Entry Level Substation Design Engineer Jobs
New grad substation design engineer jobs are open to recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where strong internship work or a portfolio of CAD drawings and protection studies can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Consulting & Professional Services, Energy, and Construction & Real Estate, with employers like Sargent & Lundy, Mesa Associates, and Mesa Associates hiring at this level now.
Find JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 97+ Entry Level Substation Design Engineer jobs
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Strategy & Growth
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: West Sacramento
Department Overview
The hardworking coworkers of Electric Engineering ensure all manners of electric engineering—including electric standards and process safety, electric design engineering, instrumentation testing and controls, undergrounding, electric regulatory compliance and electric investment planning—are in place to safely enable a strategic and stable workplan for our Electric Operations partners. Our organization is accountable for program planning, financial budgeting, and project execution and delivery of all electric engineering projects. Electric Engineering is comprised of approximately 2,000 coworkers.
Position Summary
This position is represented by Engineers and Scientist of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
As a Design Engineer, you will be the vital link between the Company and widespread interconnection of generation; increase in capacity demand (residential, commercial, and industrial); and system reliability improvements in California. Your role will be to ensure that the Company provides excellent service for these projects.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The assigned work location will be within the PG&E Service Territory.
PG&E is providing the hourly rate range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual hourly rate paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreement, and internal equity.
Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the hourly rate range for this position is $44.70 to $74.42, subject to collectively bargained wage increases.​
Job Responsibilities
Actively promote safe practices and conduct in accordance with the Corporate Safety policy. Accomplish the department goal of zero injuries & avoidable auto incidents. Foster teamwork and innovation and embrace new approaches to accomplish our work more efficiently and effectively. Coordinate project information (studies, sketches, computations, other complex data) for the engineering and construction of electric substation facilities including equipment relocations and replacements, capacity additions, reliability and automation improvements. This involves interfacing with other disciplines (such as civil and protection engineers) and reviewing existing facilities and developing conceptual designs. Prepare Electrical Substation design drawings using AutoCAD for indoor and outdoor equipment (e.g., RTUs, relays, meters, batteries, annunciators, structures, circuit breakers, transformers, disconnect switches, etc.), Single Line Diagrams, Meter and Relay Diagrams, AC and DC Schematics, Control Room Layouts, Switchboard Arrangements, AC and DC Station Services, General Arrangement Outdoor, Conduits & Grounding, etc. Prepare bill of materials, circuit & conduit schedules, reports, and presentations using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and other applications. Conduct design review meetings with project teams. Ensure delivery of high-quality design products on budget, on time, and on purpose. Travel 10% of the time.
QualificationsÂ
Minimum: Holds a BS in Electrical Engineering; or its equivalent in education and experience, to include education and design drafting experience totaling six years, or education and experience totaling four years including two years at PG&E as a Design Drafter or Senior Design Drafter Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California Driver's License (or higher) by daÂy 1 of hire
Desired: PE/EIT certification Experience in electric substation design using AutoCAD Fluent with Microsoft Office, Outlook, word, Excel, PowerPoint and access programs
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Strategy & Growth
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: West Sacramento
Department Overview
The hardworking coworkers of Electric Engineering ensure all manners of electric engineering—including electric standards and process safety, electric design engineering, instrumentation testing and controls, undergrounding, electric regulatory compliance and electric investment planning—are in place to safely enable a strategic and stable workplan for our Electric Operations partners. Our organization is accountable for program planning, financial budgeting, and project execution and delivery of all electric engineering projects. Electric Engineering is comprised of approximately 2,000 coworkers.
Position Summary
This position is represented by Engineers and Scientist of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
As a Design Engineer, you will be the vital link between the Company and widespread interconnection of generation; increase in capacity demand (residential, commercial, and industrial); and system reliability improvements in California. Your role will be to ensure that the Company provides excellent service for these projects.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The assigned work location will be within the PG&E Service Territory.
PG&E is providing the hourly rate range that the company in good faith believes it might pay for this position at the time of the job posting. This compensation range is specific to the locality of the job. The actual hourly rate paid to an individual will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, specific skills, education, licenses or certifications, experience, market value, geographic location, collective bargaining agreement, and internal equity.
Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the hourly rate range for this position is $44.70 to $74.42, subject to collectively bargained wage increases.​
Job Responsibilities
Actively promote safe practices and conduct in accordance with the Corporate Safety policy. Accomplish the department goal of zero injuries & avoidable auto incidents. Foster teamwork and innovation and embrace new approaches to accomplish our work more efficiently and effectively. Coordinate project information (studies, sketches, computations, other complex data) for the engineering and construction of electric substation facilities including equipment relocations and replacements, capacity additions, reliability and automation improvements. This involves interfacing with other disciplines (such as civil and protection engineers) and reviewing existing facilities and developing conceptual designs. Prepare Electrical Substation design drawings using AutoCAD for indoor and outdoor equipment (e.g., RTUs, relays, meters, batteries, annunciators, structures, circuit breakers, transformers, disconnect switches, etc.), Single Line Diagrams, Meter and Relay Diagrams, AC and DC Schematics, Control Room Layouts, Switchboard Arrangements, AC and DC Station Services, General Arrangement Outdoor, Conduits & Grounding, etc. Prepare bill of materials, circuit & conduit schedules, reports, and presentations using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and other applications. Conduct design review meetings with project teams. Ensure delivery of high-quality design products on budget, on time, and on purpose. Travel 10% of the time.
QualificationsÂ
Minimum: Holds a BS in Electrical Engineering; or its equivalent in education and experience, to include education and design drafting experience totaling six years, or education and experience totaling four years including two years at PG&E as a Design Drafter or Senior Design Drafter Must possess and maintain a valid Class C California Driver's License (or higher) by daÂy 1 of hire
Desired: PE/EIT certification Experience in electric substation design using AutoCAD Fluent with Microsoft Office, Outlook, word, Excel, PowerPoint and access programs
See All 97 Entry Level Substation Design Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsEntry Level Substation Design Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Sargent & Lundy18
- Mesa Associates18
- WSP7
- Burns & McDonnell5
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services74
- Energy25
- Construction & Real Estate12
- Technology & Software3
- Healthcare & Medical Services3
Entry Level Substation Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level substation design engineer job?
Employers hiring at this level look for foundational knowledge in power systems, familiarity with AutoCAD or CAD-based design tools, and exposure to protection and control concepts, which you can demonstrate through coursework, senior projects, or internships. A degree in electrical engineering is the standard baseline. Candidates who can show even one completed substation or switchgear drawing in a portfolio stand out from others with identical credentials.
Which companies hire entry level substation design engineers?
Companies hiring entry level substation design engineers right now include Sargent & Lundy, Mesa Associates, and Mesa Associates, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Hiring at this level comes from a mix of engineering consulting firms, electric utilities, and transmission and distribution contractors that bring on junior designers to support project teams.
Are there remote entry level substation design engineer jobs?
Yes, though most openings at this level are on-site or hybrid given the hands-on drafting and coordination involved. About 11% of entry level substation design engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, so candidates who prefer flexibility should filter for those postings while staying open to on-site roles where more mentorship is typically available.
Are these new grad substation design engineer jobs?
Yes, the listings here include new grad, recent graduate, and junior substation design engineer roles. A posting is new grad friendly when it welcomes zero to two years of experience, counts internships or co-ops toward that requirement, or accepts a portfolio of academic or personal projects in place of professional history. These roles are built for candidates stepping into the field for the first time.
Which industries hire the most entry level substation design engineers?
Entry Level substation design engineer roles concentrate in Consulting & Professional Services, Energy, and Construction & Real Estate, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. These sectors drive hiring at this level because ongoing grid modernization, renewable energy integration, and infrastructure buildout create steady demand for junior designers who can support experienced engineering teams.