Substation Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Substation Engineer jobs in Tennessee are active and concentrated in electric utilities, energy transmission, and industrial power infrastructure, with openings at every level from entry-level design roles through senior project engineers. Nashville, Memphis, and Chattanooga anchor the majority of hiring, where established employers like Tennessee Valley Authority, Nashville Electric Service, and Duke Energy Tennessee maintain ongoing substation projects. Protection and control systems, SCADA integration, and high-voltage design are among the most consistently sought specialties across the state. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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PDS 8 / Power Delivery Substation
This position is not eligible for recruiting or sourcing by outside parties.
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Mesa seeks a Senior Substation Protection & Controls (P&C) Engineer who’s ready to lead protection and control design for clients across the United States. You’ll be the licensed engineer on the team, guiding designs from scoping through energization within our Power Delivery Substation group.
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering (ABET Accredited).
- Active Professional Engineer (PE) license – Required.
- 8+ Years of transmission substation P&C design experience in the electric utility industry for voltage ranges spanning from 12kV to 230kV+.
- Deep protection expertise – CTs, VTs, differential protection, breaker and line protection, and the standards behind them (IEEE, NESC).
- Design software proficiency – Expert with AutoCAD; comfortable with Bluebeam Revu for design markups and reviews.
- Client-facing communicator – Able to lead design reviews, kickoffs, and scope discussions directly with utility clients.
- Independent project owner – Drives complex packages from scoping through closeout with minimal oversight, anticipating risks and resolving them before they hit the schedule.
- Mentor by default – Naturally develops junior and mid-level engineers; sets the bar on design quality, documentation, and QA discipline for the team around you.
- Location – Located within commuting distance of Knoxville, TN or Chattanooga, TN.
- Travel availability – Willing to travel to client sites for periodic site visits, typically 1–2 single-night trips per month.
What You’ll Lead
- Stamped deliverables – As the PE on the team, review, stamp, and seal P&C drawings, calculations, and design packages that require it.
- Client conversation on technical scope – Serve as the P&C point of contact for assigned clients; lead design reviews and present design rationale.
- A team of engineers and designers – Mentor junior and mid-level staff, guide them through standards and calculation methods, and set the technical direction on protection design.
- Standards and best practices – Shape Mesa’s internal P&C standards, calculation templates, QA checklists, and lessons-learned library.
- Proposal and estimating support – Partner with proposal teams to scope P&C effort and contribute technical narratives for RFP responses.
What You’ll Do
- Lead the design of single-line/three-line diagrams, panel layouts, AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, battery sizing calculations, and BoMs for medium- to large-scale transmission substation projects.
- Review and approve deliverables produced by the team; conduct peer reviews and final QA to ensure work meets code, client requirements, and Mesa’s internal QA procedures.
- Coordinate with Relay Settings, Substation Physical, Scoping, and other disciplines to keep multi-discipline packages aligned.
- Own client communication on P&C scope: kickoffs, design reviews, RFI responses, change orders, and closeout documentation.
- Identify process improvements and develop internal time-saving tools, templates, and standards that scale across the group.
- Support hiring and onboarding by participating in interviews and ramping new engineers onto active projects.
What You’ll Earn
- Paid Time Off
- Holiday Pay - 10 Days Annually
- Group Medical/Dental Insurance
- Life Insurance (Company Paid)
- Disability Insurance (Company Paid)
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
- 401(k) Matching Contribution
- Section 125/Cafeteria Plan
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Fitness Center Reimbursement
- Annual Performance Bonus
- 9/80 Work Schedule Option
- FSA and HSA Options
Notice to External Search Firms: Mesa Associates, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be obligated to pay a placement fee for unsolicited resumes. Mesa Associates, Inc. Talent Acquisition engages with approved search firms directly for specific hiring needs.
Experience
Required- 8 year(s): Transmission substation P&C design experience in the electric utility industry for voltage ranges spanning from 12kV to 230kV+
Education
Required- Bachelors or better in Electrical Engineering
Licenses & Certifications
Required- Prof Engineering (PE)
Behaviors
Required- Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well
Motivations
Required- Self-Starter: Inspired to perform without outside help
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
See All 21 Substation Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
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Find Substation Engineer JobsSubstation Engineer Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Substation Engineer Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services14
- Energy2
- Construction & Real Estate2
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in substation engineer jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field required
- Professional Engineer license registered or eligible in Tennessee preferred for senior roles
- Experience with substation design, protection systems, and relay coordination
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, CYME, ASPEN, or comparable power engineering software
- Familiarity with NERC standards, IEEE guidelines, and utility construction specifications
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional project coordination
Substation Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a substation engineer in Tennessee?
Most substation engineer roles in Tennessee require a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering followed by the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and several years of relevant experience before pursuing full Professional Engineer licensure through the Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners. Employers across the state, particularly utilities and engineering consultancies, expect candidates to be working toward or already holding PE registration, which is often required to sign off on substation design drawings and protection studies.
Which companies hire substation engineers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring substation engineers in Tennessee right now include Mesa Associates, Burns & McDonnell, and Mesa Associates, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Tennessee's strong utility presence, anchored by the Tennessee Valley Authority and regional co-ops, means demand for substation engineers remains consistent across both public and private sector organizations throughout the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most substation engineer jobs?
Chattanooga and Knoxville have the most substation engineer openings in Tennessee. Nashville leads due to its concentration of utility headquarters, engineering consulting firms, and growing industrial load, while Memphis benefits from large industrial and logistics infrastructure along the Mississippi corridor, and Chattanooga draws hiring through its manufacturing base and proximity to Tennessee Valley Authority grid expansion projects.
Are there remote substation engineer jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're rare. Substation engineering is fundamentally a field-adjacent discipline where site visits, relay testing, and physical design reviews keep most roles tied to a location. About 19% of substation engineer openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to cover design-phase work, protection coordination studies, or project management rather than construction and commissioning.
How can I get hired as a substation engineer in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for engineer-in-training or junior design engineer roles at Tennessee utilities and power engineering consultancies, many of which structure their hiring to bring on recent graduates alongside EIT exam preparation support. The Tennessee Valley Authority runs structured rotational and early-career engineering programs, and regional electric cooperatives throughout the state regularly hire new graduates into entry-level project and design roles. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam early and building exposure to AutoCAD or CYME through coursework or internships strengthens a candidate's profile considerably.
Where can I find and apply to substation engineer jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to substation engineer jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Find the roles that fit your experience and background and apply directly.
See All 21 Substation Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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