Lead Electrical Engineer - Buildings

WSP in the U.S.; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 108,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer in Detroit to join the Property & Buildings Team. You will lead design for electrical systems in new construction, renovations, and tenant improvements, coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, and mentor junior staff.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years of experience, a PE license, and proficiency with Revit and AutoCAD. You will guide technical standards, support client engagement, and contribute to business development and quality assurance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering
• 7+ years of electrical engineering experience in buildings
• PE license
• Experience designing power distribution, lighting, fire alarm, and building electrical systems
• Experience leading electrical engineering tasks and coordinating multidisciplinary project teams
• Strong understanding of electrical codes, building systems, and design practices
• Experience preparing construction documents, specifications, and technical reports
• Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, and electrical design software
• Excellent communication, technical writing, and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and project management abilities with ability to manage multiple projects

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of electrical systems for new construction, renovation, and tenant improvement projects.
• Provide technical leadership for power distribution, lighting, grounding, fire alarm, emergency power, renewable energy integration, and low-voltage systems.
• Manage electrical engineering tasks from project inception through construction administration.
• Develop engineering calculations, technical specifications, design reports, construction documents, and supporting analyses.
• Oversee electrical system planning, equipment selection, load calculations, and code compliance reviews.
• Coordinate with architects, owners, contractors, and multidisciplinary teams to develop integrated solutions.
• Serve as a discipline lead on multi-office and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Support project management activities including scope development, resource planning, budgeting, scheduling, and quality management.
• Review project deliverables, drawings, calculations, and specifications for technical excellence and compliance.
• Participate in client meetings, presentations, and business development pursuits.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers, designers, and technical staff.
• Assist in preparing proposals, fee estimates, and technical approaches for pursuits.
• Support sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient design strategies.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Technical writing

Client engagement

Education

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Electrical design software

Job description

This Opportunity

WSP is currently initiating a search for a

Job Description

WSP is currently initiating a search for a Lead Electrical Engineer to join our Property & Buildings Team in Detroit, Michigan. This leadership role offers the opportunity to work on a diverse portfolio of projects that support the development of high-performing buildings and facilities across commercial, corporate, higher education, municipal, mixed-use, aviation, and institutional markets. The successful candidate will serve as a technical lead and project delivery resource, supporting multidisciplinary teams through all phases of design and construction. This position combines hands-on electrical engineering, client engagement, project leadership, and mentorship responsibilities while contributing to the continued growth of WSP's Property & Buildings practice. At WSP, you will help deliver future-ready building solutions that improve communities, support sustainability goals, and create lasting value for our clients.

Your Impact

• Lead the design and delivery of electrical systems for new construction, renovation, and tenant improvement projects.
• Provide technical leadership for power distribution, lighting, grounding, fire alarm, emergency power, renewable energy integration, and low-voltage systems.
• Manage electrical engineering tasks from project inception through construction administration.
• Develop engineering calculations, technical specifications, design reports, construction documents, and supporting analyses.
• Oversee electrical system planning, equipment selection, load calculations, and code compliance reviews.
• Coordinate with architects, owners, contractors, and multidisciplinary engineering teams to develop integrated project solutions.
• Serve as a discipline lead on multi-office and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Support project management activities including scope development, resource planning, budgeting, scheduling, and quality management.
• Review project deliverables, drawings, calculations, and specifications to ensure technical excellence and compliance with WSP quality standards.
• Participate in client meetings, presentations, and business development pursuits.
• Mentor and provide guidance to junior and mid-level engineers, designers, and technical staff.
• Assist in preparing proposals, fee estimates, and technical approaches for pursuit opportunities.
• Support innovation and implementation of sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient design strategies.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct while adhering to WSP's Code of Conduct and related policies.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant electrical engineering experience within the buildings industry.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Demonstrated experience designing power distribution, lighting, fire alarm, and building electrical systems.
• Experience leading electrical engineering tasks and coordinating multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong understanding of applicable electrical codes, building systems, industry standards, and design practices.
• Experience preparing construction documents, specifications, and technical reports.
• Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, and electrical design software.
• Excellent communication, technical writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities with the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proven ability to provide technical leadership, mentorship, and quality oversight.
• Commitment to workplace safety, quality, and client service excellence.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience in the design of complex building projects.
• Experience serving as Engineer of Record for building electrical systems.
• Knowledge of sustainable design practices, energy-efficient building systems, and decarbonization strategies.
• Experience with power studies, arc flash analysis, short-circuit analysis, and coordination studies.
• Familiarity with Michigan building codes and regional market conditions.
• Experience working on commercial, corporate, municipal, aviation, higher education, institutional, or mixed-use developments.
• LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) credential.
• Active participation in professional organizations such as IEEE, NFPA, IES, or similar industry groups.

WSP Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation

Expected Salary (Colorado only): $107,600 - $159,800. WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

About WSP

About WSPUSA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

www.wsp.com

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

ABOUT US

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

www.wsp.com

WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.

The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.

Notice To Third Party Agencies

WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.