Senior Electrical Design Engineer

Real Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

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Job summary

Real Recruitment partners with a fast-growing hardware startup in the UK to invite applications for a Senior Electrical Design Engineer. You will take ownership of the industrial AC power architecture as the company scales from 1MW to multi-MW plants.

The role emphasizes fault-tolerant design, safety compliance, and cross-functional collaboration across reactor, electrolyzer and direct air capture subsystems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor- or higher-level electrical engineering degree with industrial focus.
• Minimum five years of industrial electrical design experience in power systems or process plants.
• Knowledge of functional safety (IEC 61508, SIL/SIF) in regulated environments is required.

Responsibilities

• Own the full AC power system architecture for megawatt-scale plants.
• Produce and verify power architecture schematics, protection strategies and cable sizing.
• Lead safety architecture activities including HAZOPs/HAZIDs and CE/UKCA compliance.
• Design electrical systems across reactor, electrolyzer and related subsystems.
• Mentor junior engineers and support commissioning of hardware.
• Collaborate with senior engineers to ensure safe, reliable operation.

Skills

Electrical design

Power systems

Industrial machinery

Functional safety

IEC 61508

SIL/SIF

Regulated environments

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Job description

My innovative client are a fast-growing organisation, who are developing the capability to scale synthetic fuel production by 1,000x, following the successful deployment of the UK's largest plant. Backed by $47million in funding and with a 32 person engineering team, they have a clear purpose to help sustain life on Earth by making synthetic fuel cheaper than fossil fuels, and saving millions of tonnes of CO2, in the process.

This is an engaging opportunity with excellent career progression opportunities and people being promoted within the organisation, on a monthly basis. You'll be joining a lean, high-ownership engineering team at one of Europe's most well-funded hardware startups.

Due to fast expansion, an opportunity has now arisen for a Senior Electrical Design Engineer to join them and take ownership of the company's industrial AC power architecture as they scale from 1 megawatt to multi-megawatt synthetic fuel plants. Does this sound like the exciting next step of your career?

In your new opportunity as a Senior Electrical Design Engineer, you will play a critical role in preventing costly redesigns, as the company scales towards 50MW unit production. The key responsibilities are as follows:

• Ownership of the full AC power system architecture - optimising power conversion, distribution and balance of plant for cost, manufacturability and reliability, at a megawatt scale.
• Producing and maintaining power architecture schematics, protection strategies, cable sizing calculations and panel designs that meet regulatory requirements.
• Leading or contributing to safety system architecture including HAZOPs, HAZIDs, FMEAs and functional safety standards (IEC 61508) - ensuring designs are safe for environments with hydrogen present.
• Designing electrical systems (3-phase, motors, pumps, heaters, I/Os) across the reactor, electrolyzer and direct air capture subsystem, accounting for variable solar-powered production profiles.
• Leading panel certification activities under the Machinery Directive and Low Voltage Directive (CE/UKCA) and mentoring junior Engineers.
• Commissioning solar arrays and RNG plant electrical systems.
• Responsibility for commissioning hardware to ensure safety and functionality.
• Supporting Senior Engineers by handling field tasks.

My client is keen to find someone who holds a degree in Electrical Engineering (or similar), along with a minimum of five years' expertise in industrial electrical design (power systems, process plants or industrial machinery). You will also have sound knowledge of functional safety (IEC 61508, SIL/SIF) in regulated or hazardous environments.

Regardless of previous expertise, you will be a creative problem-solver who challenges conventional engineering approaches rather than defaulting to standard industry practice.

In return, my client is offering an excellent salary, ranging from £100,000 - £140,000 (salary dependent on experience). You will also benefit from share options and additional employee benefits. The company are easily commutable from London and the surrounding areas, and a generous relocation package is also available for someone living further afield and happy to relocate.