Principal Electrical Engineer - Data Center

LeoForce; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

LeoForce seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer - Data Center in Houston, TX to lead electrical design and commissioning for mission-critical facilities. You will serve as the technical authority on MV/LV power distribution, utility interconnection, switchgear, UPS, generators, and coordination with clients and vendors.

The role requires a PE license, a bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, and 15+ years in data centers or mission-critical environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering is required.
• 15+ years of electrical engineering experience in mission-critical or data center environments.
• Strong knowledge of NEC, NFPA, IEEE standards is required.
• Experience with large-scale power systems from utility service through critical load distribution.

Responsibilities

• Serve as electrical technical authority for data center projects from design to commissioning.
• Lead the design/review of MV/LV power distribution, including utility interconnection, substations, switchgear, UPS, generators, and distribution to critical loads.
• Develop and implement design standards, specifications, and best practices for mission-critical facilities.
• Provide guidance on redundancy strategies (N, N+1, 2N, 2N+1, 3:2, 4:3, 6:5) to meet uptime requirements.
• Engage with clients as trusted advisor during concept development, design reviews, and project execution.
• Coordinate with key vendors to ensure optimal system performance.
• Lead design reviews, HAZOPs, and commissioning planning.
• Mentor and develop electrical engineering staff to build a center of excellence in data center design.

Skills

Electrical design

Leadership

Client-facing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

ETAP

SKM

Job description

Principal Electrical Engineer - Data Center

Location: Houston, TX, US

Job Description

Salary: $150,000 - $220,000 per year

• 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.
• Engage directly with clients, acting as a trusted advisor during concept development, design reviews, and project execution.
• 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 team as a center of excellence in data center design.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 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, from 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.

A bit about us

We’re a well‑established EPC firm with a multi‑decade track record delivering complex industrial and infrastructure projects across the energy, industrial, and commercial sectors. Building on that foundation, we’re standing up a new data center division to meet the surging demand for mission‑critical, high‑reliability power infrastructure driven by the AI and cloud computing boom.

We bring the engineering depth, project delivery experience, and client relationships of an established firm to this rapidly expanding market — and we’re now assembling the technical team that will define how we design and build for it. This is a rare chance to help shape a new practice area from the ground up, backed by the stability and resources of an organization that already knows how to deliver.

Why join us?

• Ground‑floor opportunity — help build a brand‑new division and shape its electrical engineering standards and design philosophy from day one, rather than inheriting someone else’s playbook.
• Real influence — act as the electrical Subject Matter Expert across projects, with direct access to leadership and genuine input into technical direction, hiring, and vendor relationships.
• Meaningful, high‑stakes work — play a leading role in some of the most consequential infrastructure projects of the decade, supporting mission‑critical facilities for hyperscale and enterprise clients.
• A path to build and lead — mentor and grow an engineering team as the division scales, with a clear trajectory into broader technical leadership.
• Stability plus upside — the project pipeline, reputation, and resources of an established EPC firm, paired with the autonomy and ownership of building something new.
• Competitive rewards — base salary, performance bonus, and a benefits package that reflects both your experience and the high demand for this expertise in today’s market.