Senior Substation Engineer

Senior Engineer (Substations)

About Us:
Our client is an engineering consulting firm with offices in Western Canada, providing design and engineering services to the electric power delivery industry. Their expertise covers all aspects of Transmission, Substation, and Distribution systems for voltages ranging from 4.16kV to 500kV.

Opportunity:
We are currently seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer to join their team in Calgary to support the substation layouts design group. This role offers a dynamic work environment with a highly experienced technical team, where you will receive guidance, hands-on training, and continuous challenges in all aspects of the engineering and design process.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare engineering cost estimates.
  
  
• Select and write specifications for major substation electrical equipment such as Power Transformers, Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), circuit breakers, CTs, CVTs, etc.
  
  
• Interface with vendors, review and evaluate vendor bids, conduct technical evaluations, and make recommendations.
  
  
• Attend factory acceptance testing (FAT) for major equipment.
  
  
• Prepare Design Basis Memoranda (DBM) and Engineering Design Specification (EDS) documents.
  
  
• Conduct detailed design of substation physical layouts, including equipment layouts, details and elevations, cable and conduit routing, and yard lighting.
  
  
• Design station grounding using CDEGS software and IEEE standards 80 & 81.
  
  
• Design station lightning/shielding using rolling sphere and 45° angle methods in accordance with IEEE standard 998.
  
  
• Collaborate with P&C and civil/structural engineers to ensure cohesive design solutions.
  
  
• Perform engineering calculations and prepare reports for conductor ampacities, design clearances, and insulation coordination in accordance with industry and IEEE standards.
  
  
• Perform power cable ampacity calculations using CYMCAP.
  
  
• Develop internal standards and procedures using IEEE and CSA standards.
  
  
• Prepare IFC drawings, engineering reports, and Bill of Materials (BOM).
  
  
• Write construction scopes of work and prepare IFC construction binders.
  
  
• Provide engineering support during construction, including completing As-Built drawings and project close-out.
  
  
• Provide technical guidance to the substation layouts design team.
  
  
• Manage engineering-only projects, including tracking progress to ensure budgets and schedules are met.
  
  
• Provide weekly updates to management on project progress, budgets, and resource planning.
  
  
• Mentor junior engineers and provide on-the-job training for new hires.
  
  
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of client and industry standards.
  
  
• Oversee and review project designs to ensure technical requirements are met and perform quality checks.
  
  
• Identify and develop new tools and processes to improve efficiency.
  
  
• Prepare engineering and material cost estimates for proposals.
  
  
• Maintain strong working relationships with clients and stakeholders.
  
  
• Promote Safety in Design.
  
  
• Travel for site visits and provide technical support during construction, as required.
  
  

Qualifications:

• Proven track record in the physical layout design of high-voltage facilities.
  
  
• Minimum 10 years’ work experience.
  
  
• B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and active registration with APEGA (or ability to register).
  
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
  
  
• Experience in the utility industry.
  
  
• Positive attitude, strong client focus, and results-driven approach.
  
  

Preferred:

• 10–12 years of experience working in utility substations.
  
  
• Previous experience leading a design team and mentoring junior engineers.
  
  

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.