relaying, PLC controls, MCC systems, and building automation systems.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of motors, transformers, switchgear, MCCs, VFDs, relays, and industrial control systems.
- Coordinate with vendors to verify equipment specifications and technical requirements.
- Lead field investigations, site walkdowns, and existing condition assessments for retrofit and brownfield projects.
- Support modernization projects and facility upgrades in active operating environments.
- Prepare and review engineering deliverables for FEL studies, conceptual design, SD, DD, CD, detailed engineering, and IFC packages.
- Develop technical specifications aligned with project requirements and industry codes.
- Review contractor submittments and respond to RFIs during construction.
- Provide engineering support during construction, startup, testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
- Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams including mechanical, instrumentation, controls, civil, and structural.
- Lead project meetings and communicate directly with clients, contractors, vendors, and engineering teams.
- Mentor junior engineers and designers.
- Support proposal development, engineering estimates, scope definition, and project planning.
- Maintain engineering documentation, reports, calculations, and project records.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Two medical plan options
- Dental and vision coverage
- Company‑paid short‑term and long‑term disability
- Company‑paid basic life insurance for employees and dependents
- 401(k) with company match
- Flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
- A supportive, high‑performance work environment where employees feel valued and empowered
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
