Electrical Engineering Lead

NES Fircroft; Reading; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership across design, development, assessment and delivery of complex electrical power systems in large-scale industrial environments. Reading-based, 12-month contract, Inside IR35, with strong emphasis on safety, standards and governance.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, review electrical system designs, and drive protection philosophies, modelling and commissioning activities to ensure reliability

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Extensive leadership experience in industrial electrical engineering settings.
• Strong expertise in electrical power systems design, operation, protection and reliability.
• Experience developing engineering standards, design basis, specifications and philosophies.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across complex programmes.

Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise in electrical power generation, distribution, protection and control systems.
• Lead technical reviews of electrical system designs ensuring compliance with standards and best practice.
• Offer expertise in protection philosophies, relay selection, fault/co-ordination studies and reliability assessments.
• Develop and optimise electrical design standards, specifications and governance processes.
• Review configurations to maximise safety, reliability and performance.
• Oversee contractor and third-party activities with technical assurance across design, installation, testing and commissioning.
• Conduct modelling and analysis including fault analysis, transient studies, and protection settings validation.
• Provide guidance on equipment in hazardous environments including explosion and lightning protection.
• Identify risks and develop practical, risk-based solutions for project delivery.
• Support integrity management and continuous improvement initiatives for electrical systems.
• Ensure deliverables meet international codes, standards and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Power systems

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder mgmt

Multidisciplinary lead

Project delivery

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

Power system modelling

Job description

Location: Reading

Contract: 12 Months

Engagement: Inside IR35

Electrical Engineering Lead

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership across the design, development, assessment, and delivery of complex electrical power systems within large-scale industrial environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise across electrical power generation, distribution, protection, and control systems, including generator synchronisation, voltage regulation, load shedding, UPS systems, battery storage, renewable energy integration, and protection systems.
• Lead technical reviews of electrical system designs, ensuring compliance with applicable industry standards, regulatory requirements, and engineering best practice.
• Provide expertise in power system protection philosophies, relay selection, fault studies, coordination studies, and system reliability assessments.
• Support the development and optimisation of electrical system design standards, engineering specifications, and technical governance processes.
• Review and assess electrical system configurations to maximise safety, reliability, resilience, maintainability, and operational performance.
• Oversee contractor and third-party engineering activities, providing technical assurance throughout design, analysis, installation, testing, and commissioning phases.
• Conduct and review system modelling and analysis activities, including fault analysis, transient studies, and validation of protection settings using industry-standard software tools.
• Provide technical guidance on electrical equipment used in hazardous environments, including explosion protection, lightning protection, and static grounding systems.
• Identify technical risks and develop practical, risk-based solutions to support successful project delivery.
• Support integrity management, technology evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives relating to electrical systems and infrastructure.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet applicable international codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Experience & Qualifications

• Degree qualification in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in electrical engineering leadership roles within industrial, energy, process, manufacturing, petrochemical, chemical, refinery, utilities, infrastructure, or comparable sectors.
• Strong technical expertise in electrical power systems design, operation, protection, and reliability.
• Experience developing engineering standards, design basis documents, specifications, and design philosophies.
• Proven ability to provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams and complex engineering programmes.
• Experience working across owner/operator, consultant, EPC, contractor, or engineering service environments.
• Demonstrated capability in identifying, assessing, and mitigating technical risks while delivering practical engineering solutions.
• Experience supporting large-scale engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, or operational programmes.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
• Familiarity with international engineering standards and codes, including IEEE, IEC, and other relevant industry frameworks.
• Experience with power system modelling, analysis, and simulation software would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of hazardous area electrical design and protection systems would be beneficial.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within large-scale industrial processing, refining, petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, power generation, utilities, or energy transition facilities.
• Exposure to modular design, large capital projects, or major infrastructure developments.
• Understanding of multicultural project environments and international engineering delivery models.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining andManufacturingsectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.