Planning Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Planning engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California span infrastructure megaprojects, semiconductor fabrication plants, and utility expansion programs. Major employers including Bechtel, Fluor, and Pacific Gas & Electric hire planning engineers across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. California's infrastructure investment pipeline and active construction sector create consistent demand for sponsored international planning engineering talent.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Requisition ID # 175084
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Strategy & Growth
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Fresno
Department Overview
The Transmission System Planning (TSP) department performs Interconnection studies, multi-year assessments and develops a portfolio of transmission expansion plans and projects to meet the company's transmission needs for delivery of safe and reliable electric service to our customers while adhering to North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) planning standards. The members of TSP actively participate in the NERC and WECC standard development process for electric transmission reliability. The department is also involved in developing transmission expansion policy and strategy to meet the Company's RPS goals. In addition, the department provides support to project implementation groups, operations, law, contract and other internal departments.
Position Summary
This position is represented by the Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
The Senior Advising Engineer is a recognized expert within their area of responsibility, and someone who can apply their extensive knowledge of engineering principles and practices and system analysis to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
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 salary 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 salary 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 agreements, and internal equity.
The salary range is:
CA Minimum, $182,544
CA Maximum, $224,304
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Basecase Preparation:
- Understand methodology, constantly seek improvements in the methodology and manage approval process for PG&E’s transmission load forecast.
- Primary lead and/or advisor in developing complex models.
- Primary lead/advisor in developing methodology and assumptions complex issues.
Transmission System Studies:
- Develop innovative solutions for complex transmission issues.
- Participate as lead transmission planner in multi-department project team to develop project scope for large, complex projects including interstate bulk transmission projects.
- Lead WECC wide study or study groups.
- Primary lead on inter-regional planning efforts.
- Provide guidance on planning criteria, standards, and regulations.
Project Implementation:
- Lead in the implementation of projects involving inter-regional coordination including but not limited to path ratings and inter-regional RAS studies, settings and designs.
- Lead in the implementation of projects that require complex permitting proceedings, including CPCN.
Compliance and Regulatory:
- Support or lead compliance and regulatory audits as necessary.
- Acts as a company witness/liaison/information provider to outside parties for project support or any other regulatory proceedings impacting PG&E business.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited curriculum in the US or the equivalent from outside the US.
- 13 years of experience in electrical engineering.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in transmission planning studies.
- Knowledge of PG&E’s electric transmission system.
- Knowledge of NERC and WECC reliability standards.
- Experience in system operations, engineering, asset strategy, or system protection.
- Previous experience with GE PSLF Program or similar load flow program.
- Experience in programming languages such as Matlab, Python, VBA, EPCL.
- Current and active California PE license, Electrical Engineering.
- Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
INTRODUCTION
Requisition ID # 175084
Job Category: Engineering / Science
Job Level: Individual Contributor
Business Unit: Strategy & Growth
Work Type: Hybrid
Job Location: Fresno
Department Overview
The Transmission System Planning (TSP) department performs Interconnection studies, multi-year assessments and develops a portfolio of transmission expansion plans and projects to meet the company's transmission needs for delivery of safe and reliable electric service to our customers while adhering to North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) planning standards. The members of TSP actively participate in the NERC and WECC standard development process for electric transmission reliability. The department is also involved in developing transmission expansion policy and strategy to meet the Company's RPS goals. In addition, the department provides support to project implementation groups, operations, law, contract and other internal departments.
Position Summary
This position is represented by the Engineers and Scientists of California (ESC) subject to collective bargaining.
The Senior Advising Engineer is a recognized expert within their area of responsibility, and someone who can apply their extensive knowledge of engineering principles and practices and system analysis to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
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 salary 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 salary 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 agreements, and internal equity.
The salary range is:
CA Minimum, $182,544
CA Maximum, $224,304
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Basecase Preparation:
- Understand methodology, constantly seek improvements in the methodology and manage approval process for PG&E’s transmission load forecast.
- Primary lead and/or advisor in developing complex models.
- Primary lead/advisor in developing methodology and assumptions complex issues.
Transmission System Studies:
- Develop innovative solutions for complex transmission issues.
- Participate as lead transmission planner in multi-department project team to develop project scope for large, complex projects including interstate bulk transmission projects.
- Lead WECC wide study or study groups.
- Primary lead on inter-regional planning efforts.
- Provide guidance on planning criteria, standards, and regulations.
Project Implementation:
- Lead in the implementation of projects involving inter-regional coordination including but not limited to path ratings and inter-regional RAS studies, settings and designs.
- Lead in the implementation of projects that require complex permitting proceedings, including CPCN.
Compliance and Regulatory:
- Support or lead compliance and regulatory audits as necessary.
- Acts as a company witness/liaison/information provider to outside parties for project support or any other regulatory proceedings impacting PG&E business.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related technical discipline from an accredited curriculum in the US or the equivalent from outside the US.
- 13 years of experience in electrical engineering.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in transmission planning studies.
- Knowledge of PG&E’s electric transmission system.
- Knowledge of NERC and WECC reliability standards.
- Experience in system operations, engineering, asset strategy, or system protection.
- Previous experience with GE PSLF Program or similar load flow program.
- Experience in programming languages such as Matlab, Python, VBA, EPCL.
- Current and active California PE license, Electrical Engineering.
- Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
Planning Engineer Job Roles in California
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Search Planning Engineer Jobs in CaliforniaPlanning Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for planning engineers in California?
Large engineering and construction firms are the most active sponsors for planning engineers in California. Companies such as Bechtel, Fluor, AECOM, and Jacobs Engineering have consistent H-1B visa and green card filing histories for planning and project engineering roles. Utility companies including Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison also sponsor planning engineers, particularly for grid modernization and infrastructure expansion programs.
Which visa types realistically fit planning engineer roles in California?
Planning engineer roles in California qualify as specialty occupations under the H-1B, requiring a bachelor's degree in engineering or a directly related field. The employer files a Labor Condition Application and I-129 petition with USCIS. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under the TN visa as engineers. EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based green cards are available for longer-term sponsorship, typically requiring PERM labor certification filed with DOL.
How to find planning engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists California planning engineer roles from employers with verified visa sponsorship histories, letting you search specifically for companies that have filed for engineering positions in the state. This filters out roles where sponsorship is unlikely and focuses your search on infrastructure, construction, and utility employers actively hiring sponsored planning engineers across California's major metro areas.
Which cities in California have the most planning engineer sponsorship jobs?
San Francisco and the broader Bay Area see strong demand through infrastructure and technology campus construction projects. Los Angeles is active across transportation, water utilities, and large-scale development. Sacramento draws planning engineers for state infrastructure and utility programs. San Diego has consistent openings tied to defense-adjacent construction and regional transit expansion. Each metro has distinct industry drivers shaping which employers sponsor in that market.
Are there California-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for planning engineers?
California's active infrastructure programs, including high-speed rail, water system upgrades, and clean energy buildouts, create sustained demand that supports employer willingness to sponsor. The state's large engineering school network, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Cal Poly, feeds local hiring pipelines. However, state environmental review timelines can affect project staffing cycles, so sponsoring employers in California tend to be established firms with ongoing project portfolios rather than single-project contractors.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored planning engineer jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.