Senior Substation Physical Designer

Location: Reading, PA
Job Type: Contract-to-Hire

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Substation Physical Designer to join their Power Networks team in Reading, PA. This is an excellent contract-to-hire opportunity for a highly skilled designer with extensive experience in high-voltage substation physical design. The ideal candidate will be capable of working independently while collaborating closely with engineers and multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality design packages for utility substation projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare detailed physical electrical drawings for high-voltage substation projects with minimal supervision, including:
  • One-line diagrams
  • General arrangements
  • Plan and elevation views
  • Grounding plans and details
  • Conduit plans and details
• Develop complete design drawing packages for review or perform quality checks on drawings prepared by other designers.
• Coordinate with engineering and other disciplines to ensure accurate, integrated project designs.
• Create and review bills of material, conduit schedules, and cable schedules for substation projects.
• Interpret vendor drawings, construction specifications, and other technical project documentation.
• Support engineering teams by producing accurate, constructible design packages.
• Manage multiple design assignments simultaneously while meeting project schedules.
• Develop conceptual layouts using reference information when detailed direction is limited.
• Perform site visits and field walkdowns as needed to verify existing conditions and support project development.
• Ensure drawings comply with applicable drafting standards, client requirements, and document control procedures.
• Complete assignments in accordance with project procedures, applicable electrical codes, industry standards, project schedules, and budgets.

Required Qualifications

• Associate Degree or Technical Diploma in Electrical Design, Drafting, or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in high-voltage substation physical design.
• Strong knowledge of substation layout and design principles.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD and MicroStation (3D CAD experience is a plus).
• Experience working with both vector and raster drawing files.
• Ability to work within multiple client CAD standards.
• Working knowledge of electrical design codes, industry standards, and utility design practices.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Access).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, designers, and project teams.
• Ability to travel periodically for site visits and field walkdowns.

Preferred Qualifications

• Equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant substation design experience.
• Experience supporting utility transmission and substation projects from concept through construction.
• Familiarity with multidisciplinary engineering environments and utility design processes.