Lead Substation Project Engineer

Job Description

WSP is currently initiating a search for a Lead Substation Project Engineer for our Freeport, ME office. Be involved in projects with our Power & Energy Substation Team and be a part of a growing organization that meets our clients' objectives and solves their challenges.

This Opportunity

Provides high-level technical assistance and guidance for multi‑site and multi‑phase electrical utility substation projects, including concept development, detailed engineering design, procurement support, construction support, and commissioning coordination in the public and private sector. Tasks include the research, design, planning, and delivery of transmission and distribution substations, power distribution systems, power regulation equipment, renewable energy interconnections, and coordination with protection and control systems across a wide variety of utility projects, supporting substation physical design and/or protection and control (P&C) design scopes based on project needs. Work may include distribution, sub‑transmission, and transmission voltage classes (medium‑ to high‑voltage applications). Substantiates reports and documentation to advise on material selection, equipment specifications, design criteria, construction requirements, and installation standards. Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards for design, safety, constructability, and long‑term system reliability.

Your Impact

• Provide guidance with collecting, compiling, and analyzing data relating to physical work site conditions, engineering drawings, GIS data, substation equipment specifications, procurement package development, IFR/IFC detailed design and review processes, and IEEE, NESC, ANSI, NERC, and applicable utility standards.
• Coordinate, review, and approve substation electrical design packages for small to mid‑scale and less‑complex projects, ensuring technical accuracy, constructability, and compliance with applicable codes, standards, and client requirements.
• Apply high‑level electrical engineering techniques and processes to identify improvements across project phases including concept development, preliminary design, detailed design, procurement support, and construction support.
• Perform professional and complex electrical engineering work associated with substation physical and/or protection and control (P&C) design, including preparation and review of one‑line and three‑line diagrams, wiring and interconnection diagrams, control schematics, substation general arrangements, equipment and bus configurations, grounding grid design, and lightning protection systems.
• Plan and incorporate future‑ready and utility‑driven design strategies, including equipment sizing, AC/DC systems, control panel design, raceway, conduit, and trenching layouts, considering operational safety, reliability, and maintenance requirements.
• Review electrical calculations including load flow, short circuit, grounding (touch and step potential), equipment sizing, insulation coordination, and protective device coordination, and provide technical oversight for substation switchyard layouts and equipment interfaces.
• Develop and review plans, specifications, cost estimates, and electrical site layouts requiring coordination with owners, clients, contractors, vendors, and internal multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Be involved from project inception through construction completion, providing technical leadership and project engineering support for new substation builds, expansions, retrofits, and rehabilitation programs.
• Oversee and support cross‑functional teams of engineers and designers on concurrent projects, including budget and schedule awareness, technical quality, scope execution, and coordination with procurement and construction activities.
• Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, reports, calculations, sketches, and drawings for interpretation and presentation of complex engineering information.
• Prepare technical memoranda, reports, and presentations communicating engineering concepts, design decisions, and recommendations to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Support field visits and site walkdowns as needed to validate design assumptions, address constructability questions, and resolve technical issues during project execution.
• Interact with clients, utilities, contractors, subcontractors, and project stakeholders in a confident and professional manner.
• Collaborate with professionals, engineers, and infrastructure authorities on utility substation projects, as well as proposal development and business development pursuits.
• Remain current in the latest electrical engineering techniques and practices.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
  
  

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• 7 to 10 years of relevant post‑education experience as an electrical engineer delivering substation engineering design deliverables for capital power transmission and distribution projects, with progressive responsibility including technical task or design package leadership.
• Proficient with electrical engineering principles, practices, and processes as applied to utility substation design and construction support.
• Extensive knowledge of transmission and distribution substation infrastructure, including equipment selection and physical design considerations.
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of adjacent disciplines including protection & control (P&C), SCADA, and telecommunications interfaces.
• Experience with substation planning, detailed design, and construction support across new‑build, expansion, and rehabilitation substation projects.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable engineering and electrical construction codes, industry standards, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Strong technical computation and analysis skills, including interpretation of drawings, specifications, and engineering calculations.
• Ability to plan and conduct field visits and site walkdowns, applying applicable standards and safety protocols.
• Highly effective interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to both engineering and non‑engineering audiences.
• Demonstrated self‑leadership, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, project‑driven environment.
• Works independently with minimal oversight while providing technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and designers, with strict adherence to QA/QC processes.
• Proficient with discipline‑specific design and analysis software and tools commonly used for substation engineering (e.g., AutoCAD, AutoCAD Electrical, MicroStation, Inventor, or similar platforms).
• Strong critical thinking and problem‑solving skills to develop practical, cost‑effective engineering solutions.
• Demonstrated effectiveness coordinating with subcontractors, vendors, and project stakeholders to deliver work safely, efficiently, and on schedule.
• Experience leading substation design deliverables in either physical design or protection and control (P&C) design is required; exposure to the other discipline is a plus.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Engineering.
• Professional Engineer License.
• Prior experience serving as a technical lead or project engineer on multi‑discipline substation projects.
  
  

WSP Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation

Expected Salary (all locations): $98,300 - $145,970

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

About WSP

ABOUT US

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

www.wsp.com

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

Notice To Third Party Agencies

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.