Substation Designer

R.E. Warner & Associates, Inc., a 7X winner of the Northcoast99 award, including the 2025 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for Compensation & Benefits, 2022-2025 Plain Dealer's Best Workplaces Award, and recognition as an AIA Ohio EP Friendly Firm Plus ! is seeking a Substation Designer to join our growing team!

R.E. Warner is not just an engineering company. We are a family built on a foundation of trusted relationships and a value for people—employees and clients alike. That dedication combined with decades of experience allows us to deliver solutions that are the building block of modern society across essential market sectors, including metal production, automotive, chemical, power, commercial, and government in Northeastern Ohio and the surrounding regions. This motivation has become the key to our success.

Our 75-year reputation as a group that values people and relationships precedes us. It is the core of everything we believe in experience, trust, value, quality, respect, and responsiveness.

We are proud to be often listed among the top 500 design firms in the country by Engineering News Record and often recognized with numerous honors, including the American Council of Engineering Companies Excellence Honor Award, ZweigWhite’s Best Multi-Discipline Firm to Work for Award, and as a Business Longevity Award recipient by Smart Business magazine. We are always looking for top talent to join us.

R.E. Warner & Associates provides a culture that empowers employees to grow and develop as quickly and as far as their talent and energy will take them. Please find a list of impressive REW benefits below:

• Full medical, dental, vision, life, and 401(k) effective on day one
• Hybrid and remote work flexibility
• Newly expanded North Olmsted office with a culture built on engagement and learning
• Tuition reimbursement and many other benefits

SUMMARY

The Substation Designer develops physical design drawings for high-voltage substations, including general arrangements, equipment layouts, grounding, conduit, and cable routing. Working under the guidance of engineers, the Designer prepares and updates drawings, bills of materials, and design documents in compliance with utility and industry standards. This role supports project delivery by ensuring accuracy of design packages, coordinating with team members, and applying best practices in CAD drafting and substation layout.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Prepare physical design drawings for high-voltage substations, including general arrangement (GA) layouts, equipment plans and elevations, grounding layouts and details, conduit and cable routing plans, and sections, details, and bills of materials (BOMs).
• Support engineers by drafting and updating one-line/three-line diagrams and associated physical drawings.
• Apply utility, client, and industry standards (IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC) to ensure design compliance.
• Coordinate with engineers and senior designers to resolve layout and constructability issues.
• Perform quantity take-offs and assist in developing BOMs for procurement.
• Review drawings for accuracy, consistency, and adherence to QA/QC processes.
• Provide drafting/design support during project designs, reviews, and construction phases.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (civil/structural, protection & control) to integrate their inputs into physical designs.
• Support project schedules by completing drafting tasks on time and assisting with milestone deliverables.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree or technical diploma in drafting/design, engineering technology, or related field required.
• 3 years of experience in CAD drafting/design, with at least 1–2 years supporting electrical substation or utility projects preferred.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and/or Inventor; experience with 3D modeling or BIM tools is a plus.
• Familiarity with substation physical layouts, equipment, grounding, and conduit/cable routing.
• Knowledge of industry standards (IEEE, ANSI, NEC, NESC) as they apply to substation design.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, one-lines, and specifications.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel occasionally for site visits or field verification.