Substation Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA
Substation Engineer jobs in San Diego are in strong demand, concentrated in Kearny Mesa, Chula Vista, and the Otay Ranch corridor, driven by utilities, defense infrastructure, and clean energy developers. Employers actively hiring include WSP, Quanta Services, and Quanta Infrastructure Solutions. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 77+ Substation Engineer jobs
Our turnkey service capabilities provide our customers with efficiency, consistency, attention to detail and safe execution. The QISG team brings together Engineering, Safety, Quality, Material Procurement, QA/QC, Right-of-Way Acquisition, Scheduling, Environmental Planning, Permitting, Title and Land Management expertise that ensure outstanding results for our clients.
Every moment of every day, people all over the world rely on electricity provided by Quanta Services and its customers. With its highly skilled and innovative workforce, Quanta is the largest specialty contractor in North America that powers modern life. Find your future with us by being a part of something bigger – leading the energy transition in building a better world for generations to come.
We encourage and inspire our people to embrace opportunities within our corporate office and 200 operating companies providing solutions for the utility, renewable energy, electric power, industrial, and communications industries worldwide.
Quanta’s culture is about creating an environment where all employees can be themselves, are valued, and have an equal opportunity to succeed. When you join our team, you join a dynamic culture in which career development is encouraged, excellence is rewarded, and diversity is valued.
- Design physical substation components, including yard layouts, grounding, lightning protection, control building arrangements, raceways, and auxiliary AC/DC power systems.
- Develop protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, cable lists and panel layouts.
- Develop design drawings, calculations, and bills of material from engineering documents for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance.
- Conduct engineering calculations, including voltage drop, cable pulling, flicker analysis, and grounding analysis.
- Ensure project team applies engineering standards including NEC, NESC, NEMA, IEEE and ANSI
- Perform quality reviews to check for inaccuracies, omissions, or compliance issues, and provide recommendations.
- Work collaboratively with engineers and project teams to develop solutions and modifications as needed.
- Maintain detailed project documentation and support engineering calculations.
- Bring potential project-related problems and possible solutions to the attention of the stakeholders.
- Travel out of town for short periods of time as required by projects and assignments.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering from an ABET-accredited program.
- Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is highly desirable; this is required for the Design Engineer 4 band.
- Curiosity for and willingness to learn about the major components of a substation is required. Basic knowledge of these components is a plus. Previous design or construction experience is highly desirable.
- No experience required in the electric utility industry for entry level positions. More experience performing detailed design for high voltage substation projects could result in a higher-level position.
- Word processing, spread sheet, and e-mail software.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Working in a team environment
- Communicating effectively with co-workers
- Able to deal with ambiguity and ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks and determine priorities in a complex environment.
- Role will require travel as necessary to achieve job responsibilities, up to 10-25% of the time.
- Competitive Compensation
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Comprehensive Health Coverage
- Pet Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Professional Development
- Education Reimbursement
- Employee Discount Program
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company’s Human Resources department.
Our turnkey service capabilities provide our customers with efficiency, consistency, attention to detail and safe execution. The QISG team brings together Engineering, Safety, Quality, Material Procurement, QA/QC, Right-of-Way Acquisition, Scheduling, Environmental Planning, Permitting, Title and Land Management expertise that ensure outstanding results for our clients.
Every moment of every day, people all over the world rely on electricity provided by Quanta Services and its customers. With its highly skilled and innovative workforce, Quanta is the largest specialty contractor in North America that powers modern life. Find your future with us by being a part of something bigger – leading the energy transition in building a better world for generations to come.
We encourage and inspire our people to embrace opportunities within our corporate office and 200 operating companies providing solutions for the utility, renewable energy, electric power, industrial, and communications industries worldwide.
Quanta’s culture is about creating an environment where all employees can be themselves, are valued, and have an equal opportunity to succeed. When you join our team, you join a dynamic culture in which career development is encouraged, excellence is rewarded, and diversity is valued.
- Design physical substation components, including yard layouts, grounding, lightning protection, control building arrangements, raceways, and auxiliary AC/DC power systems.
- Develop protection and control schematics, wiring diagrams, cable lists and panel layouts.
- Develop design drawings, calculations, and bills of material from engineering documents for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance.
- Conduct engineering calculations, including voltage drop, cable pulling, flicker analysis, and grounding analysis.
- Ensure project team applies engineering standards including NEC, NESC, NEMA, IEEE and ANSI
- Perform quality reviews to check for inaccuracies, omissions, or compliance issues, and provide recommendations.
- Work collaboratively with engineers and project teams to develop solutions and modifications as needed.
- Maintain detailed project documentation and support engineering calculations.
- Bring potential project-related problems and possible solutions to the attention of the stakeholders.
- Travel out of town for short periods of time as required by projects and assignments.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering from an ABET-accredited program.
- Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is highly desirable; this is required for the Design Engineer 4 band.
- Curiosity for and willingness to learn about the major components of a substation is required. Basic knowledge of these components is a plus. Previous design or construction experience is highly desirable.
- No experience required in the electric utility industry for entry level positions. More experience performing detailed design for high voltage substation projects could result in a higher-level position.
- Word processing, spread sheet, and e-mail software.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Working in a team environment
- Communicating effectively with co-workers
- Able to deal with ambiguity and ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks and determine priorities in a complex environment.
- Role will require travel as necessary to achieve job responsibilities, up to 10-25% of the time.
- Competitive Compensation
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Comprehensive Health Coverage
- Pet Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Professional Development
- Education Reimbursement
- Employee Discount Program
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company’s Human Resources department.
See All 77 Substation Engineer Jobs in San Diego
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Find Substation Engineer JobsSubstation Engineer Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- WSP11
- Quanta Services11
- Quanta Infrastructure Solutions11
- Kiewit8
- Sargent & Lundy8
Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate17
- Consulting & Professional Services17
- Transportation & Logistics11
- Energy8
Substation Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a substation engineer job in San Diego?
Focus on San Diego's strongest hiring sectors: investor-owned utilities, municipal water and power agencies, and defense contractors concentrated in Kearny Mesa and National City. Candidates with experience in high-voltage protection systems, SCADA integration, or renewable interconnection projects stand out locally. Reaching out to engineering consultancies that serve SDG&E and regional infrastructure projects is one of the most direct paths in this market.
Which companies hire substation engineers in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring substation engineers in San Diego include WSP, Quanta Services, and Quanta Infrastructure Solutions, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's hiring mix leans toward utility operators, power delivery consultants, and defense-adjacent engineering firms that maintain critical electrical infrastructure across the region.
Are there remote substation engineer jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though remote work is limited for substation engineers since much of the role involves on-site inspection, commissioning, and field testing. About 8% of substation engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, skewing toward planning, protection relay design, and project management functions that can be done off-site.
How can I get a substation engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Diego is through engineering consultancies and utility contractors that take on junior designers for protection and control drafting or CAD modeling work. Municipal agencies and community choice aggregators in the region occasionally hire entry-level engineers for planning roles. A degree in electrical engineering plus coursework in power systems or an internship with a local utility gives candidates a strong foothold.
Which industries hire the most substation engineers in San Diego?
San Diego substation engineer roles concentrate in Construction & Real Estate, Consulting & Professional Services, and Transportation & Logistics, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. San Diego's grid modernization push, growing offshore wind planning activity, and the region's large defense and military installation base all sustain consistent demand across those sectors.
Related Jobs in California
See All 77 Substation Engineer Jobs in San Diego
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