Electrical Engineer - Substations - Power & Energy

Atwell

Chicago, Illinois

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), Acceptance Testing, Alternative Energy, American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), AutoCAD, Bill of Materials (BOM), Commissioning, Construction, Construction Engineering, Construction Support, Consulting, Control Engineering, Cross-Functional, Customer Relations, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Substation, Electrical Wiring, Energy & Utilities, Fitness, Flexible Spending Accounts, High Voltage (HV), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), Industry Standards, Land Development, Licensing, Microsoft Office, National Electrical Code, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Netscape IFC (Internet Foundation Classes), OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), Package Layout Design, Power Engineering, Power Generation, Professional Engineer, Project/Program Management, Purchasing/Procurement, Real Estate Development, Reimbursement, Schematics, Software Administration, Startup, Student Loans, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Technical Delivery, Technical Support, Technical/Engineering Design, Transportation Routing
LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois
POSTED
15 days ago

Who We Are

Atwell, LLC is a bold leader in the consulting, engineering, and construction services industry, delivering a broad range of creative solutions to clients in the real estate & land development, and energy markets. We have a strong national presence and a diverse, award-winning project portfolio. Atwell is a privately owned company, with 2,000+ passionate team members across 75+ locations and growing!

Atwell, LLC is a proud recipient of the following 2025 awards:

  • Ten consecutive years in a row as a “Best Place to Work” by Zweig Group (#11)
  • Recognized as #70 in the ENR Top 500 Design Firms, ranked in every region
  • Recognized in Crain's “Fast 50” as one of the fastest-growing companies (#14)
  • Recognized as the 2025 ENR Design Firm of the year for the Southeastern US

Atwell is seeking a Substation Engineer to join our growing Power & Energy team. We are a full-service consulting firm supporting the design and execution of power generation and power delivery systems across a broad range of markets, including utility-scale wind, solar, BESS, substations, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

This role offers the opportunity to support impactful utility and renewable energy projects, work across multi-disciplinary teams, and contribute to both and/or substation physical design and protection & controls engineering.

What You’ll Do

  • Support the design and engineering of high-voltage substations for utility, renewable, and power delivery projects
  • Contribute to both physical substation design and Protection & Controls (P&C) engineering packages
  • Lead or support engineering tasks from project kickoff through IFC/design package completion
  • Coordinate closely with civil, structural, SCADA, relay, and project management teams to deliver integrated solutions
  • Prepare technical deliverables including one-lines, three-lines, schematics, wiring diagrams, panel layouts, grounding plans, conduit/raceway layouts, cable schedules, bills of material, specifications, reports, and client-facing documents
  • Provide engineering support during procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup phases
  • Occasionally travel for field walkdowns, client meetings, factory acceptance testing, or construction support

Focus Areas

Physical Design

  • Develop and support substation physical layout and design packages for high-voltage projects
  • Prepare or review:
    • General arrangement drawings
    • Plan and elevation drawings
    • Grounding layouts
    • Conduit and cable routing plans
    • Control building layouts
    • Equipment connection details
    • Foundation and equipment interface coordination
  • Coordinate major equipment layouts including transformers, breakers, switches, bus systems, CCVTs/PTs, CTs, panels, batteries, and other station equipment
  • Work closely with civil and structural teams to align grading, foundations, trenching, and equipment placement
  • Support development of material lists, specifications, and installation details

Protection & Controls (P&C)

  • Develop and support P&C design packages including:
    • One-line and three-line diagrams
    • AC/DC schematics
    • Wiring diagrams
    • Relay panel layouts
    • Interconnection diagrams
    • Communication diagrams
    • SCADA point lists
  • Perform engineering calculations such as battery sizing, voltage drop, conduit fill, and cable sizing
  • Support relay setting development, protection philosophies, and coordination with OEMs and system stakeholders
  • Contribute to arc flash, coordination, and other protection-related studies as applicable

What We’re Looking For

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited program
  • 5+ years of experience in substation engineering, power delivery, utility, or renewable energy projects
  • Experience supporting physical design, Protection & Controls, or both within substation projects
  • Strong understanding of high-voltage substation systems and design practices
  • Experience developing engineering deliverables such as one-lines, schematics, wiring diagrams, layouts, grounding plans, and design packages
  • Familiarity with applicable industry codes and standards including NEC, NESC, IEEE, ANSI, and NFPA
  • Proficiency with tools such as AutoCAD, Bluebeam, and Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications

  • Professional Engineer (PE) license, or ability to obtain
  • Experience supporting utility-scale renewable energy projects, transmission, or high-voltage infrastructure
  • Familiarity with relay coordination, SCADA integration, grounding design, and substation design standards
  • Experience with ETAP, SKM, ASPEN, CYMCAP, or similar power system software is a plus

Pay Band - $100,000 - $155,000 base + bonus + benefits. 

Disclaimer 

While AI tools may support your application process, this role is built on human talent. Your judgment, experience, and character matter most, so we encourage you to showcase what makes you uniquely you.

Atwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from any 3rd party agencies. No fee will be paid to 3rd parties who submit unsolicited resumes to any Atwell employee. Resumes from approved vendors must be specifically requested by Atwell and approved by the Atwell Talent Acquisition Team.

#LI-TK1

Pay Range

$1 - $1USD

Atwell Benefits: To attract and retain the best professionals in the industry, we aim to provide an excellent working environment and a progressive benefits program designed to support your personal and professional needs.

Work/Life:

  • Generous Paid Time Off
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Flexible work schedules are available for some positions
  • Tenure Awards — Travel Vouchers to see the world based on your travel preferences

Compensation:

  • Competitive Compensation packages 
  • Annual bonuses, spot bonuses and peer recognition awards
  • 401K match - 1:1 up to 4% of compensation 
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Student Loan Repayment 
  • Paid Licensing / Certification Fees and Renewals
  • Financial Rewards for Obtaining Licensure
  • Employee Referrals 
  • Annual Wellness Reimbursement for anything wellness related (Gym memberships, fitness tracker, home gym equipment, etc.)
  • Dependent Care Match

‘Atwell’ness:

  • Medical (BC/BS), Dental (Delta), and Vision (VSP)
  • Family Planning & IVF Benefits
  • Pet Insurance
  • Health Savings Account & Flex Spending Account options
  • Employer paid LTD, STD, and life insurance
  • Metlife Supplemental Benefits covering accident, hospitalization, and critical illness
  • Member Assistance Program (MAP) with complimentary counseling sessions, legal benefits, financial consultations, and work/life referral services

About the Company

A

Atwell

Atwell is a bold leader in the consulting, engineering and construction industry. We serve three markets, and deliver countless solutions to our clients.

Atwell includes three divisions – Atwell, LLC, Strategic Construction Solutions, and Atwell Canada. As individual entities, these companies offer custom solutions for your precise industry. Working together, they collaborate seamlessly across departments and locations to deliver what you need, where you need it, all from one trusted source.

Atwell International: Expertise on the global stage
To service clients with global interests or portfolios, Atwell operates an international division with experience in more than 25 countries on five continents. Our teams are able to offer consistent program management for US-based organizations expanding into other countries, as well as support foreign investors and companies with real estate interests in the US.

Our team has provided program management, regulatory consulting, environmental consulting and development services in support of major manufacturers and suppliers in global markets, specifically automotive and transportation.

Driven by projects and clients, the division has had a sustained presence in Asia for the past decade, with offices previously in both South Korea and China. Atwell also maintains relationships with global partners to extend its reach and knowledge base to any area, regardless of previous experience.

COMPANY SIZE
500 to 999 employees
INDUSTRY
Engineering Services
FOUNDED
2008
WEBSITE
http://www.atwell-group.com