Substation Engineer

Position Summary

The Substation Engineer will be responsible for the design, engineering, and coordination of high-voltage substations and interconnection facilities supporting utility-scale solar PV projects. This role ensures safe, reliable, and code-compliant delivery of substations from conceptual design through commissioning.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead engineering and design of substations (typically 34.5kV–500kV) for solar PV and BESS projects

- Develop and review:

- One-line diagrams

- Three-line diagrams

- Protection & control schematics

- Relay settings and coordination studies

- Perform or oversee:

- Load flow, short circuit, and grounding studies

- Equipment sizing (transformers, breakers, switchgear, buswork)

- Coordinate interconnection design in compliance with utility requirements and ISO/RTO standards (e.g., PJM, ERCOT, MISO)

- Interface with utilities for interconnection agreements, studies, and approvals

- Support procurement by developing technical specifications and evaluating vendor bids

- Provide engineering support during construction, including RFIs, submittal reviews, and field issue resolution

- Participate in commissioning activities and ensure proper testing of substation equipment

- Ensure compliance with applicable standards (IEEE, NEC, NESC, ANSI)

- Collaborate cross-functionally with civil, structural, transmission line, and SCADA teams

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

- 5–10+ years of experience in substation design (utility, EPC, or consulting environment)

- Experience with utility-scale renewable energy projects (solar and/or BESS preferred)

- Strong knowledge of high-voltage substation design and protection systems

- Familiarity with interconnection processes and grid compliance requirements

- Experience with engineering software (e.g., ETAP, SKM, PSCAD, AutoCAD, MicroStation)

- Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred or ability to obtain

Technical Skills

- Protection & control design (relays, SCADA, communication protocols)

- Substation physical layout and equipment specification

- Grounding and lightning protection design

- Relay coordination and arc flash analysis

- Understanding of utility interconnection standards and grid codes

Preferred Experience

- Experience working with major utilities or ISOs such as PJM, ERCOT, or CAISO

- Exposure to battery energy storage systems (BESS)

- Experience in EPC project environments or owner’s engineering roles

- Knowledge of renewable energy project lifecycle from development to COD

Soft Skills

- Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills

- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines

- Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving capability

Work Environment

- Hybrid or remote with travel to project sites

- Field visits for construction support and commissioning required