Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical

Position Title: Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical

Position Location: Remote - work virtually from anywhere in the United States

SALARY

DLB recognizes salary ranges from job boards do not necessarily reflect our pay ranges.  In many instances we out-compete those ranges for well-qualified candidates.

JOB SUMMARY

DLB is expanding its substation and power engineering services and is seeking a Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical to support and help grow this practice. This role is responsible for the physical electrical design of medium- and high-voltage substations, switching stations, and utility-scale grid integration facilities across utility, renewable, data center, and industrial markets, from concept through construction and commissioning.

The Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical will provide detailed design execution, technical quality, and client-facing support. This position is hands-on, focused on physical substation design including equipment layouts, general arrangements, grounding systems, cable and ductbank design, and construction drawing production.

The Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical works with a high degree of independence on day-to-day work and receives general direction on new projects, tasks, or assignments. Will execute projects, tasks, or assignments of complex scope and may coordinate activities of other personnel.

The Senior Power Engineer – Physical Electrical will communicate and operate in line with organizational goals and values, as well as departmental objectives. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Physical Electrical Engineering (40%)

• Serve as a senior engineering contributor for substation and grid integration physical design, performing advanced engineering work with general oversight. Perform detailed physical electrical design for AIS and GIS substations, switching stations, BESS facilities, and customer-owned substation projects, ensuring compliance with customer requirements, utility requirements, industry standards, codes, and regulations

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (civil/structural, protection & control, project management) to integrate physical electrical designs into complete substation design packages

• Support technical scoping and design for BESS, microgrid, and IBR interconnection physical facilities at the medium- and high-voltage level

• Contribute to engineering approaches, design standards, and technical risk management.

• Support project delivery as engineer of record (or in support of EOR), contributing to technical accuracy, constructability, and code compliance.

• Apply and help maintain engineering standards, design criteria, and quality expectations for physical electrical work.

Physical Electrical Design Activities (25%)

Independently perform detailed physical electrical design for: 

• Substation general arrangement plans, plan views, elevations, and equipment layout drawings (AIS and GIS)

• Bus configurations (ring bus, breaker-and-a-half, double bus) and bus structure design

• Grounding grid design and grounding calculations per IEEE 80

• Lightning shielding design per IEEE 998

• Below-grade design: cable routing, conduit/ductbank design, pull tension calculations, and cable schedules

• Above-grade design: bus structures, equipment pads, equipment foundations, and structural steel coordination

• Control house and relay panel physical arrangements and interior layouts

• AC/DC auxiliary power distribution design within substations and control houses

• Material/equipment lists and bill of materials

• Site plans and BESS compound physical layouts for containerized/modular energy storage installations

• Develop and review equipment specifications for major substation components including power transformers, circuit breakers (AIS/GIS), disconnect switches, instrument transformers, surge arresters, bus structures, and support structures.

• Perform and/or support grounding, shielding, and illumination calculations and studies

• Perform complex engineering studies and calculations with general guidance

• Ensure compliance with applicable standards (NESC, IEEE 80, IEEE 998, IEEE 605, utility standards) and constructability requirements

• Utilize AutoCAD, MicroStation, and/or Revit software to produce construction-quality drawings and visual aids

• Support timely and effective coordination of the project design team, including resource forecasting

• Identify potential project scope changes and aid in development of strategies to minimize impact and control deviations from estimated costs and project deadlines

Project Execution / Pre-Construction / Client Interface (25%)

• Support execution of the firm’s client value system and help assure that the project is executed in accordance with company policies and standards

• Work closely with clients to understand their specific project requirements, provide technical insights, and ensure client satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle

• Support resolution of design, construction, and field issues, escalating to leadership when business or contractual risk requires involvement.

• Support construction, testing, commissioning, and energization through RFIs, field engineering, and technical troubleshooting.

• Participate in technical reviews, design meetings, and client presentations.

• Prepare project design and construction documents

Reporting (10%)

• Prepare project progress reports for internal and external stakeholders 

• Update and maintain shop drawing and RFI log 

• Manage personal hours using company tools 

Technology, Digital Tools & AI-Enabled Efficiency

• Identify opportunities and leverage technology, digital platforms, and AI-enabled tools to enhance efficiency through workflow automation, reduced manual effort, and improved accuracy in forecasting, documentation, reporting, and quality processes. 

• Support adoption of emerging technologies – including advanced analytics, data visualization tools, and digital construction management platforms – to strengthen readiness, quality assurance, and project controls. 

• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure technology solutions align with DLB standards for data security, privacy, and operational integrity. 

• Support a culture that embraces innovation, continuous improvement, and the strategic use of technology to optimize performance and scalability.

Completion of Assigned Tasks and Deliverables on Time and on Budget

Performs Other Related Duties as Assigned.

 
POSITION REQUIREMENTS (Intermediate to Advanced level for all the following)

• Knowledge of medium- and high-voltage physical electrical systems including AIS and GIS substation equipment, bus configurations, equipment foundations, and utility-scale site layout design

• Strong working knowledge of physical substation design including below-grade (grounding, ductbank, cable routing) and above-grade (bus, equipment structures, general arrangement) scope

• Knowledge of applicable electrical codes and standards including NESC, NEC, ANSI, IEEE 80 (grounding), IEEE 998 (shielding), IEEE 605 (bus design), and utility design standards, with ability to apply requirements through code analysis and system design

• Proficiency in AutoCAD and/or MicroStation for substation physical design; Revit experience a plus

• Knowledge of substation equipment including power transformers, circuit breakers (AIS/GIS), disconnect switches, instrument transformers, surge arresters, and bus structures

• Knowledge of grounding, shielding, illumination, cable ampacity, conduit fill, and pull tension calculations for utility-scale electrical facilities

• Knowledge of various electrical topologies and distribution systems

• Skilled at using MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams), along with exceptional organizational skills for file management

• Highly organized with strong attention to detail, able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet tight deadlines under pressure.

• Ability to leverage AI and emerging technologies to streamline workflows, optimize operational processes, and contribute to company-wide innovation.

• Ability to work successfully in a remote environment through effective communication and organizational skills, self-motivation, proactiveness and resourcefulness in a distraction free workspace

• Ability to follow company and site safety requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences and serve as a client-facing point of contact. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  

The following physical demands must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is 

• Frequently required to remain in a stationary position.

• Frequently moving through office, facility, and other environments.

• On occasion, may move equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.

TRAVEL / RELOCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Up to 20%, this may include travel to any or all 50 US states

• Travel is defined as physically leaving home on behalf of business activities including but not limited to client sites, meetings with other employees, meetings for business development purposes, running errands on behalf of the business, attending industry conferences, etc.

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Electrical Engineering (or actively pursuing).

• 10+ years of progressive substation physical electrical design experience (8+ years preferred).

• Experience with AIS and/or GIS substation physical design at the medium- to high-voltage level.

• Hands-on experience producing construction-quality substation drawing packages including general arrangements, grounding designs, and cable/conduit systems.

• Experience working directly with utilities and/or owner engineering teams on utility, renewable energy (solar PV, wind), data center, or industrial substation projects. 

Preferred / Strong Plus

• Experience with BESS, microgrid, or IBR facility physical electrical design including containerized/modular energy storage layouts.

• Experience with GIS (gas-insulated switchgear) substation physical design.

• MicroStation proficiency for substation design.

• Experience with high-voltage substations (138kV and above).

• Familiarity with IEEE 80 grounding grid calculation methods and software (WinIGS or equivalent).

• Civil/site design coordination experience including stormwater, grading, and access road design for utility-scale electrical facilities.

Benefits

DLB Associates offers a very competitive benefits package; highlights include

• Choice of comprehensive medical plans (including two PPO-style plans and a HDHP w/ HSA option)
• Flex spending accounts (FSA)
• Dental and vision plans
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits extended to spouse / domestic partner and dependent children up to age 26
• 401k with company match and self-directed brokerage account option
• PTO including additional paid time off during the last week of the year
• Company paid life insurance coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Short and long-term disability, AD&D coverage
• Professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement and professional licensing assistance
• Paid parental leave after one year of employment

CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC residents only: In accordance with CO, CA, IL, NY, WA, and Washington DC law, the range provided is DLB's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and location.

DLB Associates is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and participates in the E-Verify program with the Department of Homeland Security. We encourage diversity in our workforce.

Are you ready to challenge yourself and redefine standards in the AEC industry? Apply now and join our award-winning team!​

​NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:

DLB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to DLB in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where DLB has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of DLB and DLB will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.