Lead Physical Substation Design Engineer

Position Overview

Power your future with Qualus as a Lead Substation Engineer.

As a Lead Substation Physical Design Engineer, you'll serve as a technical subject matter expert, leading the design of high-voltage substations that power communities and critical infrastructure. You'll develop innovative, code-compliant engineering solutions, mentor junior engineers, and help drive technical excellence across complex utility projects. Working closely with clients and across cross-functional teams, you'll influence project success from concept through construction while ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and reliability. This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced engineer who enjoys solving challenging technical problems, developing others, and making a lasting impact on the future of the electric grid. 

This position may be performed remotely from within the United States. While remote candidates are encouraged to apply, candidates located near one of the following Qualus office locations and available for a hybrid schedule are preferred:

• Chattanooga, TN
• El Dorado, KS
• Farmington, UT
• Fort Worth, TX
• Lake Mary, FL
• Raleigh, NC
• Reno, NV
• Ridgeland, MS
• Trussville, AL
• Westborough, MA

Incentives

• Flexible work schedules that support work-life balance and individual needs.
• Opportunities for remote and hybrid work arrangements, depending on role and location.
• Competitve sign-on bonus and relocation assistance opportunities for eligible candidates.
• Refer-a-friend bonus program that rewards employees for helping grow our team.
• Ongoing career development opportunities, including training, mentorship, and advancement pathways.
• Exposure to challenging and impactful projects that help shape the future of the utility and energy industries. 

Responsibilities

• Design power utility substations utilizing applicable codes and client standards (if available).
  • Typical design to include general arrangement, equipment and electrical layout, elevation views, cable trench, grounding, conduit drawings, details, bill of materials, and AC and DC power systems.
• Design ground grids based on applicable codes utilizing industry available software.
• Design lightning protection and grounding plans.
• Complete calculations such as AC and DC load, bus spans, and ampacity calculations.
• Create equipment and material specifications for procurement of engineered equipment as well as development of design scope and cost estimates.
• Complete conceptual designs and layouts for facility planning studies.
• Prepare additional support documentation as needed to assist procurement, construction, and operation/maintenance of systems being designed.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams, clients, vendors, and contractors to ensure successful project execution and resolution of technical issues.
• Lead and participate in client meetings and job site visits to collect design data, present engineering solutions, resolve technical issues, and support project execution.
• Lead and ensure compliance with the company’s Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) processes, including technical review and approval of engineering design packages.
• Provide technical mentorship and oversight to junior engineers and designers, including reviewing calculations, drawings, and specifications to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance with project requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering from an ABET accredited institution.
• 10+ years of experience in Substation physical design engineering.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications. 
• Excellent document management and organization skills. 
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality. 
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and interact professionally with clients and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills

• Professional Engineering (P.E.) License.
• Prior experience performing physical design for electric utility transmission and distribution substations.
• Experience designing substations ranging from 12kV to 500kV.
• Knowledge of applicable industry standards and codes, including IEEE, NESC, NEC, and ANSI.
• Experience serving as a Lead Engineer or technical lead on substation projects.
• Experience mentoring and providing technical guidance to junior engineers and designers.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary project teams and engineering deliverables.
• Direct client-facing experience with electric utility customers.
• Experience with grounding, lightning protection, AC/DC systems, and substation physical design calculations.
• Experience supporting equipment procurement, vendor drawing reviews, and construction-phase engineering support.

Benefits & Compensation

Qualus offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, which may include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, Retirement Savings Plans (including employer matching where applicable), Flexible Spending and/or Health Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), Parental Leave, Paid Time Off, and Company Holidays. Benefits offerings may vary based on position, work location, and eligibility requirements. The compensation range for this position is provided in accordance with applicable laws and market practices. The final base salary offered may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, internal equity, performance, and business needs. Compensation ranges are subject to change at the Company's discretion and as permitted by applicable law.

Company Overview

Qualus is a leading pure-play power solutions firm and innovator at the forefront of power infrastructure transformation, with differentiated capabilities across grid modernization, resiliency, security, and sustainability. The firm partners with utilities, commercial, industrial, data center, and government clients, and renewable and energy storage developers, offering comprehensive solutions through boutique and integrated advisory, planning, engineering, digital solutions, program management, energy efficiency and specialized field services. Qualus also provides software and technology enabled services and develops breakthrough solutions for critical power industry challenges such as distributed and variable resource integration, emergency management, and secure data exchange. The firm has over 2,000 professionals, with offices throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We are committed to providing an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on any grounds protected by applicable human rights legislation across Canada and the US.

We are committed to a secure and transparent hiring process. We do not request payment or sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers or banking details, during the application process. Please use caution and verify opportunities through our official channels.