Lead Electrical Design Engineer

Description

A well-established, 100% employee-owned engineering firm seeks a Lead Electrical Design Engineer for its Biddeford, ME office. This organization is recognized as one of the largest engineering firms in the United States and a leader in systems integration and engineering services.

The Lead Electrical Design Engineer will oversee protection and control design projects for substations, power plants, and switchgear. This role involves performing and directing all aspects of electrical design, including protective relaying, circuit breakers, transformers, PLCs, HMIs, network architecture, and SCADA. Additionally, this individual will supervise staff engineers during project efforts.

The ideal candidate will have a diverse skill set, the ability to work independently, and the capability to act as a technical lead on projects, providing guidance to junior engineers and technicians.

Major Responsibilities:

The Lead Electrical Design Engineer will provide engineering services for utility substations and generation stations, including the following responsibilities:

• Design and oversee electrical systems for substations, power plants, and switchgear upgrades, leveraging expertise in protective relays and control systems (IEC-61850 knowledge preferred).
• Lead project planning, design, specification, and implementation phases, ensuring projects are completed within scope, time, and budget constraints.
• Develop and implement strategies for integrating SCADA, HMI, and PLC systems with electrical power systems to ensure robust and user-friendly operation.
• Program protective relays to implement protection setpoints, custom control logic, and remote communications.
• Set up and execute Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) with clients.
• Prepare comprehensive project documentation, including design drawings, schematics, and technical specifications.
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to junior engineers and design staff, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning.
• Act as the primary technical contact for clients, contractors, and suppliers, managing expectations and resolving technical issues.
• Stay informed of emerging technologies, industry trends, and regulatory changes, incorporating innovative solutions into design practices.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, lead project meetings, and ensure projects meet scheduling and financial requirements.
• Assist in developing estimates for client proposals.

Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (electrical, mechanical, or engineering technology) is required.
• BSEE or BSEET from an accredited institution is preferred.

Experience

• 5-10 years of experience with capabilities in the following areas is preferred:
• In-depth understanding of three-phase power systems and associated equipment, including circuit breakers, transformers, CTs, PTs, batteries and chargers, transfer switches, relaying, and metering.
• Extensive experience with AutoCAD.
• Expertise in standard electrical drawing packages such as elevation drawings, one-lines, three-lines, AC/DC control elementaries, and wiring diagrams.
• Knowledge of protective relaying and control scheme implementation, with experience in key relay vendors like SEL, GE, Beckwith, Basler, and Alstom.
• Familiarity with automation data concentrators, particularly SEL-RTAC.
• Experience with rotating machinery, including motors, generators, and excitation systems.
• Knowledge of SCADA, RTU, and DFR systems.
• Experience or familiarity with IEC-61850.
• A valid and unrestricted driver’s license is required.

Physical Demands:

The role involves tasks such as seeing, color perception, hearing, clear speech, dexterity in hands, driving, lifting, climbing, mounting and dismounting equipment, pushing, pulling, and working in various temperature and environmental conditions. There may be exposure to hazardous materials and electrical voltages.

Working Conditions:

On-site work may involve exposure to various environmental factors, including temperature fluctuations, moisture, slippery or uneven surfaces, confined spaces, heights, and noise. The role may require irregular or extended hours, being on call, and travel to complete project assignments.