Senior High Voltage CAD Designer

About AES

The AES Corporation is the largest US-based global power company with 8,300 employees across 12 countries. AES has been ranked #1 by BloombergNEF in renewable energy sales to corporations in the US and Americas for five consecutive years. The company was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year in 2026 and is a seven-time winner of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Awards in the twenty-first century.

About the Role

The High Voltage Engineering team delivers pre-construction development engineering and execution engineering for high voltage facilities associated with renewable energy power plants, with voltage ranges from 35kV up to 500kV. We are seeking a dynamic, team-oriented Senior HV CAD Designer to support high voltage substation and transmission design while also supplementing PV and BESS land development design needs.

This hybrid role will remain aligned primarily with the HV group, with approximately 75% of work focused on high voltage design and approximately 25% supporting PV and BESS land development efforts.

Location: Flexible work anywhere in the US

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

High Voltage Engineering Support (approximately 75%)

• Develop up to 30% substation packages in AutoCAD and/or Bluebeam for facilities ranging from 35kV up to 500kV, including single line diagrams, substation layouts, control building layouts, electrical elevation views, substation access, site access, relay panel elevations, and related design exhibits
• Provide drafting support for transmission line engineering by developing technical exhibits representing transmission structure pole designs, rights-of-way, and existing transmission line crossings for RFP and development-stage documents

PV and BESS Land Development Support (approximately 25%)

• Develop preliminary AutoCAD site plans, project layouts, early-stage design packages, single line diagrams, civil and electrical construction details, and related design documentation

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Design Development

• Collaborate with HV Project Engineers, Substation Leads, Transmission Leads, Development Engineers, Engineering Managers, real estate, survey, land, permitting, and project management teams to support integrated renewable project development
• Integrate and analyze survey data, shapefiles, site constraints, and input from subject matter experts to support accurate HV, PV, and BESS design layouts
• Coordinate with land and permitting teams to evaluate substation pads, PV/BESS layouts, site access, equipment access, wetlands, cultural or archeological areas, floodplain impacts, topography, and other development constraints
• Coordinate with HV Project Engineers, Substation Leads, and major equipment manufacturers to confirm adequate turn radii, access routes, and site access for equipment delivery
• Work independently and collaboratively to meet established deadlines, communicate proactively with project teams, and support design discussions among technical and non-technical stakeholders

Standards, Documentation, and Quality Management

• Develop and maintain substation, transmission, PV, and BESS CAD standards, templates, tools, blocks, and symbol databases to improve consistency, quality, and design efficiency
• Develop databases of major equipment for substation, transmission, PV, and BESS projects and support the development of Bills of Materials as a by-product of design packages
• Generate drawings that align with company drawing standards, templates, quality control procedures, completeness expectations, accuracy requirements, and applicable code considerations
• Review external consultant substation designs with emphasis on minimum clearances, structure design, electrical components, and alignment with AES design standards
• Develop and maintain documentation control processes to ensure project drafting and engineering documentation are uploaded successfully to AES project data rooms

Travel and Fieldwork

• Up to 10% travel and fieldwork

Career Development

• Growth opportunity for a leadership role within the design team

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher, or a two-year AAS degree, with emphasis on Computer Aided Design, Drafting and Design Technology, engineering, or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 5 years of proven drafting/design experience, including high voltage substation and/or transmission CAD design experience
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Microsoft Office applications, and related drafting tools
• General knowledge of electrical systems, drawings, diagrams, terminology, and code considerations for high voltage substations
• Familiarity with HV equipment such as main power transformers, circuit breakers, relay panels, and related substation components
• Ability to support PV and BESS land development design tasks, including site plans, layouts, single line diagrams, and coordination of civil and electrical design inputs
• Strong communication skills with the ability to lead and support design discussions among internal stakeholders
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Detail-oriented approach with strong problem-solving, critical thinking, verbal communication, and written communication skills
• Experience creating and maintaining CAD tools, templates, blocks, symbol databases, or design standardization resources

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience creating Bills of Materials for substation, transmission, PV, or BESS projects
• Experience with AutoCAD Civil 3D, PLS-CADD, shapefiles, GIS-based inputs, and renewable energy site development data
• Familiarity with solar PV designs, BESS layouts, civil and grading design, site design constraints, and land development considerations
• Experience coordinating with land, permitting, real estate, survey, and construction teams on renewable energy projects
• Familiarity with regional civil constraints such as wetlands, floodplains, karst topography, access limitations, and other site development considerations
• Ability and willingness to continue learning across high voltage, PV, and BESS design disciplines while maintaining primary alignment with the HV group

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: Expected salary at commencement of employment is between $87,000 and $104,550/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Additional Compensation: Annual bonus

Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) eligibility, and paid time off (including vacation, sick leave time, and parental leave)

Employment Status: "At-will position" — the Company reserves the right to modify base salary and any other discretionary payment or compensation program at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Equal Opportunity

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building strength and delivering long-term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.