Substation Engineer in Bethel, North Carolina at SunEnergy1LLC

The Substation Engineer will be responsible for the design, engineering, and coordination of high-voltage substations and interconnection facilities supporting utility-scale solar PV projects. This role ensures safe, reliable, and code-compliant delivery of substations from conceptual design through commissioning.

• Lead engineering and design of substations (typically 34.5kV–500kV) for solar PV and BESS projects
• Develop and review:
  • One-line diagrams
  • Three-line diagrams
  • Protection & control schematics
  • Relay settings and coordination studies
• Perform or oversee:
  • Load flow, short circuit, and grounding studies
  • Equipment sizing (transformers, breakers, switchgear, buswork)
• Coordinate interconnection design in compliance with utility requirements and ISO/RTO standards (e.g., PJM, ERCOT, MISO)
• Interface with utilities for interconnection agreements, studies, and approvals
• Support procurement by developing technical specifications and evaluating vendor bids
• Provide engineering support during construction, including RFIs, submittal reviews, and field issue resolution
• Participate in commissioning activities and ensure proper testing of substation equipment
• Ensure compliance with applicable standards (IEEE, NEC, NESC, ANSI)
• Collaborate cross-functionally with civil, structural, transmission line, and SCADA teams

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field
• 5–10+ years of experience in substation design (utility, EPC, or consulting environment)
• Experience with utility-scale renewable energy projects (solar and/or BESS preferred)
• Strong knowledge of high-voltage substation design and protection systems
• Familiarity with interconnection processes and grid compliance requirements
• Experience with engineering software (e.g., ETAP, SKM, PSCAD, AutoCAD, MicroStation)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred or ability to obtain

• Protection & control design (relays, SCADA, communication protocols)
• Substation physical layout and equipment specification
• Grounding and lightning protection design
• Relay coordination and arc flash analysis
• Understanding of utility interconnection standards and grid codes

• Experience working with major utilities or ISOs such as PJM, ERCOT, or CAISO
• Experience in EPC project environments or owner’s engineering roles
• Knowledge of renewable energy project lifecycle from development to COD

• Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving capability

• Hybrid or remote with travel to project sites
• Field visits for construction support and commissioning required