Job Description

RCS Staffing is placing an Engineering Manager – Substation with a leading transmission and substation engineering firm. This is a direct-hire opportunity for a seasoned substation engineering leader ready to manage a team of physical engineers, designers, drafters, and CAD technicians — and potentially the supervisors who lead them. This is primarily a leadership role: you will establish and maintain the systems, processes, and culture that drive project delivery, quality control, financial performance, staff development, and client engagement across the substation physical design discipline.

OVERVIEW OF YOUR ROLE As Engineering Manager – Substation, you will provide leadership, management, and engineering expertise to a skilled substation physical engineering and design organization. You will carry direct management responsibility for engineers, designers, CAD technicians, and administrative staff — and may also manage supervisors who oversee physical design teams. Your focus is on building and sustaining a high-performing team, owning project tracking and financial controls, ensuring technical excellence, and developing long-term client partnerships. You will also serve as responsible charge engineer on projects as needed and contribute directly to business development and strategic planning.

YOU WILL Build and Lead a High-Performing Team

• Directly manage a team of substation physical engineers, designers, CAD technicians, and administrative personnel — and/or supervisors who manage physical design teams.
• Motivate, develop, and hold individuals accountable using effective leadership techniques, communication, and management systems; ensure team members have the training, tools, and environment to perform at their best.
• Coach, train, and mentor engineers, designers, and engineering supervisors; provide honest and constructive feedback, assist in priority setting, and create pathways for personal and professional growth.
• Carry out personnel programs including performance reviews, training, recruiting, and succession planning; enforce standards of conduct consistently. Own Operational and Technical Excellence
• Establish and maintain systems for tracking project status, client satisfaction, staff development, and quality control; continuously improve processes and procedures to ensure the best possible delivered designs.
• Perform project management and controls activities on client projects; serve as responsible charge engineer as needed.
• Ensure cost and utilization goals are met through effective planning, organizing, scheduling, and monitoring of work activities.
• Provide technical direction to project teams on complex multi-discipline substation projects; develop and maintain engineering standards, work practices, and technical systems.
• Maintain current knowledge of industry codes, standards, and best practices (NESC, IEEE); develop awareness of emerging tools and applications to drive continuous improvement across the team. Drive Client Relationships and Business Growth
• Manage and develop client relationships through true partnerships between the firm and its utility clients; build trust and long-term engagement.
• Assist in recruiting efforts, business development, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Administer and ensure adherence to corporate safety policies; carry out administrative duties in accordance with company policy.

YOU ARE THE IDEAL CANDIDATE IF YOU HAVE

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Civil Engineering (Electrical preferred) from an ABET-accredited institution.
• 10+ years of engineering practice with 10+ years specifically in substation engineering.
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license — required for this position.
• Demonstrated experience managing engineering and design teams — including direct reports and, ideally, managing supervisors.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain systems for project tracking, quality control, financial controls, and staff development.
• Strong project management skills; experience managing utilization, cost, and profitability goals across a team.
• Excellent communication skills and a customer-oriented approach; proven track record of building and sustaining client partnerships in the utility industry.
• Self-motivated leader with the ability to manage multiple priorities, hold people accountable, and drive results.

IT'S A BONUS IF YOU HAVE

• PE registration in multiple states and/or an NCEES record facilitating multi-state licensure.
• 8–10+ years of electrical utility substation design experience with working knowledge of substation design at 69kV and above.
• Deep technical proficiency across all aspects of utility substation physical design — general arrangement, equipment layout (breakers, transformers, cap banks, reactors), foundation design, grounding, lightning and shielding protection, relays and controls.
• Ability to perform and oversee grounding studies, bus calculations, lightning protection studies, and substation lighting/illumination studies.
• Experience with process improvement — ability to continuously refine procedures that improve design quality, consistency, and delivery efficiency.
• Experience supporting business development, proposal development, or strategic planning at a management level.

ABOUT OUR CLIENT Our client is a leading transmission and substation engineering and design firm serving electric utilities across the United States. Their substation engineering team delivers high-quality work on a wide range of projects — from conventional utility substation construction and modifications to battery energy storage and solar collector substation programs. Leaders here manage technically complex, high-visibility programs with direct impact on grid reliability and the energy transition.

WHO WE ARE RCS Staffing is a certified Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) specializing in the recruitment of professionals for best-of-class companies throughout the United States. Since 1994, RCS recruits top talent for direct hire, temp-to-perm and contract staffing positions and provides customized payroll services. Our Recruiting Specialties consist of all Engineering Disciplines, Project Management, Project Controls, Information Technology, Energy Efficiency and Business Professionals.

RCS is an equal opportunity employer that prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. RCS recruits, hires, and promotes for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, disability, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, genetic information or age. All terms and conditions of employment such as compensation, benefits, work assignment, availability of facilities and privileges of employment are administered on the same basis of equality.