Distribution Designer

Lead Distribution Designer III/IV

Job Description

The Distribution Designer III/IV leads utility distribution design efforts for new business and customer-driven projects, with a strong focus on ADUs, EV infrastructure, and related distribution work. This role combines deep technical expertise with day-to-day leadership of a distribution design team, emphasizing mentoring, quality assurance, troubleshooting, and coordination with utility stakeholders rather than heavy production design. The position offers the opportunity to leverage SDG&E distribution experience in a highly visible technical leadership seat, influencing project quality, schedules, and overall delivery success.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical lead and day-to-day resource for utility distribution designers, providing guidance on complex design issues.
• Mentor and train junior and mid-level designers, supporting their technical development and growth within the distribution team.
• Provide technical support to Project Managers and coordinate effectively with SDG&E points of contact to keep projects aligned with utility requirements.
• Perform thorough QA/QC reviews of distribution designs to identify and resolve issues before submittal, ensuring accuracy and compliance with standards.
• Help manage team workload, priorities, deadlines, and deliverables to maintain project momentum and meet client expectations.
• Support new business and customer-driven distribution projects, including ADU and EV-related work, from concept through design completion.
• Offer design guidance and troubleshooting support rather than carrying a heavy production-design workload, focusing on oversight and problem solving.
• Help prevent design errors, missed submittals, and project delays by proactively identifying risks and implementing corrective actions.
• Utilize applicable SDG&E systems to review, guide, and support distribution design activities in both overhead and underground environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in power and utilities to ensure utility design solutions meet engineering, safety, and reliability standards.

Essential Skills

• Approximately 812+ years of utility distribution design experience, with a strong focus on power distribution and delivery.
• SDG&E-qualified Distribution Designer at Level 3 or 4, with the ability to work within applicable SDG&E systems.
• Qualification in overhead and/or underground distribution design, with sufficient knowledge of both to provide technical leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in utility distribution engineering and design for new business and customer projects, including ADU and EV-related work.
• Strong understanding of utility distribution standards, design requirements, and QA/QC processes for power and utilities projects.
• Proven experience mentoring designers or providing technical leadership to design teams in a utility or power distribution environment.
• Proficiency with distribution design tools and practices, including Autocad and related engineering and utility design technologies.
• Excellent communication skills to interact with designers, Project Managers, and utility points of contact.
• Strong organizational abilities to manage workloads, priorities, and deadlines across multiple projects.
• Advanced problem-solving skills to troubleshoot technical issues, resolve design challenges, and improve project outcomes.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience as a Distribution Designer with both overhead (OH) and underground (UG) distribution systems; candidates primarily overhead-qualified may be considered with sufficient underground design knowledge.
• Experience in power distribution, electrical design, and power delivery within utility environments.
• Familiarity with utility design and distribution engineering practices specific to power and utilities projects.
• Ability to serve as a visible lead technical resource, influencing project quality, schedules, and team performance.
• Comfort working in a role that emphasizes technical judgment, mentoring, and oversight rather than high-volume production design.
• Capability to adapt to evolving customer-driven needs, including ADU and EV infrastructure projects.

Work Environment

The role operates in a collaborative office environment with a strong onsite presence, typically four days per week in the office, with some potential flexibility. The position functions as an individual contributor and technical lead, providing day-to-day leadership and mentoring without formal performance-management responsibilities. Work centers on utility distribution design for power and utilities projects, utilizing technologies such as Autocad and SDG&E systems, and involves close coordination with project teams and utility contacts. The environment supports professional growth, exposure to a variety of projects, and the opportunity to establish oneself as a lead technical resource across multiple initiatives.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of San Diego, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $72.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

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)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of San Diego, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 27, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in San Diego,CA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.