Design Technician – Saint Bernard, OH
The Design Technician is an entry-level role focused on developing detailed design and construction work packages for electrical distribution systems ranging from 4kV to 138kV, combining office-based engineering design with field inspections. The position involves performing engineering calculations, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards, supporting construction activities, and collaborating with clients and internal teams. It offers strong training, career growth opportunities, and requires onsite work primarily in Cincinnati, OH, with some travel to project sites.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Engineering.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
This entry-level Design Technician role supports power distribution design and field inspection work for overhead and underground electrical distribution systems (4 kV – 138 kV). You will produce detailed design and construction work packages, perform engineering calculations, support permitting and construction, and visit job sites to collect data and confirm installations. This position combines hands-on fieldwork with office-based engineering tasks and includes training and career-growth opportunities.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop complete design and construction work packages for electrical distribution systems (4 kV – 138 kV) focused on programmatic work (e.g., overloaded transformers, inspection & maintenance, joint use, inspection reports).
- Perform engineering calculations including wood-pole structural analysis, guying calculations, conductor sag/tension, voltage drop and flicker calculations.
- Prepare permitting documentation for Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) and ensure compliance with local requirements.
- Conduct field inspections to gather site data and verify conditions, then complete office design work based on field findings.
- Provide engineering support during construction: respond to field questions, review construction for alignment with design intent, and perform post-construction reviews.
- Perform root-cause analyses of outages and propose mitigation strategies.
- Collaborate with internal teams and stakeholders; represent the Confidential Client professionally in meetings.
- Manage multiple project priorities while maintaining quality deliverables and timelines.
- Grow into technical leadership roles and lead small teams as experience and capability increase.
Minimum Qualifications
- Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, or a related discipline.
- Foundational knowledge of power distribution and electrical distribution systems.
- Ability to perform standard engineering calculations relevant to distribution design.
- Familiarity with GIS-based tools and other engineering/design software commonly used in utility work.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including outage root-cause analysis.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills for interacting with clients and field personnel.
- Willingness and ability to travel to field sites as needed for inspections and project support.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification preferred.
- Prior experience in power distribution or utility engineering environments is a plus.
- Experience using GIS and utility design tools.
- Interest in long-term career development within power delivery and infrastructure modernization.
Work Environment & Schedule
- This position is based in an office environment in Saint Bernard, OH, with required field visits to project sites across the service territory.
- Initial onsite expectation: four days per week during the first 9–12 months; after direct hire, typical onsite expectation shifts to three days per week with potential flexibility over time.
- Standard schedule: first shift, Monday–Friday. Mileage for authorized travel is reimbursed.
Compensation & Benefits
- Contract-to-hire role.
- Pay range: $24.04 per hour (hourly rate provided in source). Individual pay offered will vary based on experience and other job-related factors.
- If eligible, benefits for temporary or direct-hire employees may include medical, dental & vision, retirement (401k), life insurance options, short/long-term disability, HSA, transportation benefits, and paid time off — subject to plan terms and eligibility.
Why Apply
- Hands-on experience with utility distribution design and field inspection work.
- Structured training and clear pathways for career growth into engineering design and leadership roles.
- Work in a stable, infrastructure-focused industry with long-term opportunity.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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