Substation Physical Designer
At a glance
Mid-level role at Leidos. Remote, United States · full-time · $48,100–$86,950 base.
remoteroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Create or revise substation equipment, structure, foundation, conduit and grounding drawings for projects from 12kV to 500kV
- Build section and elevation drawings from layouts, including views of control buildings
- Compile equipment and material lists, then review vendor drawings and provide comments
- Coordinate design work with other disciplines, perform basic calculations and use the applicable standards
- Help the project team refine its procedures to make work more efficient
What you bring
- A high school diploma and at least one year of CAD-based substation physical design on electric utility projects
- A solid grasp of MicroStation and AutoCAD, plus the ability to produce drawings with 2D and 3D applications
- Working ability with Windows, Word and Excel, and readiness to learn additional design programs
Who this fits
This role suits someone with direct utility substation design experience who can produce detailed drawings and work across disciplines. You can work remotely in the United States or from the Chicago office. An associate degree in engineering technology or drafting technology is preferred; experience with Inventor, SDS 3D or ReCap is a plus.
From the employer
Are you ready for your next career challenge?
We are looking for a skilled and experienced Substation Physical Designer to work out of our Chicago office or remotely.
In this role, you will use accepted practices and standards to create substation design drawing packages and required documents for electric power substations from 12kV to 500kV.
Substation Physical designer responsibilities include:
Develop new, or modify existing, electrical layout/plan of substation equipment and structures.
Develop new, or modify existing, substation foundation layout/plan drawings.
Develop new, or modify existing, section/elevation views from layout/plan drawings.
Develop new, or modify existing, conduit layout/plan drawings.
Develop new, or modify existing, substation grounding layout/plan drawings.
Develop new, or modify existing, control building layout/plan and section/elevation drawings.
Develop complete bill of materials for all required electrical equipment and materials.
Review and comment on equipment drawings received from vendors and manufacturers.
Collaborate with other disciplines (eg. Civil Engineers) as necessary to complete assigned work.
Assist the project team with development of processes and procedures to increase team efficiency.
Perform basic engineering calculations to support engineering design.
Apply relevant client, national and state standards to each assignment as required.
Substation Physical Designer Qualifications:
HS Diploma with 1+ years of direct substation physical electrical design experience using CAD software on electric utility industry projects.
A combination of education and a demonstrated related experience may be considered in lieu of education and experience requirements.
Solid understanding and application of design software such as: MicroStation and AutoCAD.
Proficient with Windows-based software such as Word and Excel which are frequently used to develop project deliverables.
Ability to learn and effectively utilize new design software programs.
Advanced ability to utilize 2D and 3D applications to prepare engineering drawings.
Ability to work in a team environment with others including, but not limited to Project Managers, Engineers, Designers and drafters in multi-discipline groups
Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
Strong attention to details and work product quality.
Substation Physical Designer Preferred Experience/Additional information:
Associate Degree in Engineering Technology or Drafting Technology.
Experience with Autodesk Inventor & SDS 3D tools is a plus.
Experience with AutoCAD & Microstation is a plus.
Experience with Autodesk ReCap and other Lidar applications is a plus.
Leidos is a trusted technology-focused solutions provider. Utilities and mobile operators rely on our Power Delivery Services Team for reliable power and telecommunication expertise, as reflected through our work with more than 50 investor-owned utilities, more than 160 municipals/cooperatives, as well as a growing number of mobile operators, local utility providers and private developers. In addition to providing engineering and project management services, Leidos works with an established group of industry-leading construction partners delivering meaningful Energy Delivery Solutions. Our recognition as an industry leader is confirmed by the latest national rankings by Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranking Leidos within the Top 10 T&D Firms, and Top 10 Power Firms.
PDSSUBSTATION
PowerDelivery
If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.
Original Posting:
August 31, 2026For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
Pay Range:
Pay Range $48,100.00 - $86,950.00The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
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