OPT Transmission Line Design Engineer Jobs
Transmission Line Design Engineer jobs on OPT require a degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field, which satisfies the direct degree-to-job match USCIS requires. Most roles involve high-voltage infrastructure, grid expansion, and ACSR or OPGW conductor design, making them strong candidates for STEM OPT extension eligibility.
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This Opportunity
WSP is seeking an Intermediate Transmission Line Design Engineer to support major utility and energy clients on high-impact power and infrastructure projects. In this role, you will help lead transmission line design efforts, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and deliver high-quality, constructible solutions that support critical energy needs. This is an opportunity to grow your technical expertise, advance your career through meaningful project exposure and development opportunities, and be part of a supportive, team-oriented environment within a company that offers a positive culture and a strong backlog of work. This role is fully in-office at the client site in Rochester, NY, Buffalo, NY or Binghamton, NY, and candidates must be able to work on-site daily.
Your Impact
The successful candidate will have the following responsibilities:
- Review/Design transmission line plan and profile drawings using PLSCADD to ensure compliance with Client Standards and NESC/other standards
- Structure recommendations
- Insulation, A/C interference, static wire, grounding studies
- Line Design: Plans and Profiles, Cross section details
- Assist in leading overall transmission line design for all capital projects
- Drive the project plan for transmission line routing and strategy, specifically:
- Decide whether to rebuild existing lines or obtain additional right of way based on area congestion and local politics/permitting issues
- Determine required structure designs based on design constraints
- Determine routing in and around into congested stations to optimize design/reliability and minimize the number of crossings
- Serves as an overhead transmission line design technical specialist and has knowledge and skillset to provide consultation and guidance to project teams.
- Develop technical specifications, specifications, QA/QC procedures, deliverable templates, and other means of increasing efficiency in our day-to-day operations.
- Review design documents for construction, including plan & profiles, structure load tree drawings, structure framing, bill of materials and foundations design drawings.
- Understand and interpret geotechnical reports and extrapolate information needed for foundation design software including L-PILE and MFAD.
- Timely and on-budget delivery of the design packages
- Responsible for the quality of all design packages
- Ability to work on multiple projects at the same time
- Coordinates the interfaces with other engineering disciplines
- Support the Project Engineer to achieve the overall project goals
- Represents the project and corresponding discipline in front of the client, in coordination with the Project Engineer
- Supports the development of the quality management system
- Reporting and project management activities required by the Company or the client
- Support the management to achieve organization goals
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
- Bachelor's degree in engineering or closely related degree.
- A minimum of 1+ years post education experience, preferably in Transmission Line Design with voltages up to 115 kV HVAC.
- Knowledge of codes and standards such as NESC, AISC, IEEE and ANSI.
- Experience with the use of Finite Element modeling within PLS-CADD, POLE, & TOWER. Experience with MFAD, HFAD, LPILE, AutoCAD, and MicroStation. Modeling experience with PSCAD is a plus.
- Effective interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an engineering and non-engineering audience.
- Well-developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to demonstrate effectiveness at coordinating and assertively directing subcontractors and others to consistently complete tasks safely and efficiently.
- 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.
- This role is subject to a client-mandated drug/alcohol testing policy. As such, employee may be subject to random drug/alcohol tests. A copy of this policy will be provided during employee onboarding and is available upon applicant request.
- This position is subject to and contingent upon client approval of candidates put forth for consideration by WSP.
- Ability to work full-time on-site at the client office in Rochester or Binghamton, NY.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in Engineering.
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): $74,100 - $111,000
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.
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.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Transmission Line Design Engineer
Confirm your degree matches the role
Transmission Line Design Engineer positions almost universally require a degree in electrical engineering. Make sure your transcript reflects that field explicitly, since USCIS scrutinizes degree-to-job alignment when employers later file for H-1B visa sponsorship.
Target utilities and EPC firms over staffing agencies
Investor-owned utilities, regional transmission organizations, and engineering procurement contractors are far more likely to sponsor visas long-term. Staffing firms may hire you on OPT but rarely convert to H-1B, so prioritize direct employment relationships from the start.
Apply before your OPT authorization date
Many transmission projects run on multi-year timelines. Employers hiring for these roles need someone who can commit long-term, so applying two to three months before your OPT start date signals you are ready to work without gaps in authorization.
Highlight software proficiency in your resume
PLS-CADD, TOWER, and AutoCAD are standard tools in this discipline. Listing these specifically, rather than generic CAD experience, helps your resume pass applicant tracking systems and shows hiring managers you can contribute immediately without a learning curve.
Understand STEM OPT extension eligibility
Electrical engineering degrees are on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, making you eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your employer qualifies by verifying they are enrolled in E-Verify before your initial OPT period ends.
Demonstrate knowledge of NESC and NERC standards
Employers in this sector expect familiarity with National Electrical Safety Code requirements and NERC reliability standards. Mentioning these in your cover letter and interviews shows technical fluency that differentiates you from candidates who only have general power systems coursework.
Transmission Line Design Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Transmission Line Design Engineer jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes. Electrical engineering is a STEM-designated degree, so graduates holding that credential are eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension beyond the standard 12 months. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, which most utilities and large EPC firms already are. File Form I-983 and the extension application with your DSO well before your initial OPT expires.
How does OPT work authorization apply to project-based transmission roles?
OPT allows you to work full-time for any qualifying employer in a role directly related to your degree. Transmission design roles tied to long-duration infrastructure projects are well-suited to OPT because employment is continuous rather than gig-based. However, if you change employers mid-project, you must update your SEVIS record promptly, as OPT authorization is employer-reported.
Do utilities and transmission companies commonly sponsor H-1B visas after OPT?
Many do, particularly investor-owned utilities, large independent power producers, and engineering firms serving the grid sector. These organizations have established immigration programs and routinely file H-1B petitions for electrical engineers. When evaluating offers, ask directly whether the company has sponsored H-1B visas for engineers in similar roles in the past three years.
Where can I find Transmission Line Design Engineer jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters roles by visa sponsorship willingness, saving you time you would otherwise spend researching each company individually. Browsing Migrate Mate for transmission engineering roles lets you focus on employers who have already demonstrated openness to international candidates rather than applying blindly and hitting a wall at the offer stage.
Can I work on federal grid projects under OPT authorization?
OPT itself does not restrict you from working on federally funded transmission projects, but some contracts involving critical infrastructure carry security requirements or citizenship preferences that individual agencies or prime contractors impose. Review the job posting carefully for any mention of security clearance requirements or citizenship eligibility clauses before applying, and clarify with the recruiter if language is ambiguous.