STEM OPT Substation Design Engineer Jobs
Substation Design Engineer roles qualify for STEM OPT when your degree is in electrical engineering or a related CIP-coded field. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and the 24-month extension gives you up to 36 months total to build U.S. experience in power systems design before pursuing long-term sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
WSP is currently initiating a search for an Experienced Substation Design Engineer (Physical and/or Protection & Controls) for our Maitland, FL office. Be involved in projects with our Power Delivery Substation Team and be a part of a growing organization that meets our clients' objectives and solves their challenges. A hybrid or in-office work setup is preferred to foster collaboration and mentorship, but remote work will be considered for candidates with proven experience.
This Opportunity
Provides technical assistance and guidance for the due diligence, investigation, remediation, impact assessment, permitting, design, development, and construction of utility, industrial, and commercial scale projects in the public and private sector. Assist with the research, design, concept development, and construction of transmission and distribution substations, power distribution, power regulation, renewable energy, as well as protection and control systems in a wide variety of contexts (utilities, transportation, building, and Federal, State, and local government projects). Generates accurate and concise reports and documentation regarding material, installations, component, and construction specifications. Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards for design, safety, and functionality.
Your Impact
- Provide technical assistance and guidance for the design, development, and construction of high-voltage substation projects, focusing on physical and/or protection & controls (P&C) engineering for voltages from 15kV to 345kV (required) and up to 500kV (preferred).
- Collect, compile, and analyze data relating to substation components, equipment specifications for procurement package development and pricing, IFR/IRC design and review processes, and IEEE/NESC Standards/NERC regulations for design work.
- Assist in reviewing third-party design documents, procurement lists, and project plans.
- Perform professional electrical engineering work relating to the design of substation physical layouts (general arrangement, bus arrangement, grounding grid, lightning protection) and/or protection & control systems (single line, three line, AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, relay settings) for 15kV–345kV substations.
- Participate in incorporating future-ready techniques, concept development, operating strategies, and various design requirements with equipment sizing and cabling, AC/DC panel design, and conduit and trenching design strategies that account for the safety and functionality of end-users, systems, and infrastructure.
- Support senior engineers with research and recommendations of fundamental components identified in design requirements, as well as field equipment applications and operations.
- Verify the characteristics of a site, providing technical assistance on various engineering, design, testing maintenance modifications, and construction procedures and issues.
- Develop electrical calculations for loads, equipment sizing, feeder sizing, voltage drop, grounding, lighting circuits and controls, facility and electrical service, and power distribution.
- Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, accurate reports, sketches, calculations, and illustrations for the interpretation or presentation of data, findings, or analyses.
- Maintain quality control standards and procedures for accurate and precise measurements, statistical analysis, and reporting.
- Work as an individual or as part of a cross-functional team of engineers, planners, scientific, and construction professionals to execute project work, assist with laying out installations, calculating costs and quantities of material/equipment/labor, and ensuring project work conforms with specifications, permit applications, compliance documentation, and regulatory and technical analysis memos.
- Assist with development and scoping of small- to medium-sized projects.
- Contribute to the preparation of technical reports and presentations that explain research and findings to improve, prevent, control, restore, or address design and/or electrical engineering issues or problems.
- Conduct engineering studies and surveys to gain further information on a particular design and construction problem or issue and/or to plan for future needs.
- Assist in the analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of data obtained during field investigations, offering input with developing action plans for low to mid-level risk mitigation activities.
- Assist in the preparation and implementation of site Health and Safety Plans (HASPs).
- Work collaboratively with other engineers and disciplines on projects with electrical infrastructure authorities on Federal, State, regional, and locally funded improvement and development projects.
- Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.
- 3 to 5 years of relevant post education experience in an electrical engineering capacity designing power transmission and distribution systems in utility or industrial/commercial environments.
- Engineer in Training Certification.
- Exposure to operations and project controls experience for purposes of reporting.
- Knowledge of electrical engineering principles, practices, process, design/build, and the application to permitting and project work-related issues.
- Experience with infrastructure planning, design, and construction management, including rehabilitation and new design.
- Ability to coordinate with agency regulators and understand requirements.
- Knowledge of relevant engineering and electrical construction laws, codes, regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
- Capable interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an engineering and non-engineering audience.
- Effective self-leadership with attention to detail, results orientation, and managing multiple priorities in a dynamic work environment.
- Ability to learn new techniques, perform multiple tasks simultaneously, follow instruction, work independently, and comply with company policies.
- Moderate proficiency with technical writing, office automation, software, technology, math principles, predictive models, spreadsheets, and tools.
- Experience with discipline-specific design software (i.e., CADD, Aspen, CAPE, ETAP), AutoCADD electrical.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply technical knowledge to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, statistical analysis and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.
- 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.
- Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with substation design for voltages from 345kV up to 500kV.
- Master’s Degree in Engineering.
- Engineer in Training Certification.
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:
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position within the state of California, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and 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.
About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
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.
INTRODUCTION
WSP is currently initiating a search for an Experienced Substation Design Engineer (Physical and/or Protection & Controls) for our Maitland, FL office. Be involved in projects with our Power Delivery Substation Team and be a part of a growing organization that meets our clients' objectives and solves their challenges. A hybrid or in-office work setup is preferred to foster collaboration and mentorship, but remote work will be considered for candidates with proven experience.
This Opportunity
Provides technical assistance and guidance for the due diligence, investigation, remediation, impact assessment, permitting, design, development, and construction of utility, industrial, and commercial scale projects in the public and private sector. Assist with the research, design, concept development, and construction of transmission and distribution substations, power distribution, power regulation, renewable energy, as well as protection and control systems in a wide variety of contexts (utilities, transportation, building, and Federal, State, and local government projects). Generates accurate and concise reports and documentation regarding material, installations, component, and construction specifications. Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards for design, safety, and functionality.
Your Impact
- Provide technical assistance and guidance for the design, development, and construction of high-voltage substation projects, focusing on physical and/or protection & controls (P&C) engineering for voltages from 15kV to 345kV (required) and up to 500kV (preferred).
- Collect, compile, and analyze data relating to substation components, equipment specifications for procurement package development and pricing, IFR/IRC design and review processes, and IEEE/NESC Standards/NERC regulations for design work.
- Assist in reviewing third-party design documents, procurement lists, and project plans.
- Perform professional electrical engineering work relating to the design of substation physical layouts (general arrangement, bus arrangement, grounding grid, lightning protection) and/or protection & control systems (single line, three line, AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, relay settings) for 15kV–345kV substations.
- Participate in incorporating future-ready techniques, concept development, operating strategies, and various design requirements with equipment sizing and cabling, AC/DC panel design, and conduit and trenching design strategies that account for the safety and functionality of end-users, systems, and infrastructure.
- Support senior engineers with research and recommendations of fundamental components identified in design requirements, as well as field equipment applications and operations.
- Verify the characteristics of a site, providing technical assistance on various engineering, design, testing maintenance modifications, and construction procedures and issues.
- Develop electrical calculations for loads, equipment sizing, feeder sizing, voltage drop, grounding, lighting circuits and controls, facility and electrical service, and power distribution.
- Prepare data and visualizations such as tables, charts, accurate reports, sketches, calculations, and illustrations for the interpretation or presentation of data, findings, or analyses.
- Maintain quality control standards and procedures for accurate and precise measurements, statistical analysis, and reporting.
- Work as an individual or as part of a cross-functional team of engineers, planners, scientific, and construction professionals to execute project work, assist with laying out installations, calculating costs and quantities of material/equipment/labor, and ensuring project work conforms with specifications, permit applications, compliance documentation, and regulatory and technical analysis memos.
- Assist with development and scoping of small- to medium-sized projects.
- Contribute to the preparation of technical reports and presentations that explain research and findings to improve, prevent, control, restore, or address design and/or electrical engineering issues or problems.
- Conduct engineering studies and surveys to gain further information on a particular design and construction problem or issue and/or to plan for future needs.
- Assist in the analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of data obtained during field investigations, offering input with developing action plans for low to mid-level risk mitigation activities.
- Assist in the preparation and implementation of site Health and Safety Plans (HASPs).
- Work collaboratively with other engineers and disciplines on projects with electrical infrastructure authorities on Federal, State, regional, and locally funded improvement and development projects.
- Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.
- 3 to 5 years of relevant post education experience in an electrical engineering capacity designing power transmission and distribution systems in utility or industrial/commercial environments.
- Engineer in Training Certification.
- Exposure to operations and project controls experience for purposes of reporting.
- Knowledge of electrical engineering principles, practices, process, design/build, and the application to permitting and project work-related issues.
- Experience with infrastructure planning, design, and construction management, including rehabilitation and new design.
- Ability to coordinate with agency regulators and understand requirements.
- Knowledge of relevant engineering and electrical construction laws, codes, regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
- Capable interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an engineering and non-engineering audience.
- Effective self-leadership with attention to detail, results orientation, and managing multiple priorities in a dynamic work environment.
- Ability to learn new techniques, perform multiple tasks simultaneously, follow instruction, work independently, and comply with company policies.
- Moderate proficiency with technical writing, office automation, software, technology, math principles, predictive models, spreadsheets, and tools.
- Experience with discipline-specific design software (i.e., CADD, Aspen, CAPE, ETAP), AutoCADD electrical.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply technical knowledge to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, statistical analysis and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.
- 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.
- Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with substation design for voltages from 345kV up to 500kV.
- Master’s Degree in Engineering.
- Engineer in Training Certification.
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:
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position within the state of California, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and 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.
About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
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.
See all STEM OPT Substation Design Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Substation Design Engineer Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Substation Design Engineer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code falls under electrical, power, or systems engineering categories. Mismatched CIP codes are one of the most common reasons STEM OPT extension requests get flagged by your DSO, so confirm with your international student office before submitting.
Filter job postings by E-Verify status
Substation design roles often appear at engineering consultancies and utilities that vary widely on E-Verify enrollment. Search Migrate Mate to filter for employers already enrolled in E-Verify, so you're only targeting companies that can legally hire you on STEM OPT from day one.
Benchmark your offer against OFLC Wage Search
Before signing an offer, look up the prevailing wage for your specific role and metro area using OFLC Wage Search. Your employer's I-983 training plan must reflect compensation consistent with similarly situated U.S. workers, and a low offer can complicate both your STEM OPT filing and any future H-1B visa petition.
Build your I-983 training plan around deliverables
Generic I-983 descriptions get rejected. Map your training objectives to concrete substation engineering tasks: protection relay coordination, single-line diagram development, or interconnection studies. USCIS and your DSO both review this, so vague language like 'assist with design projects' creates risk at renewal.
Target utilities actively filing H-1B petitions
Power utilities and EPC firms that sponsor H-1B workers regularly are your strongest long-term bet. Use DOL LCA disclosure data to identify which employers have filed petitions for electrical or power engineers, since consistent filing history signals an established immigration process that can follow your STEM OPT period.
Time your extension request around your OPT end date
File your STEM OPT extension application with USCIS at least 90 days before your initial OPT EAD expires. A timely filing preserves your work authorization continuously while the application is pending, but a late filing creates an unauthorized gap that can affect your status and any offer you've already accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Substation Design Engineer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree is in electrical engineering, power systems engineering, or another STEM field with a qualifying CIP code. The role itself must provide practical training directly related to that degree. Your DSO reviews the connection between your job duties and your degree field when approving the I-983 training plan, so the link needs to be explicit and documented.
How do I confirm a substation engineering employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
E-Verify enrollment is a legal requirement for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. You can check an employer's enrollment status directly through the E-Verify employer search tool maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. Asking your recruiter or HR contact for their E-Verify company ID during the offer stage is also standard practice and a reasonable request.
What should my I-983 training plan include for a Substation Design Engineer position?
Your I-983 must describe the specific engineering skills you'll develop, tied directly to your STEM degree. For substation design, that means listing concrete tasks like protection system studies, AutoCAD or CYME modeling, equipment specification, or interconnection design. Vague descriptions referencing general project support don't satisfy USCIS review standards and can result in a request for more information from your DSO.
What happens to my STEM OPT authorization if I'm in the H-1B cap-gap period?
If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT EAD expires and USCIS selects it in the lottery, cap-gap provisions extend your work authorization through September 30 of that fiscal year. Your STEM OPT EAD itself doesn't need to be valid through that entire period. USCIS guidance covers cap-gap rules in detail, and your DSO can confirm your specific end date.
Where can I find Substation Design Engineer jobs with employers who hire STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters job listings for employers enrolled in E-Verify and shows DOL Labor Condition Application filing history, so you can identify which utilities, engineering consultancies, and EPC firms have an active immigration process. That filing history is a practical proxy for employers experienced with STEM OPT and positioned to support H-1B sponsorship after your extension period ends.