Principal Substation Engineer

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

Your greatest work is ahead!

We are looking for a Principal Substation Engineer to join our team.

*Candidates must be located in the United States and be willing to travel to client site or in office as needed. (10% Travel)

At Leidos, you can look forward to a fast paced, diverse work environment and flexible work hours/work arrangements, as well as managers who will encourage career development and growth opportunities, including:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) 

• Professional Engineer (PE) License

• Formal Mentorship programs

• Developmental Leadership training

• Technical Upskilling Opportunities 

• Continuing Education & Learning Resources

The Challenge:

• Serves as the technical authority for substation physical and/or Protection & Control (P&C) projects, providing engineering leadership across multiple concurrent projects from scoping through commissioning.
• Leads client and internal stakeholder engagement, acting as the primary technical point of contact to align project scope, resolve complex design issues, and manage client expectations at a strategic level.
• Owns quality control governance for substation physical and P&C design deliverables, establishing and enforcing QC standards and reviewing the work of senior and staff engineers.
• Provides expert-level review and final sign-off on substation design drawings — one-line, three-line, schematics, wiring, plan-section, conduit, and grounding drawings — ensuring technical accuracy and design intent.
• Directs the development and validation of bills of materials for substation physical and P&C scopes, ensuring completeness, cost-effectiveness, and constructability.
• Holds ultimate accountability for quality control across the design lifecycle, including final design review and approval prior to issue-for-construction.
• Directs full project lifecycle execution — from scoping and conceptual design through final design, construction support, and closeout — ensuring schedule, budget, and quality objectives are met.
• Ensures designs meet or exceed National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) requirements, and serves as an internal subject-matter expert on code interpretation and application.
• Interprets and adapts client design standards, advising clients on design alternatives and standard updates where appropriate.
• Mentors and provides technical direction to designers/drafters and junior/staff engineers, reviewing their drawing packages for technical accuracy and standards compliance.
• Supports construction phase activities, including RFI resolution, field engineering support, and constructability reviews.
• Travels occasionally to customer sites to support field investigations, walkdowns, and construction oversight.

What Sets You Apart:

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, or related degree with ten (10+) or more years of related substation design experience.

• PE License - Highly Preferred

• Demonstrate Excellent communication skills and ability to interact with the internal team and clients to meet project needs.

• Ability to meet deadlines under pressure situations.

• Collaborator and leader who can work effectively in team environment.

• Self-starter who works independently with minimal direction.

• Strong analytical skills and proven problem solver in both team and independent environments.

WHAT WE DO

Leidos is a trusted and technology-focused solutions provider. Utilities and mobile operators rely on our Power Delivery Services Team for reliable power and telecommunication expertise, as reflected through our work with more than 50 investor-owned utilities, more than 160 municipals/cooperatives, as well as a growing number of mobile operators, local utility providers and private developers. In addition to providing engineering and project management services, Leidos works with an established group of industry-leading construction partners delivering meaningful Energy Delivery Solutions. Our recognition as an industry leader is confirmed by the latest national rankings by Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranking Leidos within the Top 10 T&D Firms, and Top 10 Power Firms. To explore and learn more, click here! 

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

We take care of our employees. Leidos seeks the best and the brightest, and in return, we invest in you, with an eye on your future, through career advancement, growth opportunities and continuous improvement via mentoring, formal and informal project management training and assistance with obtaining pertinent certifications. We challenge you to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems, and reward you with a welcoming culture that recognizes the importance of a strong work/life balance, as well as competitive compensation and benefits. We believe that diversity and inclusion make us all better and offer the chance to have fun and make a difference.

PDSSUBSTATION

PowerDelivery

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.