Lead Electrical Engineer

Optimized Process Designs; Katy (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Retirement plan

Paid vacation/time off

Educational assistance

Infertility assistance

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Optimized Process Designs (OPD), a Koch Engineered Solutions company, seeks a Lead Electrical Engineer to own the electrical engineering scope of HV/MV power infrastructure and substation projects under lump-sum EPC contracts. From concept through energization, you will drive design decisions balancing safety, reliability, constructability, cost, and schedule.

You will mentor engineers, collaborate with clients, utilities, vendors, and construction teams, and contribute to standardization of

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Utility and/or EPC substation engineering experience.
• Experience in substation physical design and protection & control engineering.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical leader for electrical engineering scope on EPC projects from concept through startup.
• Lead engineering decisions balancing safety, reliability, constructability, operability, cost, and schedule.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and designers across disciplines.
• Apply sound engineering judgment to resolve complex technical issues and support project execution.
• Collaborate with clients, utilities, vendors, construction teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Support development, standardization, and continuous improvement of engineering practices and tools.

Skills

Technical leadership

Electrical engineering

Substation design

Mentorship

Client coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

ETAP

PSCAD

SKM

Relay platforms (SEL, GE, ABB, Siemens)

Job description

Optimized Process Designs (OPD), a Koch Engineered Solutions company, is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer . This technical leader will be responsible for the engineering execution of HV/MV power infrastructure and substation projects delivered under lump-sum EPC contracts. This role serves as the technical owner from project concept through energization, driving design decisions that balance safety, reliability, constructability, cost, and schedule while supporting OPD's commitment to execution excellence.

Our Team

Optimized Process Designs is an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm executing on complex energy and infrastructure projects across North America. Their focus and expertise is in the natural gas, natural gas liquids, and petrochemical industries. OPD is part of the larger Koch organization which provides a variety of capabilities across many industries. OPD is known for technical excellence, disciplined project execution, and a culture that empowers engineers to take ownership and create long-term value.

What You Will Do

Technical Leadership & Ownership

• Serve as a technical leader for electrical engineering scope on EPC projects from concept through startup.
• Lead engineering decisions that balance safety, reliability, constructability, operability, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers and designers across multiple disciplines.
• Apply sound engineering judgment to resolve complex technical issues and support successful project execution.
• Collaborate directly with clients, utilities, vendors, construction teams, and internal stakeholders throughout project development and execution.
• Support development, standardization, and continuous improvement of engineering practices, tools, specifications, and work processes.

Electrical Power Systems Engineering

• Support the engineering and design of electrical power systems for industrial facilities, utility interconnections, renewable energy projects, power generation facilities, transmission systems, and high-voltage substations.
• Perform and review power system analyses including load flow, short circuit, arc flash, grounding, protection coordination, harmonic, insulation coordination, transient overvoltage, and reliability studies.
• Develop and review electrical system deliverables including one-line diagrams, three-line diagrams, AC/DC schematics, wiring diagrams, relay logic diagrams, control schematics, and equipment layouts.
• Support specification, selection, and application of electrical equipment including transformers, switchgear, motor control centers, breakers, protective relays, power distribution equipment, and associated infrastructure.
• Support utility interconnection and grid compliance activities, including coordination with utilities, regional transmission organizations, and independent system operators.

High Voltage (HV) and Medium Voltage (MV) Power Infrastruture & Distribution

• Lead or support the engineering and design of medium- and high-voltage substations and associated electrical infrastructure.
• Develop physical design concepts including equipment arrangements, site layouts, elevations, sections, grounding systems, and construction details.
• Design and review protection and control systems including transmission line, transformer, bus, breaker failure, feeder, and generator protection schemes.
• Apply relay protection principles and support relay settings development utilizing SEL, GE, ABB, Siemens, and similar relay platforms.
• Coordinate physical and protection & control engineering activities to ensure designs are complete, integrated, and construction ready.
• Develop engineering packages from conceptual design through detailed engineering and Issued for Construction (IFC) deliverables.
• Review design packages for compliance with project requirements, industry standards, and quality expectations.

EPC Integration & Project Delivery

• Collaborate closely with project managers, construction, and commissioning teams to support integrated EPC execution.
• Lead technical evaluations and define equipment strategies aligned with utility requirements, interconnection constraints, and project execution needs.
• Provide ongoing engineering support during construction, testing, and energization phases.
• Interface with utilities, ISOs/RTOs, and clients to support interconnection approvals, permitting, and compliance requirements.
• Travel to project sites as needed, up to 15%.

Standards, Quality, & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with IEEE, NESC, NEC, and client standards, incorporating utility-specific requirements and interconnection criteria.
• Lead quality control reviews and design audits.
• Support development and continuous improvement of OPD substation standards, tools, and processes.
• Serve as Engineer of Record (EOR) where applicable, ensuring design compliance, documentation integrity, and stamped deliverables.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience
• Utility and/or EPC substation engineering experience
• Experience in substation physical design and protection & control engineering

What Will Put You Ahead

• Active Professional Enginnering (PE) license or will obtain in the next 6 months
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering execution on EPC projects or LSTK project experience
• Hands-on involvement with construction, testing, and commissioning support
• Demonstrated application of power system analysis and modeling tools (e.g., ETAP, PSCAD, SKM) for system design and validation
• Experience supporting renewable energy interconnections
• Proven mentoring and technical leadership capabilities

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

As a Koch Engineered Solutions company, Optimized Process Designs (OPD) provides clients with detailed engineering packages in all disciplines, single-point procurement for all equipment and materials, fabrication and direct-hired construction services throughout the United States. We leverage in-house capabilities and provide services with faster speed to market to help deliver increased cost savings while minimizing risk.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how ourbusiness philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our benefits plan includes the following:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• flexible spending and health savings accounts
• life insurance
• ADD
• disability
• retirement
• paid vacation/time off
• educational assistance
• infertility assistance
• paid parental leave
• adoption assistance

Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify.