How to hire a substation electrician

How to hire a substation electrician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step substation electrician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a substation electrician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new substation electrician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a substation electrician job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The substation electrician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a substation electrician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a substation electrician that fits the bill.

   This list presents substation electrician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Substation Electrician	Description	Hourly rate
   Substation Electrician	Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories.	$22-47
   Apprentice	An apprentice is responsible for learning specialized tasks on their chosen field through actual job training under the supervision of tenured staff. An apprentice's duties include performing administrative tasks as needed, creating observation reports of daily operations, providing possible recommendations on improving productivity, and adhering to the business' safety standards and regulatory procedures... Show more	$12-24
   Low Voltage Technician	A low voltage technician is responsible for monitoring and installing low-voltage cables and systems for electronic equipment and communication devices. Low voltage technicians analyze blueprints and schematics to connect the cables safely and accurately... Show more	$14-24

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CDL
   • Transformers
   • Circuit Breakers
   • Switches
   • Substation Equipment
   • Cranes
   • Hand Tools
   • Chargers
   • Control Systems
   • Electrical Theory
   • Substation Maintenance
   • Control Panels
   • Ladders
   • Ac Dc

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Remove, analyze, identify issue install properly working pressure transducers, effectively accomplishing priorities to go underway.
   • Work include making connections from switches to structures to grid.
   • Perform Doble field testing and infrare thermography viewing on EHV equipment.
   • Disconnect voltage regulators, bolts, and screws, and connect replacement regulators to high-voltage lines.
   • Measure and read DMM, Meggers, micrometers and thickness gauges using electrical and mechanical testing instruments.
   • Assist in electrical tests, TTR, Doble, core megger and resistance for transformer testing, etc.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your substation electrician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A substation electrician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, substation electricians' average salary in mississippi is 48% less than in vermont.
   • Seniority. Entry-level substation electricians earn 53% less than senior-level substation electricians.
   • Certifications. A substation electrician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a substation electrician's salary.

   Average substation electrician salary

   $67,906yearly

   $32.65 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level substation electrician salary

   $46,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a substation electrician job description

   A job description for a substation electrician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a substation electrician job description:

   Substation electrician job description example

   FT/PT: Full-time
   Regular/Project/Seasonal: Regular
   
   Location: McCamey, Tx
   
   City: LaGrange
   
   State: Texas
   
   Categories: Other, Operations/Maintenance (Power, Water, Transmission, Telecom)
   
   Looking for self-motivated and energetic individuals to perform electrical work in high voltage substations including maintenance, inspection, repair, testing, adjusting, installation and /or removal of transmission, distribution and/or control equipment such as motor control systems, and interlocks, high voltage switchgear, circuit breakers and protective relays. This position utilizes knowledge and experience in own discipline but is still building higher-level knowledge and skills. Receives a moderate level of guidance and direction from supervisor, manager and /or more experienced colleagues.
   
   You will be trusted to:
   
   Installs, maintains, removes, inspects, tests and repairs electrical circuit breakers, transformers, switches, and electrical and electronic control equipment and wiring. Observes and inspects equipment and structures to detect potential electrical issues. Performs routine preventative maintenance and general upkeep of electrical equipment and substation control houses. Reads/interprets blueprints and drawings, consults manuals and parts list. Keep drawings and schematics up to date and accurate. Operates handheld manual tools and power tools in performing tasks. Operates and transports equipment such as bucket trucks, boom trucks, forklifts, skid steers, and other various equipment. May perform low-voltage and high-voltage switching according to standard procedures and in coordination with system operations. Must be able to perform after-hour and weekend callouts to investigate alarms and issues at substations.
   
   You qualify with:
   
   * One or more years of experience in maintenance and/or construction of electrical power, transmission, distribution, substation and control equipment, and/or other types of electrical equipment, including experience reading blueprints.
   * A degree(s) in electrical power theory, electronics, instrumentation, controls, industrial maintenance or relevant field may be substituted per LCRA guidelines for certain years of experience.
   * Class A Texas commercial driver's license or equivalent from another state required for incumbents with heavy equipment operation and transportation responsibilities.
   
   You are a great fit with:
   
   * Successful completion through Level I of the Substation Electrician Program.
   
   You gain:
   
   * Competitive salary & medical, dental, vision and legal insurance
   * Paid time off, including time for vacation, sick and family care leave
   * 401(k) match up to 8% that includes a student loan 401(k) contribution program option
   * Life and disability insurance
   * Wellness program including wellness incentive
   * Extensive learning & development programs
   
   And more - all to create a compelling and rewarding work environment.
   
   Equal Opportunity Employer
   
   LCRA provides equal employment opportunities and a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at LCRA are based on business need, job requirement and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal and state legal requirements governing nondiscrimination in employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find substation electricians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your substation electrician job on Zippia to find and recruit substation electrician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit substation electricians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new substation electrician

   Once you've selected the best substation electrician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new substation electrician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a substation electrician?