Electrical Engineer SME - AI Data Centers

Jacobs; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 191,300 - 263,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Performance discretionary bonus

Ability to purchase company stock at a discount

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a highly experienced Electrical Subject Matter Expert (SME) to lead the technical excellence across our global data center portfolio in Ashburn, Virginia. This pivotal role involves shaping the electrical infrastructure, mentoring talent, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. The ideal candidate will have over 20 years of experience in electrical engineering, particularly in mission-critical environments. Jacobs offers a hybrid working policy, competitive salary, and an extensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 20+ years of experience in electrical engineering, with 7-10+ years in mission-critical/data center environments.
• Proven record of technical innovation solving client's challenges.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and multi-tasking skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide internal technical leadership in electrical engineering across data center programs.
• Act as the external face of Jacobs’ electrical expertise in client engagements.
• Mentor and coach engineers and designers within the electrical discipline.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards.

Skills

Technical Leadership

Electrical Engineering

Mentorship

Multi-Tasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's preferred

Job description

Overview

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Jacobs is seeking a highly experienced Electrical Subject Matter Expert (SME) to lead technical excellence across our global data center portfolio. This role is pivotal in shaping the electrical infrastructure of mission-critical facilities, while also driving strategic growth, mentoring talent, and representing Jacobs’ technical leadership externally. The ideal candidate brings deep domain expertise, business acumen, and a passion for innovation.

This role can be aligned with any U.S. location. Ideally, we’re aiming to hire the best candidate, and that individual could work from any JACOBS US based office.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Innovation
  • Provide internal technical leadership in electrical engineering across data center programs.
  • Set design strategy with clients with up front planning. Optimization of electrical systems including MV/LV distribution, UPS, generators, grounding, and redundancy strategies.
  • Champion innovation in power systems, energy efficiency, and resiliency.
  • Develop and maintain Jacobs’ electrical standards, specifications, and best practices.
  • Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and lifecycle performance of electrical systems.

• Strategic Impact & Business Development
  • Act as the external face of Jacobs’ electrical expertise in client engagements, industry forums, and strategic pursuits.
  • Partner with sales teams to win our most complex and high-value data center projects.
  • Participate in sales calls, client workshops, and proposal development to shape winning strategies.
  • Influence business strategy through technical differentiation and delivery excellence.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing
  • Mentor and coach engineers and designers within the electrical discipline.
  • Publish technical papers and contribute to Jacobs’ thought leadership.
  • Present at industry conferences and represent Jacobs in professional associations.

• Execution & Multi-Tasking
  • Balance strategic initiatives with hands-on project execution, managing multiple priorities in parallel.
  • Lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement efforts across global sites.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards (NEC, IEEE, NFPA, IEC, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 20+ years of experience in electrical engineering, with 7-10+ years in mission-critical/data center environments.
• Proven expertise in MV/LV distribution, UPS systems, generator sizing, fault coordination, and arc flash analysis.
• Strong familiarity with NEC, IEEE, NFPA, IEC, and local electrical codes.
• Proven record of technical innovation solving client's challenges.
• Professional Engineering (PE) license or equivalent certification is a plus.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and multi-tasking skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise data center clients.
• Involvement in sustainability and energy optimization initiatives.
• Vendor management and contract negotiation experience.
• Hands-on commissioning and retro-commissioning expertise.

Work Environment

• Primarily office-based with occasional travel to data center sites and client locations.
• Travel up to 25% based on project and business needs.
• On-call availability for critical incident support.

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $191,300.00 to $263,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on May 07, 2025. This position will be open for at least 3 days. Qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered for employment.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.