Pre-Construction Engineer

About Us

Potelco, Inc., a subsidiary of Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR), was founded in 1965. We specialize in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, which include designing, estimating, material acquisition, project management, construction, emergency power restoration, system maintenance, and similar services. Our expertise is in power, transmission, distribution, and substation projects. We are a leading full-service provider of power infrastructure, construction, and support services in utility and energy contracting throughout the Pacific Northwest and neighboring states.

We are proud to be working with some of the region’s largest energy companies as we continue to modernize their electric systems, move towards de-carbonization, and maintain thousands of miles of overhead and underground lines serving millions of residential and commercial customers. We uphold high safety, productivity, and reliability standards as we work with our customers to provide both current and strategic, forward-thinking energy infrastructure, delivery, and solutions.

About This Role

If you enjoy working with a great group of professionals, are detail-oriented, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and enjoy using your engineering and organizational skills, then we have a role for you! Potelco, Inc. is looking to add a Pre-Construction Engineer to our growing Pre-Construction team in Sumner, WA.

This role bridges technical design and cost estimating during the pursuit and early project-development phases — translating conceptual and partially developed engineering (30–90%) for substations, BESS yards , and utility-scale PV installations into constructible, accurately priced scope. The Pre-Construction Engineer will work closely with the Director of Pre-Construction, Proposal Manager, Construction Technical Advisor, and Estimating team to reduce technical risk before Potelco commits to a bid.

The pay for this role is a salary range of $100,000 - $130,000, depending on experience.

What You'll Do

• Review client- or partner-provided design packages (conceptual through 90% design) for substation additions/greenfield builds, BESS yards, and PV collection/interconnection systems, identifying gaps, conflicts, and constructability risks.
• Develop and validate conceptual designs, one-line diagrams, and layouts for medium- and low-voltage systems to support proposal development ahead of full engineering.
• Generate preliminary quantity takeoffs — conduit, cable and wire, grounding, structures, foundations, equipment pads — to support the Estimating team’s cost development.
• Coordinate with utility interconnection requirements, permitting standards, and client technical specifications during the proposal phase.
• Draft and track technical RFIs during bid development, and support responses to client clarification requests.
• Partner with the Construction Technical Advisor to flag sequencing, logistics, and buildability risks introduced by design choices.
• Interface directly with client engineers, EPC partners, and third-party design firms on technical scope clarifications during pursuit.
• Support handoff of awarded projects from Pre-Construction to the engineering and construction teams, ensuring design intent and assumptions carry forward cleanly.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

What You'll Bring

• Minimum 5–8 years of relevant experience in electrical design, engineering, or design-assist roles, with demonstrated exposure to medium- and low-voltage systems on substation, BESS, or utility-scale solar PV projects.
• Prior experience supporting EPC pursuits, proposals, or pre-construction/front-end engineering strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field preferred; PE licensure is a plus but not required. Equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered.
• Working knowledge of substation physical/electrical layout; protection & control familiarity is a plus but not required.
• Familiarity with BESS yard design considerations, including equipment layout, fire code setbacks, and containerized system interconnection.
• Experience with utility-scale PV design fundamentals: MV collection systems, inverter pad layout, and combiner/recombiner design.
• Comfortable reading, redlining, and cross-checking civil, structural, and electrical drawings.
• Strong understanding of how design decisions drive constructability and cost — able to work fluidly between design intent and estimating needs.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD, and familiarity with Bluebeam and standard MS Office tools; exposure to estimating platforms (e.g., HCSS, B2W) a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally under proposal deadlines.
  
  

What You'll Get

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
  
  

Compensation Range

The anticipated compensation for this position is - depending on experience and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and/or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.

We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company’s Human Resources department.