Substation CAD Designer / Drafter
Location: Houston, TX (Westheimer/ Galleria Area)
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 3 Days per Week Onsite at Client Office
Pqy Rate: $40/hr
Bill Rate: 55% mu
6m to Hire
Salary: Target $80,000 (flexible for the right candidate)

Position Overview
Client is seeking a Substation CAD Designer/Drafter to support Centerpoint Energy. This role will work directly to the CAD Manager to develop and modify physical substation design drawings, protection & control drawings, and related engineering deliverables.
The ideal candidate will have hands-on physical substation experience, either through engineering design, drafting, field work, construction support, or utility substation projects. Client is open to considering candidates at a more senior level than originally scoped if they bring strong substation design expertise.
This position requires proficiency in MicroStation and/or AutoCAD and the ability to produce high-quality deliverables in a fast-paced engineering environment.
Key Responsibilities

• Develop and modify substation design drawings from engineer markups and project specifications.
• Create and maintain:
  • Physical Substation Drawings
    • Site plans
    • Equipment layouts
    • Sections and elevations
    • Foundation details
    • Grounding plans
    • Cable trench and conduit layouts
  • Protection & Control Drawings
    • One-line diagrams
    • Schematics
    • Wiring diagrams
    • Panel and cabinet layouts
    • SCADA and communication drawings
• Ensure compliance with utility and client CAD standards.
• Coordinate with engineers and designers to support project execution.
• Complete multiple concurrent drafting assignments while maintaining quality and schedule commitments.
• Review drawings for completeness, accuracy, and constructability.
• Support utility substation projects ranging from upgrades and expansions to greenfield installations.

Required Qualifications

• Associate Degree in Drafting & Design, Engineering Technology, or related field. Relevant experience may substitute for formal education.
• 3+ years of drafting/design experience (more senior candidates encouraged to apply).
• Strong experience with:
  • AutoCAD
  • MicroStation
• Direct experience working on electrical substations is required.
• Understanding of substation equipment including:
  • Breakers
  • Disconnect switches
  • Transformers
  • CTs/PTs
  • Bus systems
  • Protection & Control systems
• Ability to interpret engineering markups and independently develop construction-quality drawings.
• Experience working within utility, consulting engineering, EPC, or power delivery environments.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.

What We're Looking For
The hiring manager's top priority is finding someone who has real-world physical substation experience, not simply CAD drafting experience. Candidates who have worked directly on substation design, upgrades, construction support, commissioning, or utility infrastructure projects will be strongly preferred.
Must-Haves:

• Physical substation project experience
• AutoCAD
• Ability to work onsite in Houston 3 days per week
• Experience producing utility-grade engineering drawings