Substation Structural Engineer
About the role
You will be part of a rapidly growing team working on a variety of exciting projects that will test your engineering skills and set you on a path for career growth. As an integral part of a team, you will prepare steel structure and foundation analysis & design on of high voltage electrical switchyard and substation projects up to 500kV ranging in scale from simple device replacements to large greenfield substation sites.
Responsibilities
- Independently coordinate the work of the structural design team through the design development and contract document phases of a project
- Take responsibility for coordinating workload through design development and construction document phases to complete the documents on schedule
- Lead structural engineering tasks for a variety of substation structural members such as rolled steel shapes, lattice steel framing, and folded plate tubular steel shapes. Engineering duties include detailed design, calculations, quality control, and detailing for fabrication or development of loading and concept drawings for submittal to a steel fabricator to design and fabricate.
- Lead foundation design tasks for substation structures, including drilled piers, spread footings, driven piles, and potentially other types, using industry standard software.
- Working with Designers and CADD Technicians to develop drawings in accordance with national design standards, safety codes and project specifications and requirements.
- Prepare and/or review specifications for construction & materials.
- Able to support multiple projects concurrently, with teams in different locations.
- Performing site visits during the design, construction and as-built phases of projects.
- Other duties as needed.
Requirements
- Technical design experience with physical/outdoor design of high voltage electrical switchyard and substation projects of varying complexity up to 500kV.
- Familiarity with the latest NESC, NEC, IEEE, ANSI, ASCE-113 and other industry standards.
- Experience using industry standard design software, including PLS-Tower and Mathcad Prime.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Working knowledge of the latest AISC-360, ASCE-7, ACI-318, and other industry standards.
- Experience using industry standard design software, including STAAD, RISA, MFAD, L-Pile, or Equivalent.
- Track record of working cooperatively with diverse teams in multiple office locations.
- Self-starter with strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong conceptual, organizational, problem solving, and collaboration skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous structural engineer experience.
- Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, RISA, Staad, SAP, Tedds, RAM, ETABS, SAFE or similar.
- Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm.
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Business Class
Substation Engineering
Employee Status
Regular
Primary Location
United States-Missouri-Kansas City
Industry
Power
Schedule
Full-time
Job Posting Date
Jul 9, 2026
Company Beliefs
We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.