Post job

What does a substations electrical engineer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

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.

On this page

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. "

All substations electrical engineer skills

Choose from 10+ customizable substations electrical engineer resume templates

Build a professional substations electrical engineer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your substations electrical engineer resume.
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume
Substations Electrical Engineer Resume

Compare different substations electrical engineers

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.

If we compare the average substations electrical engineer annual salary with that of an engineer, we find that engineers typically earn a $3,928 higher salary than substations electrical engineers make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between substations electrical engineers and engineers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like cost estimates, technical support, and cad.

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.

A career as a outside plant engineer brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a substations electrical engineer. In fact, outside plant engineers salary is $2,546 lower than the salary of substations electrical engineers per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Substations electrical engineers and outside plant engineers both require similar skills like "engineering design," "cost estimates," and "autocad" to carry out their responsibilities.

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.

An average electrical & instrumentation designer eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of substations electrical engineers. The difference in salaries amounts to electrical & instrumentation designers earning a $6,961 lower average salary than substations electrical engineers.substations electrical engineers and electrical & instrumentation designers both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "ac dc," "nec," and "design drawings," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

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.

Field engineers tend to earn a lower pay than substations electrical engineers by an average of $16,275 per year.While both substations electrical engineers and field engineers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like ac dc, technical support, and cad, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "ieee," "ac," "dc," and "substation design" are skills that commonly show up on substations electrical engineer resumes. On the other hand, field engineers use skills like customer service, customer satisfaction, project management, and azure on their resumes.field engineers enjoy the best pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $83,650. For comparison, substations electrical engineers earn the highest salary in the construction industry.field engineers reach lower levels of education compared to substations electrical engineers, in general. The difference is that they're 5.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of substations electrical engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse architecture and engineering jobs