Lead Substation Project Engineer

WSP is seeking a Lead Substation Project Engineer for our Data Center Initiation Team in Overland Park, KS. This role provides technical leadership for early-stage substation development and supports strategic decision-making for large-scale data center infrastructure projects.

As demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure accelerates, our clients are developing some of the world's largest, most complex, and most power-intensive facilities. In this role, you will help deliver the electrical infrastructure that enables next-generation data center campuses,projects requiring hundreds of megawatts of power and unprecedented levels of planning, engineering, and coordination.

You will work across the full project lifecycle, playing a key role in delivering critical infrastructure for some of the industry's most prominent clients.

What makes this opportunity unique is the breadth of collaboration across WSP's global organization. You will work alongside top experts in their field to solve highly complex infrastructure challenges.

In this role, you’ll lead the development of innovative substation designs at the earliest stages of high-profile data center projects. Your work will directly enable clients to evaluate feasibility, scalability, and long-term reliability, setting the foundation for successful project delivery.

You’ll collaborate across WSP’s diverse business lines to assess site conditions, utility capacity, and system requirements, bringing together the insights needed to turn complex challenges into actionable solutions.

As a technical leader, you’ll drive substation configuration, guide critical equipment selection, and define forward-thinking electrical infrastructure strategies.

Beyond design, you’ll play a key role in leading multidisciplinary teams and advancing projects from initial concept through to design handoff.

Your Impact

• Lead multidisciplinary coordination for site evaluation, infrastructure planning, and integration
• Support and contribute to proposal strategy, scope, and technical approach
• Lead execution of technical work during early project phases (initiation through design)
• Serve as a key interface with clients, utilities, and stakeholders
• Conduct site visits to validate designs and address constructability challenges
• Develop and track project scope, schedules, and technical deliverables
• Perform and oversee substation design, including:
• Physical design and/or protection & control systems
• Layouts, grounding, lightning protection, and SCADA integration
• Review and produce design deliverables (plans, elevations, wiring diagrams, etc.)
• Provide oversight and review of engineering studies and calculations
• Support equipment specification, procurement, and vendor evaluation
• Ensure QA/QC compliance across assigned deliverables
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers and designers
• Contribute to continuous improvement of design practices and standards
• Communicate technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• 10+ years of substation design experience
• Experience leading design packages or acting as technical lead
• Strong knowledge of substation systems, equipment, and design standards
• Experience in either physical or P&C design (cross-discipline exposure preferred)
• Ability to independently execute and coordinate technical work
• Strong communication, leadership, and coordination skills
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities
• Must be flexible to a variety of schedules to meet business needs and able to prioritize responsibilities and quickly adapt to change in a pressure work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and support junior staff
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional Engineer (PE) License
• Experience serving as technical lead on multi-discipline projects
• Data center or large infrastructure project experience

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation:

Expected Salary (all locations): $119,600 - $213,000