Principal Electrical Engineer

Jobot; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Accelerated career growth

Job summary

Jobot, acting for a growing engineering firm launching a Data Center Division, seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead mission-critical power systems design for hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise clients. This role shapes standards, guides design reviews, and drives reliability across multiple projects.

You will mentor engineers, collaborate with mechanical and controls teams, engage directly with clients, and contribute to business development through technical proposals and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from ABET-accredited program.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• 15+ years of electrical engineering experience in data center or mission-critical environments.
• Strong knowledge of NEC, NFPA, IEEE standards and data center design.
• Experience with large-scale power systems from utility to critical load.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Electrical Technical Authority for data center projects including design, execution and commissioning support.
• Lead design and review of MV/LV power distribution, substations, switchgear, UPS, generators and distribution to critical loads.
• Develop and implement design standards, specs and best practices for mission-critical facilities.
• Provide guidance on redundancy strategies and align with uptime requirements.
• Perform load flow, short circuit, coordination and arc flash studies using ETAP or SKM.
• Mentor staff and collaborate with mechanical, controls and construction teams.

Skills

Leadership

Client-facing

Project management

Power systems modeling

NEC/NFPA/IEEE standards

Communication

Mentoring

Data center design

Education

ABET-accredited B.E. in Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

ETAP

SKM

Job description

Salary: $225,000 - $275,000 per year

We're a recruiting partner working on behalf of a growing engineering firm that is launching a dedicated Data Center Division to serve hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise clients. Our client brings decades of multidisciplinary engineering experience and is investing in senior technical talent to build out a center of excellence for mission-critical power systems design.

Why join us

• Competitive Base Salary!
• Accelerated Career Growth!

Position Summary

Our client is launching a Data Center Division and is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to serve as a technical leader in the development and execution of mission-critical infrastructure projects. This role will be instrumental in shaping the client's electrical engineering standards, supporting business development efforts, and delivering high-performance, resilient power systems for hyperscale and enterprise data center clients.

The Principal Electrical Engineer will act as a subject matter expert (SME) across multiple projects, ensuring best-in-class design, constructability, and reliability of electrical systems supporting mission-critical operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Electrical Technical Authority for data center projects, overseeing design, execution, and commissioning support of electrical systems.
• Lead the design and review of medium- and low-voltage power distribution systems, including utility interconnection, substations, switchgear, UPS systems, generators, and distribution to critical loads.
• Develop and implement design standards, specifications, and best practices tailored to mission-critical facilities.
• Provide guidance on redundancy strategies (N, N+1, 2N, 2N+1, 3:2, 4:3, 6:5) and ensure alignment with uptime and reliability requirements.
• Perform and review system studies including load flow, short circuit, coordination, and arc flash analysis using tools such as ETAP or SKM.
• Collaborate with mechanical, controls, and construction teams to ensure fully integrated, constructible designs.
• Engage directly with clients, acting as a trusted advisor during concept development, design reviews, and project execution.
• Support business development by contributing to proposals, technical presentations, and client pursuits within the data center market.
• Evaluate and coordinate with key vendors (UPS, generators, switchgear, PDUs, busway systems) to ensure optimal system performance and delivery.
• Lead design reviews (30/60/90%), HAZOPs, and commissioning planning to ensure quality and compliance.
• Mentor and develop electrical engineering staff, establishing the client's division as a center of excellence in data center design.
• Support fast-track project delivery models, including modular and prefabricated electrical solutions (E-Houses, skids, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from an ABET-accredited institution.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• 15+ years of electrical engineering experience, with significant exposure to mission-critical or data center environments.
• Strong knowledge of NEC, NFPA, IEEE, and relevant data center design standards.
• Proven experience with large-scale power systems (utility service through critical load distribution).
• Expertise in power system modeling tools such as ETAP or SKM.
• Demonstrated experience working with hyperscale, colocation, or enterprise data center clients preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, and client-facing skills.
• Ability to lead multiple fast-paced projects and influence technical direction across teams.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with the Uptime Institute's Four-Tier classification system.
• Familiarity with renewable integration, microgrids, or energy storage systems.
• Experience supporting design-build or EPC project delivery.
• Knowledge of modular data center and prefabricated power solutions.

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.