Principal Electrical Controls and Instrumentation Engineer

Quest Global; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Quest Global is seeking a Principal Electrical Controls and Instrumentation Engineer to lead EC&I design across complex aerospace and defence platforms. You will translate requirements into robust, manufacturable solutions and manage the lifecycle from concept to production readiness, ensuring cost, schedule, quality and certification targets are met.

You will champion delivery of EC&I excellence, supervise a multi-disciplinary team, and apply first principles to devise innovative solutions

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering or related field.
• 5-7+ years of senior electrical design, controls and instrumentation experience.
• Experience in EC&I engineering, ideally in heavy industrial or rotating equipment environments.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD for layout design (Solid Edge Electrical, NX Electrical Routing).
• Knowledge of defence platforms or industrial machinery.
• Understanding of ISO, EMI & EMC design principles, grounding, shielding, and cable protection.
• Experience in test rig design and integration with product hardware.
• Chartered Engineer preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and line management to the team, coordinating workloads and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Design electrical wiring diagrams, P&IDs and related technical documentation.
• Ensure compliance with functional safety, cyber security and hazardous area standards.
• Collaborate with gearbox and mechanical subsystems engineers on routing cabling in challenging environments.
• Support production during manufacturing and build, and participate in design reviews.

Skills

Electrical design

EC&I engineering

3D CAD

Root cause analysis

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in engineering

Tools

Solid Edge Electrical

NX Electrical Routing

Job description

At Quest Global, it’s not just what we do but how and why we do it that makes us different. With over 25 years as an engineering services provider, we believe in the power of doing things differently to make the impossible possible. Our people are driven by the desire to make the world a better place—to make a positive difference that contributes to a brighter future. We bring together technologies and industries, alongside the contributions of diverse individuals who are empowered by an intentional workplace culture, to solve problems better and faster.

A Principal Electrical Controls and Instrumentation Engineer plays a critical role in the Aerospace and Defence industry, leading the design and integration of electrical and control systems across complex, safety-critical platforms. The role translates requirements into robust, manufacturable solutions, overseeing the lifecycle from concept through validation to production readiness. It ensures delivery against cost, schedule, quality, and certification requirements while driving best practice in systems integration and control strategy. At Quest Global, we are seeking a highly experienced engineer to provide technical leadership across complex engineering challenges.

As a Principal Electrical Controls and Instrumentation Engineer, you will champion delivery of EC&I excellence and act as technical authority to support within the design, test and commissioning stages. You will manage the team to produce high quality solutions for projects and be able to apply engineering knowledge and first principles to devise innovative solutions to unique problems. You will manage design processes, coordinate with team members, partners and clients, ensure regulatory compliance, implement technical standards, find solutions for technical issues and provide expert advice on electrical systems to team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Opportunity to provide leadership and line management to the team, coordinating and overseeing their workloads, providing support to ensure that the team delivers, monitoring any issues, and ensuring timescales, KPIs and deadlines are met to meet the requirements of the customer.
• Develop the team by focusing on individual performance and support requirements to achieve high standards.
• Work on multiple major projects of the highest complexity requiring forefront-of-field, innovative solutions.
• Act independently at the organisational level, being self-supervising, within guidance and expectations of customers.
• Champion quality deliverables for EC&I as well as continuous improvements included within your owned delivery stream.
• Contribute to the creation and implementation of best practice engineering vision, strategy, policies, processes and procedures to aid and improve operational performance.
• Design electrical wiring diagrams, P&IDs and any other technical documentation to support the application of the product in test and service.
• Ensure compliance with functional safety, cyber security and hazardous area management standards
• Collaborate on the design of harness schematics connector table, splice documentation and release of BOMS
• Collaboration with gearbox and mechanical subsystems engineers to route cabling through high-vibration, high-temperature, or constrained environments
• Liaise with supply chain to ensure technical oversight in regards EC&I
• Ensure close support with production during manufacturing and build
• Apply MIL-STD, DEF-STAN, and other relevant defence electrical design standards, as well as UK, EU and any other client requirements.
• Ensure EMC/EMI integrity, environmental sealing, and survivability under shock, vibration
• Proficiency in control system software (PLC, DCS)
• Produce engineering drawings and installation instructions
• Support prototype builds, integration testing, and root-cause investigations
• Ability to capture and specify the design requirements general and task Management.
• You will participate in internal and external design reviews and you are responsible for the design acceptance by the client.
• You shall be able to lead projects in a multi-disciplined environment and be capable of coordinating all electrical engineering and design, with the other disciplines, processes, transmission systems, gears, gear box and marine engineering.
• Strive for continuous improvement and drive your area of delivery autonomously, with particular focus on EC&I support process improvements and preventive measures.
• We are known for our extraordinary people who make the impossible possible every day. Questians are driven by hunger, humility, and aspiration. We believe that our company culture is the key to our ability to make a true difference in every industry we reach. Our teams regularly invest time and dedicated effort into internal culture work, ensuring that all voices are heard.

We wholeheartedly believe in the diversity of thought that comes with fostering a culture rooted in respect, where everyone belongs, is valued, and feels inspired to share their ideas. We know embracing our unique differences makes us better, and that solving the worlds hardest engineering problems requires diverse ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds. We shine the brightest when we tap into the many dimensions that thrive across over 21,000 difference-makers in our workplace.

Work Experience

Required Skills (Technical Competency):

• Experienced with in the production of electrical specifications, scopes of work, calculations, drawings and schedules
• Proven experience in EC&I Engineering, ideally within heavy industrial or rotating equipment environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a similar field
• 5 -7+ years of experience in a senior capacity working on electrical design, controls, instrumentation, P&ID creation, and or wiring diagrams etc.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD for layout design (Solid Edge electrical, NX electrical routing etc).
• Knowledge of defence platforms or industrial machinery.
• Understanding of ISO, EMI & EMC design principles, grounding, shielding, and cable protection.
• Experience in test rig design, interfacing between product and rig hardware.
• Familiarity with gearbox or drivetrain integration.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work under defence programme constraints and documentation rigor.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Analyse and manage multiple design related issues to identify root cause
• Make design changes on existing products and track them
• Write reports and present progress at project meetings and to clients
• Result oriented. You are only satisfied after your engineering and design is accepted by the client, you delivered top quality and the client is very satisfied with the performance of you and your team
• You can chair design review meetings
• You have pleasure in teaching and coaching the young generation engineers

Requirements

- Bachelor's/master’s degree in engineering or a related field.

- Previous experience in a similar role within the Aerospace and Defence industry.

- Preferably a Chartered Engineer.

- Experience in heavy engineering industry, power transmission systems, gears and gear box

- Strong knowledge of quality management systems and industry standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001)

- Strong knowledge of quality management systems and standards.

- Proficient in root cause analysis and failure mode analysis techniques.

- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

- Detail-oriented with a strong focus on team, quality and continuous improvement.

- Effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Due to security requirements these posts are open to SOLE UK NATIONALS ONLY

If you are a dedicated and proactive professional with a passion for ensuring quality and driving continuous improvement, we would love to hear from you. Join our team at Quest Global as a Principal Electrical Controls and Instrumentation Engineer and contribute to the success of our Aerospace and Defence projects.