Transmission Line Design Engineer

AltaLink•Calgary, AB

2d•Onsite

About The Position

An exciting opportunity currently exists for a “Transmission Line Design Engineer” within the Project Development – Lines & Civil Engineering Department at AltaLink. Reporting to the Manager, Lines & Civil Engineering. The successful candidate will lead the design, engineering, project development and technical delivery of high voltage transmission line facilities across AltaLink’s transmission line network, from early scoping and conceptual development through detailed design, construction support, close-out and final acceptance. The individual will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure line modifications, line rebuilds, customer interconnections, greenfield transmission line projects and urgent restoration work are designed and supported with a high level of quality, safety, constructability and customer service. The position requires senior-level expertise in project scoping, design, implementation, technical decision-making, construction support and final acceptance. The role also requires the ability to coordinate multi-stakeholder design inputs, manage design changes, support external EPC and contractor resources, and provide clear technical direction under tight project or field response timelines. As a senior designer on the team, the individual will provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and designers. This includes supporting technical development, coaching, design review, and knowledge transfer for emerging engineers and EITs. This position will appeal to individuals looking to apply extensive transmission line design experience and leadership talents in a dynamic utility environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Civil or Electrical Engineering.
Qualifies for registration as a Professional Engineer with the Association of Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Intermediate level (C): minimum 5 years of Transmission Line Design experience.
Sr. level (D): minimum 10 years Transmission Line Design experience.
Proven ability to perform the responsibilities listed above.
Demonstrated senior-level experience delivering complex transmission line designs from concept through close-out, including coordination with project managers, external designers, contractors, suppliers and field stakeholders.
In depth knowledge of standards and codes that apply to transmission line design and the ability to research and apply past code requirements to existing facilities in current situations, including Alberta power system facilities, Alberta Utility Code (AUC/AEUC) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) requirements.
Strong working knowledge of transmission line materials, structure families, insulator and hardware selection, conductor/OPGW applications, foundations, steel poles, wood poles and constructability considerations.
Base knowledge of geotechnical investigation programs and geotechnical data used for transmission line design, including borehole/CPT information, soil classifications, soil strength and deformation behaviour, groundwater, bedrock, frost depth, corrosivity and backfill suitability.
Base knowledge of transmission line foundation design and foundation reaction types, including compression, uplift, shear, overturning moment, lateral soil bearing, embedment depth, pile length/diameter considerations and pole/foundation deflection impacts.
Ability to interpret geotechnical reports at a level sufficient to coordinate with geotechnical and civil/foundation specialists, identify design or constructability risks, and incorporate appropriate assumptions into line design packages.
Extensive expertise in PLS-CADD and PLS-POLE is required.
Demonstrated mentoring, coaching or technical leadership experience with junior engineers, EITs, designers or cross-functional project teams.
Must have a valid class 5 driver’s license.
Ability and willingness to travel to site as required.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills to interface with team members and customers to promote positive customer outcomes.
Proven track record of good performance and attendance.

Nice To Haves

Experience using PLS-Tower, PLS-CAISSON, line rating tools, thermal rating methods, reconductoring assessments or line optimization studies would be an asset.
Experience supporting customer interconnection, Direct Assign, Facility Application, AESO information request, regulatory/hearing or technical justification work would be an asset.
Experience developing or applying engineering standards, technical specifications, material procurement requirements or supplier technical evaluations would be an asset.
Experience with foundation-related standards, geotechnical scope development, foundation constructability reviews, or coordination of engineered foundation designs would be an asset.
Superior organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage a wide variety of projects/issues simultaneously.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work in a team environment with both office and field staff.
Demonstrated ability to work under tight timelines and in high stress situations.

Responsibilities

Prepare detailed calculations, studies, bills of material and design packages for transmission line capital, customer, Direct Assign and system projects.
Prepare PLS-CADD models for design package development and existing line clearance evaluations.
Complete line design packages for all AltaLink transmission voltage classes, including 69kV, 138kV, 240kV and 500kV assets, including rebuilds, modifications, greenfield lines, customer interconnections and emergency restoration work.
Lead preliminary line design, route and structure option development, constructability review, material selection and design change resolution for complex transmission projects.
Apply base geotechnical knowledge when developing line designs, including understanding soil classifications, borehole/geotechnical investigation outputs, groundwater/bedrock considerations, soil strength/deformation behaviour, frost depth, corrosivity data and backfill requirements as they relate to transmission line foundation selection and constructability.
Support transmission line foundation design decisions for direct-embed poles, drilled shafts/caissons, screw/helical/bucket piles, driven piles, micro-piles, grillage and pad/footing applications, including review of compression, uplift, shear and moment reactions.
Coordinate with geotechnical consultants, civil/foundation designers, project managers, construction resources and pile/foundation contractors to define geotechnical scope, review investigation results and resolve foundation design or installation risks.
Consider foundation risk mitigation during design and construction support, including cave-in/sloughing risk, high groundwater, shallow bedrock, gravel/boulder interference, casing/culvert needs, washed gravel/backfill selection and impacts to schedule, cost, safety and reliability.
Provide timely and effective technical input to support the Project Development and Execution teams.
Develop scope descriptions for project estimating and provide clear implementation direction to internal designers, external engineering consultants, EPC contractors, construction resources and field crews.
Review and/or approve technical drawings and specifications submitted by internal designers or contractors to ensure each project meets acceptable standards for operability, functionality, maintainability, reliability, durability and safety.
Support construction execution and project close-out by resolving field questions, material issues, redline updates, design clarifications and as-built/return-data requirements.
Support engineering standards development, design practice improvements and application of current or historical code requirements, including AEUC, CSA and applicable ISO reliability requirements.
Provide subject matter support for line optimization, line rating, thermal rating, reconductoring assessments, facility applications, information requests and regulatory/hearing support as required.
Contribute to material governance, supplier engagement, technical specifications, procurement support and emergency spare/material strategy for transmission line assets.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers, external technical engineering resources, construction resources, customers and other stakeholders that results in growing understanding, good decisions and effective cooperation.
Report on project engineering status to Project Managers and the Engineering Manager.
Mentor junior engineers, EITs and designers through technical coaching, design reviews, knowledge sharing and support toward professional development.
Provide leadership support within the team as required, including coordination of team deliverables, technical prioritization and coverage for management or project leadership needs.
Maintain competency with current industry standards and regulatory groups such as AEUC, CSA and ISO Rules.
Demonstrate key behaviors and meet identified expectations outlined in our four cultural pillars – one team, continuous improvement, customer focus and personal accountability.