Substation Senior Associate Lead Electrical Engineer

WSP is currently initiating a search for a Substation Senior Associate Lead Electrical Engineer for our Buffalo, NY office. Be involved in projects with our Power & Energy Substation Team and be a part of a growing organization that meets our clients’ objectives and solves their challenges. 

This Opportunity

Provides senior‑level technical leadership and subject matter expertise for utility transmission and distribution substation projects, supporting planning, detailed engineering design, design reviews, procurement support, construction support, and commissioning coordination. Responsibilities include leading and overseeing substation physical design and/or protection and control (P&C) design activities across multi‑site and multi‑phase projects, based on project needs and individual expertise.

This role supports the research, design, concept development, and delivery of medium‑ and high‑voltage substations, including equipment layouts, grounding and lightning protection systems, AC/DC systems, SCADA and communications interfaces, control systems, and associated substation infrastructure. Provides technical direction to project teams, project managers, and discipline leads to ensure design quality, constructability, and consistency with applicable utility standards, IEEE, NESC, ANSI, and NERC requirements. Ensures work is delivered in accordance with industry best practices and meets WSP’s quality, safety, and performance expectations. 

Your Impact

• Provide senior technical oversight for collecting, compiling, and analyzing data related to substation site conditions, engineering drawings, GIS data, equipment specifications, procurement package development, and IFR/IFC design and review processes, in accordance with applicable utility and industry standards.
• Serve as a technical authority for the review and approval of complex substation electrical design packages, ensuring technical accuracy, constructability, and compliance with applicable codes, standards, and client requirements.
• Apply advanced electrical engineering principles to guide substation design solutions throughout the project lifecycle, including concept development, detailed design, procurement support, construction support, and commissioning coordination.
• Lead and oversee professional electrical engineering work associated with substation physical and/or protection and control (P&C) design, including one‑line and three‑line diagrams, control schematics, wiring and interconnection diagrams, general arrangements, bus configurations, grounding grid design, lightning protection, and AC/DC systems.
• Provide technical leadership in developing equipment sizing, cabling strategies, control panel layouts, raceway systems (conduit and cable tray), and trenching designs that account for safety, reliability, maintainability, and operational performance.
• Review and approve complex electrical calculations including load flow, short circuit, grounding (touch and step potential), insulation coordination, auxiliary power systems, and related substation analyses.
• Provide senior‑level constructability input and technical support during field visits and site walkdowns for new‑build, expansion, and retrofit substation projects, assisting with resolution of RFIs and technical issues during construction.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for interpretation and application of utility client design standards and specifications across complex substation projects.
• Provide technical review and oversight of permit‑related engineering content, including drawings, calculations, and design criteria, to ensure substation designs comply with applicable codes, standards, and sound engineering practice.
• Oversee and mentor engineers and designers, providing technical guidance, QA/QC oversight, and support for professional development.
• Provide senior technical leadership across large and complex substation projects, supporting technical scope definition, design schedules, and coordination of internal and external engineering resources in collaboration with project managers.
• Engage with utility clients, project stakeholders, and internal teams to address complex substation engineering challenges, design decisions, and technical risks.
• Collaborate with project managers, discipline leads, vendors, and internal stakeholders to support successful execution of substation projects.
• Collaborate with engineers and planners across disciplines on utility substation projects, including technical support for proposal development and business development efforts.
• Prepare and review technical reports, calculations, design narratives, and presentations communicating engineering decisions, risks, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
• Remain current w