Substation Engineer Jobs in California
Substation Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in investor-owned utilities, independent power producers, and large-scale renewable energy development, with openings at every level from entry-level designers through senior protection and control specialists. The heaviest hiring runs through the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, where employers such as Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and Bechtel have long-established operations. Protection and control engineering, relay engineering, and high-voltage design are the most consistently in-demand specializations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Substation Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 70+ Substation Engineer jobs
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Energy Delivery
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Fresno
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.
The Engineering and Design team of Transmission Operations Substation Engineering is responsible for civil, electrical and protection engineering work for all PG&E’s substations. Civil design includes substation design of foundations, structures, grading, equipment seismic qualification, SPCC plans and modifications, and seismic retrofit of buildings and equipment.
Position Summary
This entry-level position is represented by Engineers and Scientist of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
As a Civil/Structural Design Engineer in the Substation Civil Engineering department, you will develop civil, structural and environmental designs for our large network of high voltage substations. From our centralized office, you will prepare construction drawings and supporting calculations, participate in field reviews at substation facilities and discuss project objectives with other stakeholders in engineering, construction, operations and maintenance. You will use a variety of design tools, including AutoCAD 3D for drawing development, and SAP2000, PLS-CADD and L-PILE for structural analysis and design.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The a ssigned 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 $46.94 to $78.14, subject to collectively bargained wage increases.​
Job Responsibilities
Actively promote safe practices and conduct in accordance with the Corporate Safety policy. Design and retrofit steel structures, reinforced concrete foundations, anchorage, retaining walls, control buildings and equipment support per PG&E Design Criteria. Design access roads, drainage and soil retention systems, and grading and layout of new substations. Design spill containment systems for large oil-filled electrical equipment for environmental compliance. Prepare construction drawings using AutoCAD Civil 3D. Provide Construction Administration assistance to the Responsible Engineer, including review of shop drawings, RFIs and submittals. Foster teamwork and innovation and embrace new approaches to accomplish our work more efficiently and effectively. Travel 10% of the time.
Qualifications
Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in Civil 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 day 1 of hire
Desired: 1 years of experience in structural engineering M.S. degree in Civil or Structural Engineering EIT or PE License Knowledge of building codes including ASCE 7, CBC, ACI 318 and AISC 360 Experience with SAP2000 or equivalent structural analysis software Experienced with MS Office
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Energy Delivery
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Fresno
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.
The Engineering and Design team of Transmission Operations Substation Engineering is responsible for civil, electrical and protection engineering work for all PG&E’s substations. Civil design includes substation design of foundations, structures, grading, equipment seismic qualification, SPCC plans and modifications, and seismic retrofit of buildings and equipment.
Position Summary
This entry-level position is represented by Engineers and Scientist of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
As a Civil/Structural Design Engineer in the Substation Civil Engineering department, you will develop civil, structural and environmental designs for our large network of high voltage substations. From our centralized office, you will prepare construction drawings and supporting calculations, participate in field reviews at substation facilities and discuss project objectives with other stakeholders in engineering, construction, operations and maintenance. You will use a variety of design tools, including AutoCAD 3D for drawing development, and SAP2000, PLS-CADD and L-PILE for structural analysis and design.
This position is hybrid, working from your remote office and your assigned work location based on business need. The a ssigned 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 $46.94 to $78.14, subject to collectively bargained wage increases.​
Job Responsibilities
Actively promote safe practices and conduct in accordance with the Corporate Safety policy. Design and retrofit steel structures, reinforced concrete foundations, anchorage, retaining walls, control buildings and equipment support per PG&E Design Criteria. Design access roads, drainage and soil retention systems, and grading and layout of new substations. Design spill containment systems for large oil-filled electrical equipment for environmental compliance. Prepare construction drawings using AutoCAD Civil 3D. Provide Construction Administration assistance to the Responsible Engineer, including review of shop drawings, RFIs and submittals. Foster teamwork and innovation and embrace new approaches to accomplish our work more efficiently and effectively. Travel 10% of the time.
Qualifications
Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in Civil 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 day 1 of hire
Desired: 1 years of experience in structural engineering M.S. degree in Civil or Structural Engineering EIT or PE License Knowledge of building codes including ASCE 7, CBC, ACI 318 and AISC 360 Experience with SAP2000 or equivalent structural analysis software Experienced with MS Office
See All 70 Substation Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Substation Engineer JobsSubstation Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Substation Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Sargent & Lundy11
- Kiewit7
- Pacific Gas and Electric6
- Electrical Consultants5
- HDR4
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services14
- Construction & Real Estate13
- Transportation & Logistics8
- Energy5
- Healthcare & Medical Services1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in substation engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an ABET-accredited program required
- California Professional Engineer license or active EIT registration strongly preferred
- Three or more years of substation design or protection and control engineering experience
- Proficiency with AutoCAD or CADKEY for substation design drawings and schematics
- Familiarity with NERC reliability standards and California CPUC interconnection requirements
- Experience with protective relay coordination studies and relay settings documentation
Substation Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a substation engineer in California?
Start with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from an ABET-accredited program, then register as an Engineer-in-Training through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists after passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. After gaining qualifying experience, passing the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam earns you a Professional Engineer license, which California utilities and major EPCs increasingly require for lead and senior substation roles.
Which companies hire substation engineers in California?
Employers hiring substation engineers in California right now include Sargent & Lundy, Kiewit, and Pacific Gas and Electric, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's large investor-owned utilities, major EPC firms, and renewable energy developers represent the most consistent sources of substation engineering demand in the state.
Which California cities have the most substation engineer jobs?
San Diego, Irvine, and Santa Ana have the most substation engineer openings in California. The Bay Area leads because Pacific Gas and Electric is headquartered there and major EPC firms maintain large engineering offices nearby, while Los Angeles draws demand from Southern California Edison and a growing concentration of renewable interconnection projects, and Sacramento reflects SMUD hiring and state-level grid infrastructure work.
Are there remote substation engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Substation engineering involves significant field work, site reviews, and hands-on coordination that limits full remote arrangements. About 53% of substation engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and when flexibility does exist it tends to apply to design, relay coordination studies, and documentation work rather than construction oversight or commissioning roles.
How can I get hired as a substation engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is applying directly to the new graduate and engineer development programs that Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and SMUD run each year for candidates with an electrical engineering degree and an EIT registration. Entry-level roles often carry titles like electrical engineer associate or protection and control engineer I, and candidates who have completed a senior capstone in power systems or an internship at a California utility move to the front of the applicant pool.
Where can I find and apply to substation engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to substation engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your experience and location, and apply directly.
See All 70 Substation Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Substation Engineer Jobs