How to hire a substation technician

How to hire a substation technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step substation technician 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 technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new substation technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a substation technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect substation technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents substation technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Substation Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Substation Technician	Electrical and electronics installers and repairers install or repair a variety of electrical equipment in telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and other industries.	$13-25
   Power Generation Equipment Repairer	Power generation equipment repairers must have a high school diploma or GED as well as mechanical aptitude, job shop experience, and experience with handheld power tools. Those who choose this career path will conduct maintenance on tactical utilities, power generation sets, internal combustion engines and equipment associated with these.	$16-30
   Instrument And Electrical Technician	An Instrument and Electrical Technician is responsible for inspecting all production and manufacturing equipment's performance and stability to ensure efficiency during operations. Instrument and Electrical Technicians run quality control procedures for the processes to produce high-quality deliverables for customer satisfaction... Show more	$25-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Circuit Breakers
   • Substation Equipment
   • Safety Rules
   • Loaders
   • Switches
   • Test Equipment
   • KV
   • CDL
   • Substation Construction
   • Ladders
   • Electrical Equipment
   • Troubleshoot
   • Transmission Lines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Document all work perform to meet WECC and Nerc Cip compliant requirements.
   • Diagnose, repair and replace monitoring and control systems, hoisting equipment, and overhead cranes.
   • Check and refill SF6 on circuit switches.
   • Use ladders and Ariel Lifts/Trek-Lifts when need.
   • Perform NERC compliance relating to system protection.
   • Assist with SCADA installation and wiring at each substation.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your substation technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A substation technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, substation technicians' average salary in tennessee is 27% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level substation technicians 45% less than senior-level substation technicians.
   • Certifications. A substation technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a substation technician's salary.

   Average substation technician salary

   $39,335yearly

   $18.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level substation technician salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

4. Writing a substation technician job description

   A good substation technician job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a substation technician job description:

   Substation technician job description example

   Learn to identify and use the materials, tools, equipment and various voltages used in substation construction and maintenance work Learn to operate mobile and communications equipment Learn basic knots and riggings as well as tensile strengths of ropes, slings, and winch lines Police vehicle, storeroom, work materials and job area Check tools and equipment for wear or damage Develop attitude of safety in work environment anticipating and reacting to hazards as presented Learn OSHA and Company safety rules Learn CPR and First AidAccept delivery and make disbursements of work materials Develop skills in time and material accounting procedures Learn to prepare materials, provide aid and anticipate needs of co-workers in the installation and/or maintenance of equipment Learn to climb and use aerial equipment in preparation for advancement
   
   7732BR
   
   **State:**
   
   Kentucky
   
   **Physical Effort:**
   
   Must be able to lift 75 lbs. from the ground to the height of 30 inches and 60 lbs. from waist level to chest on a routine basis; Typical equipment/materials that must be lifted includes but is not limited to tools, materials, parts, insulators; Able to climb up and down stairs and vertical and inclined ladders unassisted on a daily basis; Perform hand manipulations extended near floor level for extended periods of time on a routine basis
   
   **Preferred Qualifications:**
   
   Must be successfully recommended from EEI test Must have good mathematical, literacy and communications skills Successful applicant must be 20 years old or older with a valid driver's license and be certifiable under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Employee must qualify within a reasonable period for a Commercial driver's license (Class A) with the following endorsement: air brakes, tankers, and hazardous materials..
   
   **Work Conditions:**
   
   Mix of field and shop work. Exposure to heat, cold, rain, ice, etc. Frequent standing and walking.
   
   **Required Education & Experience:**
   
   High school diploma, or the equivalent. In addition, a minimum of a two-year degree in a pertinent electromechanical/electronics discipline is required. Successful participation and completion of electromechanical/electronics training received from the military may be considered in lieu of a two year degree.Work experience directly associated with substation maintenance and testing may be considered in lieu of a two year degree. Such maintenance and testing will include, but not limited to, medium/high voltage transformer, circuit breaker, circuit recloser, protective relays, and regulators utilizing specialized test equipment and procedures. Such test equipment would include but not be limited to Power Factor Test set (Doble preferred), Megohm meter, TTR meter, Micro-ohm meter, high potential test set, circuit breaker timer, current transformer test set, and recloser test set.
   
   **Address:**
   
   745 North Limestone
   
   **City:**
   
   Lexington
   
   **Job Function:**
   
   Substation Operations
   
   **Position Purpose:**
   
   Perform routine maintenance and installation work in high voltage electrical substations. Assist higher classifications in Substation Construction & Maintenance (SC&M) in performance of their assigned work and develop the skills needed to progress to higher classifications.
   
   **External Title:**
   
   Substation Technician Trainee A

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right substation technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with substation technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit substation technicians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with substation technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 technician

   Once you've found the substation technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new substation technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

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