Lead Electrical Engineer, BESS

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. in Houston seeks a Lead Electrical Engineer to guide BESS projects from concept through construction. You will own electrical design, client liaison, budget oversight, and coordination with civil/structural teams to meet schedules.

You will mentor junior engineers, develop construction drawings, perform short circuit and load flow studies, and ensure QA/QC on deliverables while upholding firm standards and safety practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
• Knowledge of NEC, NESC, and interconnection requirements.
• Proficiency with electrical power system modeling software.
• 4–10 years of experience in design related to power generation, energy storage, or substations.
• Ability to read and develop construction drawings and specifications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with minimal oversight.
• Experience preparing proposals, managing budgets, invoices, change orders, and project data.

Responsibilities

• Oversee electrical design for BESS projects and manage budgets.
• Coordinate change orders with the project manager.
• Ensure schedules for the electrical engineering scope are met.
• Assist in responding to RFPs with proposal scope and fee estimates.
• Coordinate with civil, structural/geotechnical engineers and surveyors.
• Plan resources weekly to support projects.
• Lead electrical design and construction documents for BESS projects and act as primary client contact.
• Oversee electrical team resources and calculations/studies (short circuit, load flow, grounding).
• Coordinate with clients, utilities, system integrators, and code authorities.
• Perform QA/QC reviews of design work.
• Stay aware of energy storage tech and best practices.
• Collaborate with electrical teams in other offices as needed.
• Support construction with RFIs, submittals, and field coordination.
• Assist Market Directors with marketing materials for BESS services.
• Supervise, train, and mentor graduate engineers and technicians.

Skills

Electrical design

Power systems modeling

AutoCAD

Project management

Proposal writing

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Power system software

Budgeting tools

Job description

Description

Lead Electrical Engineer

Westwood Professional Services, Inc.

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to support our Power Division. The position is for a lead electrical engineer to design BESS systems, which includes: plant layout, selecting appropriate system hardware, system optimization, determining power generation and interconnection requirements, and being the client and internal leader for the electrical engineering of projects. As Lead Electrical Engineer the individual will coordinate with the Westwood Service Leaders and Director, of Electrical Engineering to maintain firm standards and consistency as well as oversee other electrical designers. This position may also include supervision responsibilities of direct reports for timesheet/expense/PTO approval, annual growth planning, disciplinary actions, and compensation annual adjustments.

Requirements

• Manage the electrical engineering of commercial and utility‑scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects and be responsible for managing the electrical design budget to ensure project budgets are met.
• Responsible for the contractual electrical engineering scope, verifying incorporation into design, and coordinating change orders with the project manager.
• Ensure project deliverable schedules for the electrical engineering scope are met.
• Assist project managers in responding to RFPs by preparing proposal scope and fee estimates for electrical engineering services.
• Coordinate with other project disciplines including civil engineers, structural/geotechnical engineers, and surveyors.
• Schedule and plan the electrical engineering resources required to support projects on a weekly basis.
• Perform and lead electrical engineering design and preparation of construction documents for BESS projects while serving as the primary electrical contact for clients.
• Oversee electrical team resources and staff performing electrical calculations and studies such as short circuit analysis, load flow studies, grounding design, and voltage drop calculations.
• Coordinate with clients, utilities, system integrators, and code enforcement authorities.
• Perform QA/QC review of design work for projects where you serve as the lead electrical engineer.
• Maintain awareness of currently available energy storage technologies, equipment, and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with and support electrical engineering teams in other offices as projects and workload sharing requires.
• Support construction of projects by responding to contractor and owner requests including RFIs, submittal reviews, and field coordination.
• Assist Market Directors with marketing efforts and preparation of materials related to BESS electrical engineering services.
• Supervise, train, and mentor graduate engineers, staff engineers, and design technicians.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• Knowledge of NEC, NESC, and applicable utility interconnection requirements.
• Knowledge and proficiency with electrical power system modeling software.
• Approximately 4–10 years of experience in electrical engineering design related to power generation, energy storage, substations, or electrical distribution systems.
• Working knowledge and ability to read and develop construction drawings and specifications.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce detailed technical reports with minimal oversight.
• Experience preparing proposals, managing project budgets, invoices, change orders, progress reporting, and coordinating project data with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong work ethic and positive attitude.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Self‑motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Ability to use AutoCAD in a limited capacity.

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the front‑of‑line of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision.

We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving‑back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2025, Westwood was recognized as #77 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms. Additionally, Westwood was ranked #5 for ENR's Top Design Firm for Solar, #6 for Battery Storage, and #3 for Wind (2025). The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award‑winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.