Lead Electrical Engineer – Mission Critical / Data Centers

GDA; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SWI Digital seeks a Lead Electrical Engineer to drive design and delivery of hyperscale data center projects in the United States. Based in Houston, you will act as the local senior electrical resource, coordinating with a global team and ensuring compliance with US codes and standards.

The role emphasizes hands-on engineering leadership over pure management, tackling MV/LV distribution, BESS, and critical power systems while guiding design reviews and construction support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from an accredited institution.
• 10+ years of professional electrical engineering experience.
• Significant experience in data center or mission-critical electrical design, with hyperscale and/or high-density data center experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working on major projects in the United States.
• Strong working knowledge of US electrical codes, standards and engineering practice relevant to mission-critical facilities.
• Strong understanding of critical electrical infrastructure including MV/LV distribution, transformers, switchgear, UPS, BESS, standby generation, grounding and protection systems.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary consultancy, owner-side, EPC, design-build or contractor environments.
• Ability to review complex technical designs and identify material compliance, performance and coordination issues.
• Experience supporting projects through design development and construction stages.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to operate effectively and independently within a geographically distributed engineering team.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior electrical engineering support for hyperscale, AI and other mission-critical data center developments in the United States.
• Act as a key local electrical engineering interface between the client team, design consultants, EPC contractors, vendors and other project stakeholders.
• Review and develop electrical design documentation including calculations, single-line diagrams, equipment schedules, specifications and technical reports.
• Support the design and technical review of utility interfaces, MV and LV distribution, transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, BESS, standby generation, grounding, protection and control, metering and associated critical power infrastructure.
• Advise client teams on localisation of designs for applicable US, Texas and local code, regulatory and authority requirements.
• Support discussions and coordination with utilities, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), local consultants and permitting teams as required.
• Review consultant, EPC and vendor designs for compliance with project requirements, design intent, applicable codes and good engineering practice.
• Identify technical risks, design deviations, coordination issues and potential compliance concerns and communicate these clearly to the wider project team.
• Coordinate electrical requirements and interfaces with mechanical, architectural, structural, controls, BIM and other engineering disciplines.
• Support technical evaluations of equipment, vendors and alternative design solutions.
• Participate in design reviews, value engineering, technical workshops and multidisciplinary coordination meetings.
• Review technical submittals, shop drawings, RFIs and other construction-stage information where required.
• Undertake site visits, surveys, inspections and construction or commissioning support as required.
• Provide direct technical support to the Houston-based client development team on day-to-day project matters.
• Coordinate closely with electrical and multidisciplinary design leadership based internationally, maintaining clear communication of decisions, risks and actions. 16.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of US data center design standards, specifications and technical processes.

Skills

Data center design

Electrical power systems

US electrical codes

MV/LV distribution

BESS

Design-build EPC

Revit/BIM

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Revit/BIM

Job description

Job Title: Lead Electrical Engineer – Mission Critical / Data Centers

Location: Houston, Texas

Experience: 10+ years professional experience

Role Overview

We areseeking an experienced Lead Electrical Engineer to support the design and delivery of

major data center developments in the United States.

The role will be based in Houston, Texas, working closely with the local client development team

while forming part of a wider international design and engineering team.

The successful candidate will act as a senior local electrical engineering resource, providing

technical support across design development, localisation, procurement and construction. The

role requires strong data center experience, detailed knowledge of US electrical codes and

standards, and the ability to work independently while coordinating with discipline leads based

internationally.

This is a technically hands-on position rather than a purely managerial role.

Roles and Responsibilities

• 1. Provide senior electrical engineering support for hyperscale, AI and other mission-critical data center developments in the United States.
• 2. Act as a key local electrical engineering interface between the client team, design consultants, EPC contractors, vendors and other project stakeholders.
• 3. Review and develop electrical design documentation including calculations, single-line diagrams, equipment schedules, specifications and technical reports.
• 4. Support the design and technical review of utility interfaces, MV and LV distribution, transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, BESS, standby generation, grounding, protection and control, metering and associated critical power infrastructure.
• 5. Advise client teams on localisation of designs for applicable US, Texas and local code, regulatory and authority requirements.
• 6. Support discussions and coordination with utilities, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), local consultants and permitting teams as required.
• 7. Review consultant, EPC and vendor designs for compliance with project requirements, design intent, applicable codes and good engineering practice.
• 8. Identify technical risks, design deviations, coordination issues and potential compliance concerns and communicate these clearly to the wider project team.
• 9. Coordinate electrical requirements and interfaces with mechanical, architectural, structural, controls, BIM and other engineering disciplines.
• 10. Support technical evaluations of equipment, vendors and alternative design solutions.
• 11. Participate in design reviews, value engineering, technical workshops and multidisciplinary coordination meetings.
• 12. Review technical submittals, shop drawings, RFIs and other construction-stage information where required.
• 13. Undertake site visits, surveys, inspections and construction or commissioning support as required.
• 14. Provide direct technical support to the Houston-based client development team on day-to-day project matters.
• 15. Coordinate closely with electrical and multidisciplinary design leadership based internationally, maintaining clear communication of decisions, risks and actions. 16.
• 16. Contribute to the development and improvement of US data center design standards, specifications and technical processes.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
• 10+ years of relevant professional electrical engineering experience.
• Significant experience in data center or mission-critical electrical design, with hyperscale and/or high-density data center experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working on major projects in the United States.
• Strong working knowledge of US electrical codes, standards and engineering practice relevant to mission-critical facilities.
• Strong understanding of critical electrical infrastructure including MV/LV distribution, transformers, switchgear, UPS, BESS, standby generation, grounding and protection systems.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary consultancy, owner-side, EPC, design-build or contractor environments.
• Ability to review complex technical designs and identify material compliance, performance and coordination issues.
• Experience supporting projects through design development and construction stages.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to operate effectively and independently within a geographically distributed engineering team.

Lead Electrical Engineer - USA Professional Registration

• Professional Engineer (PE) registration in Texas is strongly preferred.
• Candidates holding an active PE license in another US jurisdiction who are suitably qualified and able to obtain Texas licensure will also be considered.

Preferred Experience

• Hyperscale, colocation or AI / high-density data center projects.
• Large-scale campus electrical infrastructure and utility interconnection.
• Medium-voltage distribution systems.
• BESS and critical power systems.
• EPC and design-build project delivery.
• Technical due diligence and owner-side design review.
• Texas permitting, utility and AHJ processes.
• Construction, testing and commissioning of mission-critical electrical systems.
• Familiarity with Revit/BIM-based multidisciplinary coordination.

Reporting and Working Structure

The position will be based in Houston and work closely with the local client development team.

The engineer will form part of a wider design team, with functional technical management provided by senior electrical/design leadership based internationally. The role therefore requires an individual capable of managing day-to-day technical matters independently while maintaining effective coordination with the wider engineering team.