Young Management & Consulting (YMC) is seeking an experienced and safety-focused Substation Foreman to support Southern Company transmission and substation construction projects. The Substation Foreman will provide direct field leadership for crews performing the installation, expansion, modernization, maintenance, and replacement of high-voltage substation equipment and associated infrastructure.
This position is responsible for planning and directing daily field activities, assigning work to crew members, coordinating with project supervision and inspectors, monitoring productivity, and ensuring all work is completed safely and in accordance with Southern Company standards, approved drawings, project specifications, manufacturer requirements, and applicable industry regulations.
The ideal candidate will have extensive hands-on substation construction experience, proven crew leadership abilities, and a strong understanding of high-voltage equipment, grounding systems, structural installations, electrical connections, testing support, and utility safety practices.
Key ResponsibilitiesField Leadership and Crew Supervision
- Lead and supervise substation construction crews performing civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical installation activities.
- Plan daily work assignments and communicate production goals, safety requirements, and project priorities to crew members.
- Direct journeymen, equipment operators, technicians, electricians, laborers, and subcontractors assigned to the project.
- Monitor crew performance, productivity, attendance, and workmanship.
- Ensure employees understand approved construction drawings, work packages, procedures, and task-specific requirements.
- Provide hands-on guidance and technical support to field personnel.
- Promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and effective communication across the project site.
- Assist with training and mentoring less-experienced employees.
Substation Construction
- Direct the installation, replacement, modification, and maintenance of substation equipment and systems.
- Supervise work involving:
- Power transformers
- Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS)
- Air-Insulated Switchgear (AIS)
- High-voltage circuit breakers
- Disconnect switches
- Current transformers and potential transformers
- Surge arresters
- Capacitor banks and reactor banks
- Bus systems and bus supports
- Grounding grids and grounding conductors
- Control buildings
- Relay panels and control cabinets
- Station service equipment
- Battery and DC systems
- Conduit, cable tray, control cable, and power cable
- Coordinate equipment setting, assembly, alignment, bolting, grounding, wiring, and final installation.
- Verify equipment is installed according to approved drawings, specifications, manufacturer instructions, and utility standards.
- Support demolition, retrofit, expansion, and cutover work within existing substations.
- Coordinate activities in and around energized facilities.
Safety and Compliance
- Lead daily job briefings, toolbox talks, and pre-task planning meetings.
- Ensure all work complies with Southern Company safety requirements, OSHA regulations, NFPA 70E, and project-specific safety plans.
- Enforce proper use of Personal Protective Equipment.
- Verify compliance with Lockout/Tagout, grounding, clearance, switching, confined-space, excavation, lifting, and fall-protection procedures.
- Review Job Hazard Analyses and ensure identified controls are implemented.
- Maintain awareness of energized equipment, minimum approach distances, and restricted work areas.
- Stop work immediately when unsafe conditions or practices are identified.
- Report incidents, near misses, hazards, and property damage in accordance with project procedures.
- Reinforce a strong safety-first culture throughout the crew.
Planning and Coordination
- Review construction drawings, specifications, schedules, work packages, and installation procedures before beginning work.
- Coordinate daily activities with the Superintendent, Construction Manager, Project Manager, Engineer, Inspector, and Safety Representative.
- Identify labor, equipment, tooling, and material requirements for upcoming activities.
- Coordinate deliveries, crane operations, equipment mobilization, and material staging.
- Sequence work to support project milestones, outages, commissioning activities, and energization dates.
- Communicate field conditions, delays, conflicts, and resource needs to project leadership.
- Participate in daily coordination and weekly progress meetings.
- Coordinate with other disciplines to prevent work conflicts and schedule disruptions.
Quality Control
- Inspect completed work for compliance with approved drawings, specifications, and workmanship requirements.
- Verify proper equipment alignment, torque values, grounding, terminations, labeling, clearances, and installation tolerances.
- Ensure crews use approved materials, tools, procedures, and construction methods.
- Coordinate required inspections with client representatives, quality personnel, and third-party inspectors.
- Correct deficiencies before requesting formal inspection.
- Support resolution of punch-list items, field observations, and non-conformance reports.
- Maintain quality throughout all phases of construction and turnover.
Materials and Equipment
- Verify required materials and equipment are available before work begins.
- Inspect materials for damage, defects, and proper identification.
- Coordinate safe unloading, storage, preservation, and handling of high-value substation equipment.
- Maintain accountability for company tools, vehicles, equipment, and consumable materials.
- Ensure lifting equipment, rigging, tools, and machinery are inspected and used correctly.
- Report shortages, damaged materials, and equipment issues promptly.
Testing and Commissioning Support
- Coordinate construction completion activities with testing and commissioning personnel.
- Ensure equipment is ready for inspection, testing, and energization.
- Support continuity testing, megger testing, torque verification, point-to-point checks, functional testing, and equipment inspections.
- Assist with equipment outages, system cutovers, and energization preparation.
- Ensure construction deficiencies are corrected before turnover.
- Support final walkdowns and commissioning punch-list completion.
Documentation and Reporting
- Complete daily reports documenting manpower, work activities, equipment usage, production, delays, and field conditions.
- Maintain crew time records and verify employee hours.
- Track completed quantities and construction progress.
- Document safety meetings, inspections, and corrective actions.
- Maintain current construction drawings, redlines, work packages, and field documentation.
- Report schedule impacts, material shortages, design conflicts, and quality concerns.
- Provide photographic documentation of work progress when required.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Minimum 7 years of electric utility, industrial electrical, or substation construction experience.
- Minimum 3 years of experience leading substation construction crews in a Foreman, Lead, or General Foreman capacity.
- Demonstrated experience working in high-voltage transmission and distribution substations.
- Hands-on experience installing and maintaining major substation equipment.
- Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, one-line diagrams, equipment layouts, grounding plans, wiring diagrams, and technical specifications.
- Strong knowledge of electrical and construction safety requirements.
- Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
- Ability to travel throughout the Southern Company service territory and work extended schedules as project needs require.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting Southern Company or another major electric utility.
- Experience working in energized substations.
- Experience with transmission substations ranging from 69kV through 500kV.
- Experience with Gas-Insulated Switchgear and Air-Insulated Switchgear installations.
- Completion of a recognized electrical apprenticeship program.
- Journeyman Electrician or Journeyman Substation Technician qualification.
- OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification.
- First Aid and CPR certification.
- Qualified Electrical Worker training.
- NCCCO, rigging, crane-signal, forklift, aerial-lift, or excavation certifications.
- Experience with outage, switching, and clearance coordination.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong knowledge of high-voltage substation construction methods.
- Proven ability to lead and motivate field crews.
- Strong understanding of electrical hazards, grounding, clearances, and energized work environments.
- Ability to organize labor, materials, equipment, and daily work activities.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to identify constructability issues and recommend practical field solutions.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with contractors, engineers, inspectors, and client representatives.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality workmanship.
- Ability to work under pressure during outages, cutovers, and critical project activities.
- Basic proficiency with electronic timekeeping, email, tablets, and field-reporting systems.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to work outdoors in heat, cold, rain, wind, and other changing weather conditions.
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, climb, kneel, and work on uneven terrain for extended periods.
- Ability to climb ladders, scaffolding, structures, and equipment platforms.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to work around heavy equipment, cranes, energized systems, and active construction operations.
- Ability to wear arc-rated clothing and all required Personal Protective Equipment.
- Ability to work nights, weekends, overtime, and outage schedules when required.
Typical Documentation
- Daily Construction Reports
- Crew Time Records
- Job Hazard Analyses
- Daily Job Briefings
- Toolbox Talk Records
- Work Packages
- Construction Drawings and Redlines
- Equipment Installation Checklists
- Material Receiving Reports
- Inspection Requests
- Punch Lists
- Deficiency Logs
- Progress Reports
- Photo Documentation
- Testing and Turnover Records
- Incident and Near-Miss Reports
Pay: From $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
