Low Voltage Design Leader

Meyers Thorne; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Hybrid schedule and licensure support

Job summary

AE Works is seeking a hands-on leader for our low voltage practice. You will set the technical direction for Division 27 communications design and, as the team grows, Division 28 electronic safety and security, on healthcare, veterans' health, higher education and federal projects.

You will lead the designers, own quality and standards for the discipline, develop people, and be the face of low voltage to owners.

Qualifications

• Active BICSI RCDD certification.
• 12+ years designing low voltage systems in A/E/consulting, incl. 3+ years leading designers or QA/QC.
• Proven experience supervising, mentoring and developing designers.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD, with Bluebeam and MS Office; set and enforce BIM/drawing standards.
• Working knowledge of BICSI, ANSI/TIA, NEC and NFPA standards and applying them on healthcare, higher ed and federal projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication; explain technical choices to owners, architects and engineers.
• Willingness to travel to project sites and between Pittsburgh and Arlington offices.

Responsibilities

• Lead AE Works' low voltage practice: set the technical direction for Division 27 communications design and Division 28 electronic safety and security.
• Mentor and develop a team of low voltage designers and engineers; plan training and certification paths.
• Own QA/QC for every low voltage deliverable; ensure coordination and code compliance.
• Set, maintain and enforce discipline standards; train the team on BIM/drawing standards.
• Lead projects from schematic design through construction administration; manage RFIs and submittals.
• Be the technical lead to owners and IT/facilities staff; gather requirements and explain system choices.
• Coordinate low voltage with electrical, architecture, mechanical, structure and owner IT teams early in design.
• Forecast staffing and workload; manage fee, scope and schedule; flag additional services.
• Support pursuits: scope/price low voltage services, write approaches, join interviews.
• Stay current on codes/standards and fold changes into guides and templates; represent firm externally.
• Represent the firm at client meetings and professional organizations such as BICSI.

Skills

RCDD certification

Team leadership

Revit

AutoCAD

BICSI standards

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering/telecommunications/engineering technology or related field

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Bluebeam

Microsoft Office

Job description

Low Voltage Design Leader

Department: Engineering - Low Voltage

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Pittsburgh, PA or Washington, DC

Compensation: $150,000 - $190,000 / year

Description

Our team is redefining building design and engineering. AE Works is an award-winning firm ranked among the top U.S. A/E firms by Architectural Record and ENR East. AE Works is recognized for our commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional results.

Our mission is straightforward: to make building projects a better value. We thrive on solving complex challenges and creating solutions that enhance the built environment, enabling our clients to succeed in their most important endeavors.

WHY AE WORKS? Our strength lies in our people. We offer a collaborative environment where expertise is shared, and ideas drive progress. You'll work alongside architects, engineers, cost estimators, and construction managers with deep experience across higher education, government, engineering & infrastructure, healthcare and commercial markets. Together, we apply leading-edge technology and a passion for design excellence to projects that shape the future.

POSITION OVERVIEW: AE Works is looking for a hands-on leader for our low voltage practice. You will set the technical direction for Division 27 communications design and, as the team grows into it, Division 28 electronic safety and security, on healthcare, veterans' health, higher education and federal projects, and you will lead the designers who produce it. You'll own quality and standards for the discipline, develop the people on your team, be the face of low voltage to owners and project teams, and keep your own hands in the design on the projects that need it. This is a leadership seat for someone whose credibility rests on RCDD-level technical depth and who enjoys raising a team's skill and consistency.

LOCATION:

Pittsburgh, PA or Washington, DC with travel to client and project sites.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead AE Works' low voltage practice: set the technical direction for Division 27 communications design and, as the team grows into it, Division 28 electronic safety and security, and serve as the firm's authority on RCDD-level design.
• Manage, mentor and develop a team of low voltage designers and engineers: assign work against capacity, run regular check-ins and reviews, and plan each person's training and certification path (RCDD, RTPM, CTS and similar).
• Own QA/QC for every low voltage deliverable that leaves the building: perform or direct design reviews at each phase and confirm drawings, specifications and calculations are coordinated and code-compliant before issue.
• Set, maintain and enforce discipline standards (Revit families and templates, device and drawing standards, master specifications, typical details, design guides) and train the team on them.
• Lead projects schematic design through construction administration (RFIs, submittals, change orders, site visits).
• Be the technical lead in front of owners and their IT, security and facilities staff: gather requirements, run technology workshops and explain system choices to non-technical stakeholders.
• Coordinate low voltage scope with electrical, architecture, mechanical, structure and the owner's IT team, and secure space, pathway, power and cooling for telecommunications rooms early in design.
• Forecast staffing and workload for the discipline with project managers, and manage fee, scope and schedule on assigned projects, flagging additional services when scope moves.
• Support pursuits: scope and price low voltage services, write approach and staffing sections, join interviews and presentations, and build relationships with owner IT and facilities groups.
• Keep the firm current on codes, standards and technology (BICSI TDMM, ANSI/TIA, NEC, NFPA 70 and 72, and the criteria our federal and owner clients impose) and fold changes into our guides and templates.
• Represent the firm externally at client meetings and professional organizations such as BICSI.

QUALIFICATIONS:

What's required:

• Active BICSI RCDD certification.
• Twelve or more years designing low voltage systems in an architecture, engineering or consulting environment, including at least three years leading designers or running discipline-level QA/QC.
• Proven experience supervising, mentoring and developing designers, including reviewing their work and giving direct feedback.
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD, with Bluebeam and Microsoft Office, and the ability to set and enforce BIM and drawing standards for a team.
• Working knowledge of BICSI, ANSI/TIA, NEC and NFPA standards and the judgment to apply them on healthcare, higher education and federal projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including the ability to explain technical choices to owners, architects and engineers.
• Willingness to travel to project sites and between our Pittsburgh and Arlington offices as projects require.

What Puts You Ahead:

• Division 28 design experience (access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, nurse call, fire alarm coordination), or a security credential such as PSP or CPP.
• Healthcare, veterans' healthcare, federal or higher education design experience, including healthcare communications systems such as nurse call, emergency responder radio, distributed antenna systems and paging.
• Additional credentials such as BICSI RTPM, DCDC or ITS, AVIXA CTS, ASIS PSP or CPP, or PMP.
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, telecommunications, engineering technology or a related field; equivalent experience considered.

AE WORKS' PERKS:

At AE Works, we believe in supporting each person in their professional and personal journey. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401k), and a collaborative culture built on mentorship, accountability, and technical excellence. Our team enjoys generous paid time off, including a company-wide break from Christmas through New Years Day, a flexible hybrid schedule, and resources that promote mental health, financial wellness, and professional growth through training, education, and licensure support.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

AE Works uses E-Verify. You have the Right to Work.