Substation Physical Designer II 4P/696

Location: Birmingham, AL
Contract - 3 Years
Travel: Approximately 25%
Work Environment: Office / Remote / Field Site Visits

Client- Southern Company Services.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Substation Physical Designer II to support the design of Transmission and Distribution electrical substations. This position is responsible for creating and modifying 2D drawings and 3D models for substation projects while supporting design standards, safety, quality, scheduling, and cost objectives.

The ideal candidate will have experience with AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Map 3D, substation physical design, electrical equipment layouts, material specifications, and construction drawing packages. This role will require coordination with engineers, vendors, construction teams, field services, project management, and maintenance groups.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and modify scaled 2D drawings and 3D models for electrical substation projects.
• Design physical aspects of electrical substations, including:
  • Foundation layouts
  • Grounding layouts
  • Conduit layouts
  • Switchgear assembly layouts
  • Substation layouts
  • Switch house layouts
  • Electrical bus design
• Produce engineering drawings using AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk 3D, or Autodesk Map 3D.
• Prepare design specifications and material requirements for substation projects.
• Specify and order materials for substation design packages, including stock, non-stock, and shop-fabricated materials.
• Prepare and transmit drawing packages and supporting specifications.
• Coordinate with engineers and other departments involved in electrical substation design.
• Work with manufacturers, vendors, and internal committee members to resolve equipment and material issues.
• Support substation construction, field services, project management, and maintenance teams.
• Participate in site visits, pre-construction meetings, construction support, and post-construction reviews.
• Support design criteria, standardization efforts, safety practices, quality requirements, schedules, and project costs.

Required Qualifications

• One of the following education/experience combinations:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology; or
  • Associate degree with at least 5 years of related industry experience; or
  • High school diploma with at least 8 years of significant related industry experience
• Ability to create and manipulate 2D drawings and 3D models for electrical substations.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office products.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Ability to build relationships with engineers, field teams, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Must be willing to travel approximately 25%.
• Ability to work successfully in a remote or virtual environment with reliable internet access.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong understanding of electrical substation equipment.
• Experience in Transmission and/or Distribution Substation Operations for an electric utility company.
• Good understanding of utility electric grid operations.
• Knowledge of basic electrical power system theory.
• Strong understanding of National Electrical Safety Code, National Electrical Code, and OSHA safe operating practices.
• Ability to create substation physical drawings from single-line or three-line diagrams.
• Experience using 3D modeling software such as SDS Inventor, Autodesk Inventor, or Autodesk 3D / P4A.
• AutoCAD training or experience.
• Experience with document management and estimating systems.
• Experience using Primavera P6 or progress reporting software.

Key Skills

Substation Physical Design, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Map 3D, 2D Drawings, 3D Modeling, Foundation Layouts, Grounding Layouts, Conduit Layouts, Switchgear Layouts, Substation Layouts, Electrical Bus Design, Material Specifications, Utility Design Standards, Construction Packages, Vendor Coordination, Project Support, Field Support.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented substation designer with strong technical drafting skills, knowledge of electrical substation equipment, and the ability to visualize equipment and materials in three-dimensional space. This person should be comfortable managing multiple priorities, working with engineering and field teams, supporting construction activities, and delivering accurate design packages for utility substation projects.