What does a substations electrical engineer do?
Substation electrical engineers are engineering professionals who design medium and high voltage substations that are used to transmit and distribute electricity. These engineers are required to maintain substation equipment specifications that are according to the current industry standards and operating policies. They must review design drawings and perform load analysis to select the overall platform's power requirements. Substation electrical engineers must also provide cost estimates for substation projects as well as prepare layout drawings for future substation expansion.
Substations electrical engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real substations electrical engineer resumes:
- Perform review and quality assurance of protection and control design drawings assuring both client and NEC requirements are meet.
- Perform battery calculation and develop detail DC system design.
- Lead HV transformer replacement and circuit breaker as well.
- Develop substation/switchyard (GIS and AIS : 13kV up to 550kV) general arrangement, layout and elevation drawings.
- Incorporate NERC FAC ratings, IEEE standards, Xcel standards, component limitations, and physical constraints in substation designs.
- Work with many hourly electricians to test, diagnose and repair transformers, circuit breakers, voltage regulators, etc.
- Receive training on operation of railway supply transformers.
- Perform high-level design of FPGA including high-speed serial board-to-board messaging structure.
- Specify and utilize design comparison tools to assure accurate implementation of schematic and PCB engineering change orders.
- Cable wiring assemblies provide essential electrical characteristics for multiple power supply distribution and high speed data communications between numerous PCB modules.
- Perform debugging and code modifications to support evolving system requirements and to eliminate pre-existing system software deficiencies.
Substations electrical engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Substations Electrical Engineers are proficient in IEEE, Ac, and Dc. They’re also known for soft skills such as Concentration, Initiative, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Substations Electrical Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- IEEE, 13%
Experience in invoices and LC Skills Used - Design review - Electrical standard usage (IEC, NEC & IEEE)
- Ac, 9%
Develped detail design for AC station service on the basis of AC station service calculation.
- Dc, 9%
Performed battery calculation and developed detail DC system design.
- Substation Design, 9%
Performed review of substation design done by the contractors.
- Equipment Specifications, 9%
Developed and maintained substation equipment specifications in accordance with the latest industry standards and current operating policies.
- Line Diagrams, 6%
Designed Electrical layout and Single Line diagrams of the HT substations.
Most substations electrical engineers use their skills in "ieee," "ac," and "dc" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential substations electrical engineer responsibilities here:
Concentration. The most essential soft skill for a substations electrical engineer to carry out their responsibilities is concentration. This skill is important for the role because "electrical and electronics engineers design and develop complex electrical systems and electronic components and products." Additionally, a substations electrical engineer resume shows how their duties depend on concentration: "designed system monitor systems using abb plc's and including data concentration and climatecontrols. "
Initiative. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling substations electrical engineer duties is initiative. The role rewards competence in this skill because "electrical and electronics engineers must apply their knowledge to new tasks in every project they undertake." According to a substations electrical engineer resume, here's how substations electrical engineers can utilize initiative in their job responsibilities: "develop cost reduction strategies through innovation in system designs and engineering, applying value engineering, constructability and task analysis initiatives. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of substations electrical engineers is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday substations electrical engineer duties, as "electrical and electronics engineers must use the principles of calculus and other advanced math in order to analyze, design, and troubleshoot equipment." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "performed battery runtime measurements and used mathcad and excel to analyze and plot the data. "
Speaking skills. substations electrical engineer responsibilities often require "speaking skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "electrical and electronics engineers work closely with other engineers and technicians." This resume example shows what substations electrical engineers do with speaking skills on a typical day: "manage and direct the creation of design drawings with cad designers based on the design criteria and the solutions presented. "
Writing skills. Another crucial skill for a substations electrical engineer to carry out their responsibilities is "writing skills." A big part of what substations electrical engineers relies on this skill, since "electrical and electronics engineers develop technical publications related to equipment they develop, including maintenance manuals, operation manuals, parts lists, product proposals, and design methods documents." How this skill relates to substations electrical engineer duties can be seen in an example from a substations electrical engineer resume snippet: "plant inspection and survey of electrical systems for identifying safety code violations, writing a report and recommendation for correction. "
The three companies that hire the most substations electrical engineers are:
- Burns & McDonnell33 substations electrical engineers jobs
- HDR8 substations electrical engineers jobs
- Wsp USA Buildings Inc.7 substations electrical engineers jobs
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Substations electrical engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a substations electrical engineer are more likely to require skills like "ac dc," "ieee," "ac," and "dc." On the other hand, a job as an engineer requires skills like "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the automotive industry, with an average yearly salary of $97,672. On the other hand, substations electrical engineers are paid more in the construction industry with an average salary of $90,742.On average, engineers reach similar levels of education than substations electrical engineers. Engineers are 0.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Substations electrical engineer vs. Outside plant engineer
The job of an outside plant engineer revolves around design, constructing, and maintaining plant infrastructure, engineering, and conducting route analysis of aerial and underground fiber-optic installations. Typical day-to-day duties include assisting clients in resolving issues when they arise, developing engineering plans, schedules, and costs relevant to the projects, and providing guidance on telecommunication issues. As an outside plant engineer, you need to ensure the proper installation of the infrastructure and the availability of fiber cable storage, access, and termination equipment.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, substations electrical engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "ac dc," "ieee," "ac," and "dc." Meanwhile, an outside plant engineer has duties that require skills in areas such as "outside plant," "osp," "fiber optic," and "plant engineering." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Outside plant engineers earn lower levels of education than substations electrical engineers in general. They're 5.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Substations electrical engineer vs. Electrical & instrumentation designer
An electrical instrumentation designer's main job is to design instruments that can be used in various areas such as laboratories, power plants, or research institutes. They work together with a team or individually to design instruments, create a prototype, and test its functions. They can even install these instruments in different establishments and locations. They are tasked with repair and training engineers. At other times, they are assigned to record expenses and other documentation.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from substations electrical engineer resumes include skills like "ieee," "ac," "dc," and "substation design," whereas an electrical & instrumentation designer is more likely to list skills in "instrumentation design," "control systems," "p id," and "i/o. "
When it comes to education, electrical & instrumentation designers tend to earn lower degree levels compared to substations electrical engineers. In fact, they're 10.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Substations electrical engineer vs. Field engineer
A field engineer's role will vary on the industry or line of work involved. However, the primary responsibility will mostly revolve around handling equipment and machinery, ensuring that they function effectively and safely. It is also the task of a field engineer to oversee the workflow and workforce, giving directions and recommendations when necessary. Furthermore, a field engineer must develop strategies and plans to improve the site's efficiency, produce progress reports, and coordinate with other workers.
Types of substations electrical engineer
Updated January 8, 2025











