Senior Electrical Designer- Substation

Job Description

Job Description

Company Overview:

Vanderweil Engineers is a top-ranked national engineering firm specializing in MEP/FP, Power, and technology systems for a wide range of market sectors. In our 75th year in operation with a staff of 500+ located across nine offices, we are proud to be one of the leading independently owned engineering firms in the country.

Our Power Group provides full-service engineering and design solutions for utility, institutional, and commercial clients across the U.S., with a strong focus on reliability, sustainability, and innovation. As part of our continued growth in the Transmission & Distribution sector, we are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Electrical Designer - Substation to join our multidisciplinary team. This role plays a critical part in shaping the design of high-voltage substations that support the safe, efficient, and resilient operation of the nation’s electric grid.

The Senior Electrical Designer - Substation is responsible for leading the development of physical and electrical design deliverables, coordinating design efforts with internal teams and external clients, and ensuring the successful execution of projects from concept to construction. This role requires deep technical knowledge, leadership in design coordination, and the ability to mentor junior designers.

At our firm, you will be part of a collaborative and innovative environment where your ideas and expertise are valued. You will have the chance to work on high-impact, technically demanding substation projects including greenfield EHV substations up to 500kV, brownfield retrofits in congested urban sites, complex bus reconfigurations under live conditions, and integrating advanced SCADA, automation, and communication systems. We offer clear paths for professional growth, leadership development, and the opportunity to directly impact our success as we expand into new markets and technologies.

If you are looking to grow your career while making a real difference in the power industry, we would love to have you on our team.

Why You?

• Play a key role in delivering high-impact substation projects that drive grid modernization and reliability.
• Lead design teams and mentor junior staff within a supportive, growth-oriented environment.
• Collaborate with top engineers and technical professionals across a range of power delivery disciplines.
• Enjoy a work culture that supports mentorship, continuous learning, and professional development at a leadership level.
• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a clear path to continued growth in both technical expertise and leadership.

Some of your key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of substation physical and protection/control design packages for projects ranging from 34.5kV to 500kV.
• Oversee the preparation of equipment layouts, grounding designs, conduit/cable routing plans, and wiring diagrams.
• Direct the creation of panel layouts, protection schematics, and control wiring drawings in accordance with utility standards.
• Serve as the primary design interface with engineers, project managers, and external stakeholders to ensure design quality and schedule alignment.
• Support field installation efforts with constructability reviews, field markups, and as-built drawing updates.
• Review and approve drawing packages prepared by junior designers; provide mentoring and training support.
• Champion design quality and process improvements through peer reviews, lessons learned, and adoption of new tools and methods.

Essential Skills and Requirements:

• Associate degree or technical diploma in Electrical Design, Drafting, or related discipline; additional experience may substitute for formal education.
• 10+ years of experience in high-voltage substation design for utilities, EPCs, or engineering firms.

• Experience with AutoCAD, AutoCAD-3D, Inventor and Revit for substation design and modeling; MicroStation or Bentley experience is a plus.

• Strong understanding of substation physical layouts, wiring standards, relay/control systems, and equipment specifications.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate cross-discipline design efforts and lead drafting teams.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and project tools such as ProjectWise, SharePoint or similar project/document management tools.

Our Work Culture:

We know that work/life integration is important to our employees. Our hybrid work style (up to 2 days remote per week) allows team members to have flexibility while building their skills through in-person exposure to industry experts.

Our wellness programs prioritize our team members’ physical and behavioral health.

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace.

If you would like to connect with us for more information, please contact a member of our recruitment team or to learn more about our work culture, please visit us at www.vanderweil.com.

The compensation that we expect to pay for this position is commensurate with experience and should range between $90,000 and $140,000 depending on education, years of experience and skill sets.