Senior High Voltage Design Engineer, Substations

Job Type: Full-Time | Location: British Columbia (Vancouver or Prince George, hybrid) with regular travel to IREN sites | Department: Engineering | Reporting to: VP, Engineering
IREN is a leading AI Cloud Service Provider, delivering large-scale GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN's vertically integrated platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and data centers in renewable-rich regions across the U.S. and Canada.

Reporting to the Vice President of Engineering, the Senior High Voltage Design Engineer acts as Owner's Engineer for the design of the high and medium voltage substations that connect our Canadian data center campuses to the grid, typically 12kV to 287kV. You will direct and review the work of external engineering consultants and EPC contractors, partner with utilities such as BC Hydro, and set the standardized substation designs we will repeat across our greenfield and brownfield sites.

This is a design role for someone who has designed substations. You have produced switchyard layouts, grounding and lightning protection designs, protection philosophies and engineering studies yourself, at a consulting firm, an EPC or a utility, and carried them through construction and energization. That is what lets you hold a consultant's design to account. It is not a project management, distribution design or field technician role.

With 100% renewable energy, we build, own and operate our data centers and take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the ever-evolving applications of high-performance compute. We believe that human progress is invaluable, but it should be done in the right way: responsibly, sustainably and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in.

Responsibilities

• Lead and review the detailed design of HV/MV substations (typically 12kV to 287kV), including one-line diagrams and protection philosophies, switchyard layouts, grounding and lightning protection systems, AC/DC auxiliary systems and station service design, cable routing, duct banks and raceway design.
• Act as Owner's Engineer, overseeing external engineering consultants and EPC contractors for substation design.
• Review and approve engineering deliverables, calculations, drawings and specifications.
• Perform and/or review engineering studies including short circuit, load flow, grounding, insulation coordination and equipment duty.
• Develop and maintain standardized substation design templates to support rapid deployment of data center campuses.
• Develop and/or review technical specifications for major substation equipment (transformers, breakers, AIS and GIS equipment, protection systems) and support procurement, including technical bid evaluations and vendor document reviews.
• Ensure designs align with project requirements, reliability targets and internal standards.
• Support value engineering and constructability reviews to optimize cost, schedule and scalability.
• Provide engineering support during construction (RFI responses, site issue resolution), Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), commissioning and energization.
• Conduct site visits to verify existing conditions and monitor installation quality.
• Coordinate across disciplines including civil, structural, protection and control (P&C) and SCADA.
• Collaborate with internal teams (data center design, construction, operations).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems preferred). P.Eng or eligibility for registration with EGBC preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive substation engineering experience with substations as the core of the work, gained at a consulting or engineering firm, an EPC, or a utility.
• Hands-on detailed design authorship of HV substations at 69kV and above: switchyard layouts, one-line diagrams, grounding and lightning protection, insulation coordination, protection philosophy, AC/DC auxiliary and station service systems.
• Proven delivery of substation projects from concept through construction, commissioning and energization, including field time.
• Experience developing or reviewing technical specifications for major substation equipment (transformers, breakers, AIS and GIS, protection systems) and supporting technical bid evaluations.
• Ability to perform and review engineering studies: short circuit, load flow, grounding, insulation coordination and equipment duty. Working knowledge of ETAP, SKM, PSCAD, PSS/E, CDEGS or similar.
• Strong understanding of applicable Canadian codes and utility standards. Interconnection experience with a Canadian utility such as BC Hydro, ATCO or Fortis is a strong asset.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to interface with utilities, contractors and internal stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on quality, safety and reliability.
• Comfortable balancing standardization with project-specific customization.
• Willing to travel regularly to Prince George and other IREN sites in BC, and Alberta in future.

Benefits

• At IREN, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package designed to support your health, well-being, and long-term success. Our Canada package includes:

  Compensation

  • The expected base salary for this role starts at $130,000.00 CAD.
    • Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, qualifications, and market data for the region.
  • Total Compensation package may be inclusive of annual incentive bonus, and equity (long-term incentive)
  • Relocation assistance (as appliable and based on successful candidate circumstances)

  Health & Wellness

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage – 100% company paid for employees and dependents
  • Company-paid life and disability insurance
  • Voluntary life and critical illness coverage available
  • Employee Assistance Program and virtual health care platform

  Financial Well-Being

  • RRSP with company match
  • Voluntary TFSA

  Time Off & Flexibility

  • 3 weeks annually for vacation and paid holidays
  • Flexible work arrangements (hybrid) – for some roles

  Growth & Development

  • Opportunities for advancement and internal mobility
  • Training and personal development opportunities

  Lifestyle & Culture

  • Company events and team-building activities