Substation Engineer III/IV

Toth And Associates•Portland, OR

About The Position

The Substation Engineer III / IV independently plans, designs, and executes electrical substation projects for utility, industrial, and renewable energy clients. The role applies advanced engineering judgment to produce technically sound, constructible, and code-compliant designs, while providing technical leadership and mentoring junior engineers. It also supports Project Managers and Professional Engineers in delivering high-quality projects. The position leads the design of physical substation components and develops and reviews protection and control documentation, engineering drawings, calculations, and bills of material. It conducts technical quality reviews, helps resolve design and constructability issues, collaborates with clients and project teams, and maintains complete project records. Short out-of-town travel may be required for project coordination, site visits, or client meetings.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited engineering program.
5–9 years of experience in electrical substation engineering or related power systems design.
Demonstrated ability to independently execute substation design tasks with minimal supervision.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical judgment skills.
Ability to manage priorities, schedules, and multiple concurrent assignments.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Nice To Haves

Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, or ability to obtain licensure.
Experience designing medium- and high-voltage substation systems for utility or industrial clients.
Working knowledge of ANSI, IEEE, NEMA, and NESC (ANSI C2) standards related to substation design.
Experience in ground grid design using SES-CDEGS software.
Experience reviewing and mentoring junior engineering staff.

Responsibilities

Lead and independently design physical substation components, including yard layouts, grounding systems, lightning protection, control building layouts, raceways, and auxiliary AC/DC power systems.
Develop and review protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, cable schedules, panel layouts, and interconnection details.
Prepare and review engineering drawings, calculations, and bills of material for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance.
Perform and review engineering calculations, including grounding analysis, voltage drop, cable pulling, fault current, and related studies.
Ensure project teams apply engineering standards including NEC, NESC, NEMA, IEEE, and ANSI.
Conduct technical quality reviews of design packages, identify discrepancies or constructability issues, and provide corrective guidance.
Provide technical direction and mentoring to Engineer I / II staff and designers, including reviewing work products and advising on best practices.
Collaborate with Project Managers, clients, and internal disciplines to resolve technical challenges, evaluate alternatives, and implement solutions.
Identify potential project risks, design conflicts, or scope impacts and proactively communicate recommended solutions to stakeholders.
Support client meetings and design reviews and coordinate efforts as a technical subject matter contributor.
Maintain accurate and complete project documentation, calculations, and design records.
Travel out of town for short periods as required for project coordination, site visits, or client meetings.
Perform other duties as assigned.