Substation Electrical Engineer Jobs in California

Substation Electrical Engineer jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated in utility infrastructure, renewable energy integration, and large-scale transmission projects at every level from entry-level designer to senior project engineer. The heaviest hiring is in the Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Sacramento metro areas, where employers like Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and Jacobs Engineering maintain substantial engineering workforces. High-voltage protection and control, relay engineering, and SCADA integration are the most consistently in-demand specialties across California utilities and engineering firms. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Jobs

Overview

Open roles22
Top employerBurns & McDonnell
Top citySan Diego, CA
Cities hiring12
Work type91% On-site
Top industryConsulting

Showing 5 of 22+ Substation Electrical Engineer jobs

H
Project Manager - Electrical Substation
We won't show you this job again
H
Added 1w ago
Project Manager - Electrical Substation
Heavy Road Industries
Bakersfield, California
Logistics & Fleet Management
Procurement & Supply Chain
Supply Chain
Warehouse Operations
$120k - $160k/yr

Have you applied for this role?

H
Project Manager - Electrical Substation
We won't show you this job again
H
Added 1w ago
Project Manager - Electrical Substation
Heavy Road Industries
Fresno, California
Logistics & Fleet Management
Procurement & Supply Chain
Supply Chain
Warehouse Operations
$120k - $160k/yr

Have you applied for this role?

F
Electrical Substation Engineer Designer
We won't show you this job again
F
Added 3w ago
Electrical Substation Engineer Designer
Fariner Consulting Engineers, Inc
Ontario, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$30 - $35/hr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Have you applied for this role?

Pacific Gas and Electric
Supervisor, Substation Electrical Engineering Services
We won't show you this job again
Pacific Gas and Electric
Added 3w ago
Supervisor, Substation Electrical Engineering Services
Pacific Gas and Electric
West Sacramento, California
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project Management
$137k - $244k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
10,000+

Have you applied for this role?

Wilson Construction Company
Electrical Substation Assistant Project Manager / QA/QC / Field Engineer
We won't show you this job again
Wilson Construction Company
Added 1mo ago
Electrical Substation Assistant Project Manager / QA/QC / Field Engineer
Wilson Construction Company
Cantua Creek, California
Business Operations
Program Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$29 - $36/hr
Bachelor's degree in construction management
501-1,000

Have you applied for this role?

See All 22 Substation Electrical Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Jobs

Substation Electrical Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Diego
5 jobs
Los Angeles
3 jobs
Brea
2 jobs
Irvine
2 jobs
Pomona
2 jobs
Walnut Creek
2 jobs
Fresno
1 job
Ontario
1 job
Sacramento
1 job

Substation Electrical Engineer Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Burns & McDonnell
Burns & McDonnell8 open roles
Arcadis
Arcadis3 open roles
WSP
WSP2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Construction & Real Estate
  • Transportation & Logistics

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in substation electrical engineer jobs across California.

  • Active California Professional Engineer license or eligibility to obtain one required
  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering with power systems coursework preferred
  • Experience designing substation protection, control, and relay schemes for utility projects
  • Proficiency with AutoCAD, MicroStation, or equivalent electrical design software
  • Familiarity with NERC, IEEE, and ANSI standards governing substation design and safety
  • Ability to perform field commissioning and site inspections at live substation facilities

Substation Electrical Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a substation electrical engineer in California?

The standard path is a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering followed by the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, then gaining qualifying experience under a licensed engineer before sitting for the Professional Engineering exam administered by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Licensure as a California PE is not always required to enter the field, but it is expected for engineers of record and heavily preferred by utilities and large EPC firms.

How much do substation electrical engineers make in California?

Substation electrical engineers in California earn a median of about $144,040 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $81,840 for the lowest 10% to over $217,760 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire substation electrical engineers in California?

Employers hiring substation electrical engineers in California right now include Burns & McDonnell, Arcadis, and WSP, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's large investor-owned utilities and the engineering firms that support grid modernization and wildfire mitigation projects drive steady, year-round demand for this role.

Which California cities have the most substation electrical engineer jobs?

San Diego, Los Angeles, and Brea have the most substation electrical engineer openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento see high volume because Pacific Gas and Electric's headquarters and major grid operations are centered there, while Los Angeles reflects the scale of Southern California Edison's transmission and distribution infrastructure and the volume of renewable interconnection work in the southern part of the state.

Are there remote substation electrical engineer jobs in California?

Yes, but they're rare. Substation engineering is heavily hands-on, involving field commissioning, site surveys, and coordination at live facilities, which limits full remote work. About 9% of substation electrical engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to be design-only or project management roles where fieldwork is handled separately by other team members.

How can I get hired as a substation electrical engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying to rotational new-graduate engineering programs at California's investor-owned utilities, where Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison both run structured programs that place early-career engineers in power delivery and substation groups. Adjacent roles such as electrical designer, relay technician, or protection and control technician are common lateral moves that build the hands-on experience utilities require. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam before applying gives candidates a clear credential edge even without direct substation project experience.

Where can I find and apply to substation electrical engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to substation electrical engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find the roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly.

See All 22 Substation Electrical Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Jobs