Distribution Engineering I (Houston)

This role focuses on designing and supporting overhead and underground electrical distribution systems from 4kV through 138kV. You will develop detailed design and construction work packages, perform engineering calculations, support permitting and construction activities, and contribute to system reliability and safety. The position offers strong training, exposure to customer standards and tools, and the opportunity to grow your expertise in power distribution engineering in both office and field settings.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive design and construction work packages for overhead and underground electrical distribution systems operating from 4kV through 138kV, including programmatic work such as overloaded transformers, inspection and maintenance, joint use, and inspection reports.
• Apply and comply with all safety requirements, as well as design and quality expectations, in every phase of engineering work.
• Travel to project sites as needed to perform field inspections, collect data, and then return to the office to complete detailed engineering design work.
• Perform engineering calculations, including structural analysis for wood pole loading, guying calculations, conductor sag and tension specifications for recommended spans, and voltage drop and flicker calculations.
• Develop permitting documents for various authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), ensuring that designs meet regulatory and permitting requirements.
• Provide engineering support during construction, including responding to field questions, resolving design issues, and conducting post-construction reviews to verify compliance with applicable engineering and construction standards.
• Conduct root cause analysis of outages using engineering principles, and develop mitigation plans and design solutions to improve system reliability.
• Use customer GIS and work management systems (such as GE Smallworld and Bentley Expert Designer) to develop work packages for overhead, underground, underground residential distribution (URD), make-ready, and street lighting projects.
• Coordinate with other utilities and stakeholders to resolve conflicting utility locations and address field engineering design requirements.
• Assess and develop design packages for complex cable and conduit projects in dense urban environments, including work permits, easements, and right-of-way (ROW) applications.
• Contribute to the design of mainline vault medium-voltage switchgear, network system design, and distribution system protection and coordination.
• Participate in training on customer engineering and construction standards, NESC requirements, structural pole modeling, electrical power calculations, GIS design, project and financial management, and client design standards.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• At least 2 years of experience in the power distribution utility industry.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for engineering design and drafting.
• Experience with power distribution and distribution engineering, including overhead and underground system design.
• Ability to perform structural analysis for wood pole loading, guying calculations, conductor sag and tension specifications, and voltage drop and flicker calculations.
• Familiarity with GIS tools such as ArcGIS and ArcMap.
• Understanding of utility design and power delivery concepts.
• Ability to develop permitting documents for authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs).
• Capability to provide engineering support during construction and perform post-construction reviews.
• Strong interest in developing work packages for overhead, underground, URD, make-ready, and street lighting projects using customer GIS and work management systems.
• Comfort working in both field and office environments.
• EIT certification preferred but not required.

• Experience with distribution design tools such as BOUD, SOCKET, or similar platforms.
• Experience using CAD tools such as MicroStation.
• Additional experience with GIS-based design tools and workflows.
• Familiarity with the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC).
• Experience working with and applying design standards in utility environments.
• Interest or experience in structural pole modeling, electrical power calculations, and distribution system protection and coordination.
• Exposure to GIS design training, project management, financial management, and client-specific design standards.
• Willingness to learn customer engineering and construction standards through structured training.

This is primarily an in-office position with occasional field work, typically involving approximately 90% office work and 5–10% field time. In the office, you will work with engineering design and analysis tools, including AutoCAD, GIS platforms such as ArcGIS and ArcMap, and customer-specific systems like GE Smallworld and Bentley Expert Designer. Field visits involve site inspections, data collection, and coordination with other utilities and stakeholders. The environment emphasizes safety, adherence to engineering and construction standards, and collaboration across engineering and operations teams.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Houston, TX.

The pay range for this position is $29.81 - $30.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Houston,TX.

This position is anticipated to close on Apr 22, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.