Principal Electrical Design Engineer

Collins McNicholas Recruitment & HR Services Group; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Accelerated career progression

Hybrid/remote working

Professional subscriptions

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Collins McNicholas Recruitment & HR Services Group is seeking a Principal Electrical Design Engineer to lead electrical design across projects in Ireland, with a focus on growth for the Irish branch. You will work with the MD and Technical Director, overseeing design quality, risk management and client engagement.

This senior role combines hands-on electrical design with team leadership, mentoring, and business development across life sciences, data centres and other mission-critical sectors.

Qualifications

• Recognised degree in Electrical Engineering (BEng/MEng)
• Chartered Engineer status or path to chartership
• Significant experience in electrical building services design and consultancy
• Leadership experience on complex projects (life sciences, data centres, mission-critical)

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical design across full project lifecycle with clients and design teams
• Mentor and develop internal design staff
• Perform design reviews and assess technical risks
• Ensure delivery of high-quality, timely, budget-compliant design solutions
• Travel to project meetings as required

Skills

Electrical design

Project leadership

Mentoring

Client liaison

Lifecycle delivery

Education

Electrical Eng degree

Job description

Our client an engineering consultancy company have a new opening for a Principal Electrical Design Engineer to join their team to work on and manage existing projects in Ireland and help drive the growth of the business. This will be a first hire for the Irish branch of the business under their Director based in Ireland. They have an office in Dublin and Castlebar but are operating a remote/hybrid first focus for this position.

The role presents a unique opportunity for an ambitious professional who is keen to build their own team and benefit from accelerated career progression in an Irish owned consultancy.

This is a rare opportunity for an experienced electrical engineering professional to take a leading role in a growing, Irish-owned consultancy, combining hands‑on technical design with project leadership, team development and business growth.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, alongside the Technical Director, you will play a pivotal role in delivering high-profile MEP projects across a diverse range of sectors, with particular emphasis on life sciences, data centres and other mission‑critical environments.

For the right individual, this is an opportunity to make a genuine impact: lead complex engineering projects, develop and mentor a talented team, help shape the direction of the electrical design function and benefit from accelerated career progression.

The Opportunity

This is a senior technical position for an engineer who enjoys both the challenge of engineering design and the opportunity to lead others.

You will take ownership of electrical design delivery across the full project lifecycle, working closely with clients, multidisciplinary design teams and project stakeholders to develop high-quality, technically robust and commercially sound solutions. You will remain actively involved in the technical design process, providing engineering expertise, undertaking design reviews and ensuring the delivery of exceptional engineering solutions.

• Key ResponsibilitiesReporting directly to the Managing Director, alongside the Technical Director
• Manage and lead design work in collaboration with external design teams and take responsibility for the design of mechanical services projects.
• Undertake design reviews and appraisals and provide technical advice/assistance to the project teams.
• Lead and develop internal design team members and act as a mentor to assist in the development of the team.
• Take responsibility for checking calculations and provide monthly design progress reports on projects, reporting on technical risks and opportunities.
• Provide design/technical assessment support of tenders and deliver high-quality design solutions that address contractual obligations and mitigate technical risk.
• Expected to travel to project meetings, as required
• Successfully deliver projects with high-quality design completed on time and within budget.
• Delivery of design in line with health and safety requirements.

What we are looking for:

We are interested in experienced electrical engineering professionals who combine strong technical expertise with the confidence and ambition to lead.

• You will ideally bring:A recognised degree in Electrical Engineering, such as BEng or MEng.
• Chartered Engineer status, or a clear pathway towards achieving chartership.
• Significant experience in electrical building services design and technical consultancy.
• Proven experience leading electrical design on complex projects, particularly in life sciences, data centres or other mission‑critical sectors.
• A strong understanding of mechanical and wider building services design within a multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience managing multiple projects concurrently, balancing technical priorities, resources and programme requirements.
• A track record of developing engineers and designers through effective leadership and mentoring.
• Strong communication and decision‑making skills, with the confidence to engage directly with clients and project stakeholders.
• Experience in specialist engineering services, sustainability and compliance, including BREEAM, NZEB and NEAP.
• Experience with Irish Building Regulations and BCAR, and the requirements of Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013, the PSDP & PSCS requirements, and ideally with a current Designing of Safety in Construction certificate.
• Experience working with typical design contracts such as FIDIC, CWMF/Public Works Contracts, NEC and others.
• Experience in the work winning and fee bidding process and expected to have an ongoing and developing contact database that would show development of relations within the industry.
• Experience working within international standards and equivalent project delivery frameworks will also be beneficial.

This is an opportunity to join an Irish‑owned consultancy where your expertise, ambition and contribution can make a tangible difference.

• You will benefit from:Accelerated career progression – a genuine opportunity to progress at Principal or Associate level.
• The opportunity to build your own team – develop a team around you and shape its future direction.
• Senior leadership exposure – work directly with the Managing Director and Technical Director.
• Technical influence – play a key role in shaping engineering standards, design delivery and technical capability.
• High‑profile projects – work across exciting sectors, including life sciences, data centres and mission‑critical facilities.
• Flexible working – choose between Dublin, Castlebar or remote/hybrid working within Ireland.
• A growing business – contribute to the continued development of an ambitious Irish consultancy.
• Remuneration & Discretionary bonus.25 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Comprehensive employee benefits programme.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Professional subscriptions.

For further details contact [e-mail] or call Gillian on 090 6478104