The Senior Engineer – Physical, Substation is an experienced technical leader within the electric substation design team, responsible for the end-to-end engineering and design of projects ranging from small, quick-turnaround assignments to large, complex substations spanning 12kV to 500kV. This role independently applies NESC, NEC, ASCE, IEEE, and other applicable standards to lead engineering analyses, plans and specifications, material procurement, and construction documentation with a high degree of technical authority and ownership.

With five or more years of specialized experience in substation physical design, the Senior Engineer serves as the primary technical point of contact for clients, leads quality control across project deliverables, and provides direct mentorship and technical direction to engineering staff. This role also contributes to scope development, proposal support, and continuous improvement of design standards and practices across the Substation Engineering group.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the execution of substation physical design projects, maintaining full ownership of design scope, technical decisions, and deliverable quality.
• Serve as the technical lead for substation physical design, providing direction and oversight for general arrangements, plan and elevation views, equipment layouts, and cable routing and conduit designs.
• Develop and approve complex engineering designs related to station configuration, equipment arrangement, and constructability considerations.
• Perform, review, and provide technical oversight of engineering studies including grounding system design, lightning protection analysis, and bus fault force evaluations.
• Review and approve calculations associated with station service and DC system requirements, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and alignment with project needs.
• Lead the development and finalization of equipment specifications and bills of material for major substation components, ensuring compliance with client and project requirements.
• Interpret and enforce applicable codes, standards, and client-specific requirements (NESC, NEC, IEEE, ASCE) across all design deliverables.
• Oversee design integration across disciplines — including protection and controls, civil, structural, transmission, distribution, geotechnical, and survey — to ensure complete and fully constructible design packages.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for clients, leading design reviews, technical discussions, and resolution of complex engineering issues.
• Lead quality control efforts, including performing and overseeing design reviews and ensuring adherence to company standards, processes, and best practices.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to engineering staff, including reviewing work, guiding design approaches, and supporting professional development.
• Manage multiple projects or major scopes of work concurrently, with accountability for technical quality, schedule adherence, and alignment with project objectives.
• Support project management efforts by contributing to scope development, schedule planning, risk identification, and resource coordination.
• Lead engineering support during procurement and construction phases, including oversight of submittal reviews, RFI responses, and resolution of field issues.
• Conduct and lead site visits, field walkdowns, and construction coordination efforts to validate design assumptions and support project execution.
• Ensure constructability, operability, and maintainability considerations are incorporated into all design solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including development of design standards, best practices, tools, and workflows across the Substation Engineering group.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited engineering program.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in substation physical design engineering.
• Demonstrated expertise in substation physical design, including layouts, equipment arrangements, grounding systems, and constructability considerations.
• Advanced knowledge of engineering analysis methods, including grounding design, station service calculations, and equipment and bus loading.
• Proven ability to lead the development and review of complex engineering deliverables with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality.
• Strong understanding and application of applicable codes and standards — NESC, NEC, IEEE, ASCE — and client-specific design requirements.
• Demonstrated leadership in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and delivering fully integrated engineering solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with proven experience leading client interactions and technical discussions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects or major project scopes concurrently, balancing technical, schedule, and quality requirements.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and advanced working knowledge of engineering design and drafting tools such as AutoCAD, MicroStation, or similar platforms.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to independently resolve complex technical challenges.

Preferred Qualifications:

The following qualifications are preferred but not required for consideration:

• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Advanced experience with grounding analysis software such as CDEGS, WinIGS, or similar tools.
• Experience leading full substation design packages from concept through Issued for Construction (IFC) and construction support phases.
• Familiarity with utility-specific standards, practices, and multi-client program execution environments.
• Experience contributing to proposals, technical scopes of work, and project cost estimation.

Competencies Required:

Technical Proficiency: Applies discipline-specific knowledge, codes, and engineering principles to produce accurate, high-quality work.

Design Excellence: Develops functional, constructible, and innovative design solutions that balance client vision, budget, and regulatory requirements.

Quality Assurance & Control: Takes ownership of deliverable accuracy and completeness through disciplined review processes and adherence to Westwood's QA/QC standards.

Scope, Budget & Fee Management: Manages project budgets with discipline, tracking financial performance and addressing scope changes proactively.

Subconsultant & Team Coordination: Coordinates effectively with subconsultants, contractors, and agencies to produce integrated, conflict-free deliverables.

Client Relationship Management: Builds trusted, long-term client relationships by serving as a reliable advisor who anticipates needs and exceeds expectations.

Mentoring & Talent Development: Invests in colleagues' growth through coaching, feedback, stretch assignments, and active sponsorship of emerging professionals.

Communication & Presentation: Communicates clearly in written, verbal, and visual formats — translating technical content effectively for any audience.

Problem Solving & Decision Making: Approaches complex problems analytically, balances competing priorities, and makes sound, timely decisions under uncertainty.

Innovation & Knowledge Management: Drives a culture of continuous improvement, captures institutional knowledge, and encourages experimentation and new thinking.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision. We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.