Substation Physical Designer

Nexus Engineering Group is an employee-owned, full-service firm growing our Substation Department. As a Substation Physical Designer, you’ll develop the physical design of high-voltage substation projects, progressing from production support toward independent design.

About the role

You’ll produce the general arrangement layouts, elevation and section views, grounding, conduit routing, and equipment placement that bring substations to life—from new builds to upgrades and expansions. Working alongside a collaborative team of engineers and designers, you’ll take on increasing ownership as you develop, building toward independent design of substation physical packages.

Responsibilities

• Develop and revise physical layouts, elevation and section views, below-grade drawings, and supporting documentation in CAD, with growing independence as you develop
• Lay out grounding systems (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, bus arrangements, and equipment placement
• Build and maintain cable/conduit lists, nameplates, and client-specific documentation
• Assist the project lead in developing physical documentation, applying technical design standards
• Apply internal and external processes, procedures, and design standards (IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC)
• Coordinate with drafters, designers, other disciplines, clients, and vendors to deliver complete, constructible packages

Requirements

• Associate Degree in a technical discipline or equivalent technical experience
• 2+ years of experience in substation, power delivery, or electrical design
• Proficiency with CAD (AutoCAD and/or MicroStation)
• Familiarity with substation physical design—layouts, grounding (IEEE Std 80), conduit and cable routing, and equipment placement
• Working knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, NEC, and NESC standards
• Ability to travel to project and substation sites, some of which are not accessible by public transportation

Preferred Qualifications

• Inventor or Substation Design Suite (SDS) experience
• Grounding or photometric analysis software (WinIGS, CDEGS, AGi32, Visual Lighting, or equivalent)
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification, with progress toward Professional Engineer (PE) licensure

Benefits

• Employee ownership (ESOP)—build equity in the firm as it grows
• Real ownership that grows with you—from production support toward independent design
• Mentorship from senior engineers and designers on a collaborative team
• Full-service EPCm exposure, from concept through startup, across a diverse client base
• Career paths that grow with you—toward technical leadership, project management, or discipline leadership
• Flexible work arrangements where business needs allow

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This role combines office-based design work with periodic visits to substation and construction sites. This role may require:

• Periodic travel to substation and construction sites
• Appropriate PPE on site, including arc-rated clothing
• The ability to access outdoor substation yards and walk uneven terrain, with or without reasonable accommodation

Nexus Engineering Group is a full-service engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCm) firm providing comprehensive support to clients from concept through startup. With over a decade of demonstrated engineering and design success, Nexus is known for integrity, expertise, and a collaborative work environment.