Civil​/Structural Preconstruction Engineer

Dashiell is a leading national provider of technical services to the electric utility, power generation, industrial, renewable and energy industries. These services include planning and systems studies, design and engineering, maintenance and testing, program management, construction, and turnkey EPC projects. Built on 50 years of experience handling large scale complex projects;
Dashiell is unique in that we are a turnkey Engineering, Construction, and Testing company that specializes in medium and high voltage electrical infrastructure. More information about Dashiell can be found at

Position Title:
Civil/Structural Preconstruction Engineer

Location: 12301 Kurland Drive, Houston, TX 77034

Primary Function:

We are looking for an experienced Civil/Structural engineer to join our Preconstruction group, supporting the civil and structural scope on high voltage substation EPC projects. This is a technical and cross-functional role - sitting at the intersection of structural engineering, estimating, and procurement - where your work directly drives the accuracy and competitiveness of our bids.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Employee may be called upon to perform any or all of the following functions:

• Material takeoffs and cost estimates for substation EPC projects, from conceptual/FEL through firm price proposals.
• Develop concrete, reinforcing steel, structural steel, earthwork, grading, drainage, and civil infrastructure quantities from RFP/IFP, 30%, 60%, and/or IFC drawing sets.
• Prepare estimate basis documentation and assumption logs that clearly communicate scope inclusions, exclusions, and areas of risk or uncertainty.
• Perform value engineering analysis and identify cost-saving alternatives without compromising design intent or code compliance.
• Review geotechnical investigation reports and apply findings to foundation system design assumptions, bearing capacity, and soil parameters.
• Develop or review structure designs for substation equipment including seismic and wind loading per applicable codes (ACI, AISC, IEEE, ASCE
  7).
• Create detailed scopes of work, engineering notes, and technical specifications that the procurement team can solicit and price from subcontractors and material vendors.
• Develop RFQ packages for civil/structural subcontract scopes including earthwork, concrete, structural steel, pile driving, and site utilities.
• Collaborate with the procurement team to ensure lead times, material specs, and vendor qualifications align with project schedule and quality requirements.
• Review client-furnished electrical plans and coordinate civil/structural implications including equipment pad locations, conduit routing, grounding grid assumptions, and drainage considerations.
• Participate in constructibility reviews and identify site conditions, access constraints, or sequencing risks that affect civil/structural cost or schedule.
• Mentor junior civil/structural engineers; develop team capability in quantity takeoff methods, structural calculation standards, and estimating best practices.
• Assist with change order preparation and scope adjustment documentation during project execution as needed.
• Conduct or support site investigations and walkdowns to gather field data and validate estimate assumptions.
• Lead or participate in internal proposal reviews; present civil/structural scope clearly to estimating leads, project managers, and executive stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications / Experience

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or Construction Management from an ABET-accredited program preferred; significant field or EPC experience considered in lieu of degree.

• 4-7 years of experience in civil/structural design, estimating, or a combined role on substation, transmission, or heavy power infrastructure EPC projects.
• Demonstrated experience with structural analysis and design for substation applications: equipment foundations, bus support structures, control building structures, retaining walls, and oil containment.
• Experience developing civil/structural estimates and quantity takeoffs for high voltage substation projects (4kV-765kV).
• P.E. license preferred; candidates actively pursuing licensure will be considered.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable design codes: ACI 318, AISC 360, ASCE 7, IEEE 693, and relevant utility owner standards.
• Proficiency in structural analysis and design software such as RISA, L-Pile, or equivalent.
• Proficient with digital takeoff tools such as Bluebeam Revu or Adobe Acroba.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 ( Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Familiarity with utility owner design standards (CNP, ONCOR, AEP, Entergy, etc.).
• Exposure to industrial plants, BESS, solar, combined cycle generation and/or transmission line civil scope.
• Communicating effectively with co-workers, vendors, clients, etc.
• Ability to work in a team environment.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires minimal physical effort.
• Must be able to endure prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working…