Electrical Systems Engineer - Telescope Power & Backup

NOIRLab; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 112,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

NOIRLab's Mayall 4-meter Telescope requires an Electrical Systems Engineer to maintain and upgrade the power infrastructure at Kitt Peak, including generators, UPS, and distribution. Based in Tucson with regular summit work, you will ensure reliable power delivery to critical telescope and facility systems.

You will design robust backup power strategies, update drawings and schematics, manage external contractors, and collaborate with telescope engineering, facilities, and safety teams to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 7–10 years of professional experience in design, operation, and maintenance of industrial or mission-critical electrical systems.
• Experience with generator systems, UPS systems, power distribution systems, and switchgear.
• Experience assessing and upgrading legacy electrical infrastructure.
• Knowledge of the National Electrical Code (NEC) and applicable safety standards.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in cross-disciplinary technical teams.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and documentation skills.
• Proficiency with electrical design and documentation tools (e.g., EPLan, AutoCAD or equivalent) and Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate current electrical power infrastructure supporting the Mayall Telescope, including distribution systems.
• Update and maintain electrical documentation, drawings, and schematics to reflect as-built conditions.
• Develop and implement upgrades to ensure stable, high-quality power delivery to telescope and facility systems.
• Lead design, specification, and integration of backup power systems (generator redundancy, UPS improvements, ATS).
• Monitor performance, reliability, and load characteristics of generators, UPS, switchgear, panels, and distribution systems.
• Collaborate with telescope engineering, facilities, safety, and operations teams to minimize operational impact during maintenance and upgrades.

Skills

Generator systems

UPS systems

Power distribution

Switchgear

NEC knowledge

Teamwork

Analytical skills

Documentation

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD

MS Office

Job description

NOIRLab's Mayall 4-meter Telescope requires an Electrical Systems Engineer to maintain and upgrade the power infrastructure at Kitt Peak, including generators, UPS, and distribution. Based in Tucson with regular summit work, you will ensure reliable power delivery to critical telescope and facility systems.

You will design robust backup power strategies, update drawings and schematics, manage external contractors, and collaborate with telescope engineering, facilities, and safety teams to