Senior Electrical Design Expert

Virginia Transformer Corp; Muscle Shoals (AL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Transformer Corp in Muscle Shoals, AL, seeks a Senior Electrical Design Expert to provide technical leadership in the electrical design and development of custom power transformers.

This role guides complex design decisions, optimizes transformer performance, and supports projects from quotation and specification review through manufacturing and final testing, mentoring engineers and resolving challenging issues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Ten or more years of progressive electrical engineering experience, including substantial experience designing power transformers.
• Strong understanding of electromagnetic theory, transformer equivalent circuits, insulation coordination, and thermal performance.
• Demonstrated expertise in core-and-coil design, winding arrangements, impedance calculations, loss evaluation, and dielectric design.
• Experience evaluating short-circuit forces and coordinating electrical and mechanical design requirements.
• Working knowledge of IEEE/ANSI and IEC transformer standards and testing requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the electrical design and technical review of custom power transformers to meet customer specifications, performance guarantees, and applicable industry standards.
• Develop and review core-and-coil designs, including core geometry, winding configurations, conductor selection, insulation systems, and impedance calculations.
• Evaluate dielectric performance, temperature rise, losses, excitation current, sound levels, and short-circuit withstand capability.
• Establish insulation clearances and coordinate design requirements for voltage classes and impulse levels.
• Optimize designs to balance efficiency, reliability, material cost, manufacturability, and delivery requirements.
• Review customer specifications and support quotation activities with preliminary designs and technical recommendations.
• Perform or review electromagnetic, thermal, and transient analyses using appropriate engineering methods and software.
• Collaborate with mechanical and control design teams to ensure integration of transformer components.

Skills

Transformer design

Electromagnetic theory

Thermal analysis

Root cause analysis

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering

Master’s in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Transformer design software

Engineering calculation tools

Finite element analysis software

Job description

On the Heels of Achieving 3X Growth, Virginia Transformer Is Hiring to Do It Again!

Virginia Transformer is strategically building our commercial team for the next phase of extraordinary growth. We're preparing for another 3X expansion—and we're looking for exceptional leaders who are ready to make a lasting impact.

This opportunity requires drive, resilience, strategic thinking, and a passion for winning in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment. If you're motivated to perform at a high level and grow your career alongside one of the fastest-growing power transformer manufacturers in North America, we'd love to talk.

Who We Are

Virginia Transformer is the largest U.S.-owned manufacturer of power transformers in North America. For more than 50 years, we've earned our reputation by delivering premium-quality, custom-engineered transformers with industry-leading lead times.

Today, more than 6,000employees across multiple manufacturing facilities support utilities, renewable energy developers, data centers, industrial facilities, and critical infrastructure throughout North America.

As a privately held company experiencing rapid organic growth, we thrive on innovation, speed, engineering excellence, and an unwavering commitment to our customers.

Why Join Virginia Transformer?

Every transformer we manufacture is custom engineered.

Every customer challenge is unique.

Every employee plays a critical role in strengthening and modernizing North America's electrical grid.

If you're energized by solving complex problems, building lasting customer relationships, and helping power the future, Virginia Transformer is the place for you.

Our growth continues to create new opportunities across the organization. Even if your ideal role isn't currently posted, we'd love to hear from you.

Senior Electrical Design Expert

Position Overview

Virginia Transformer Corp is seeking a Senior Electrical Design Expert to provide technical leadership in the electrical design and development of custom power transformers.

This role will guide complex design decisions, optimize transformer performance, and support projects from quotation and specification review through manufacturing and final testing. The ideal candidate combines deep transformer design expertise with strong analytical skills and the ability to mentor engineers and resolve challenging technical issues.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the electrical design and technical review of custom power transformers to meet customer specifications, performance guarantees, and applicable industry standards.

Develop and review core-and-coil designs, including core geometry, winding configurations, conductor selection, insulation systems, and impedance calculations.

Evaluate dielectric performance, temperature rise, load and no-load losses, excitation current, sound levels, and short-circuit withstand capability.

Establish insulation clearances and coordinate dielectric design requirements for specified voltage classes and impulse levels.

Optimize designs to balance efficiency, reliability, material cost, manufacturability, and delivery requirements.

Review customer specifications and support quotation activities with preliminary designs, technical recommendations, and clarification of exceptions.

Perform or review electromagnetic, thermal, and transient analyses using appropriate engineering methods and software.

Collaborate with mechanical and control design teams to ensure complete integration of transformer components and systems.

Prepare and review design calculations, engineering specifications, material requirements, and manufacturing documentation.

Support Manufacturing with winding, insulation, core assembly, lead routing, and other design-related production questions.

Partner with Testing and Quality to evaluate test results, investigate failures or performance deviations, and implement corrective actions.

Assess proposed material substitutions and design changes for their effects on transformer performance and reliability.

Establish and improve electrical design standards, calculation methods, design review practices, and engineering tools.

Mentor engineers through technical training, design reviews, and hands-on problem-solving.

Participate in customer technical discussions, design reviews, and resolution of project-specific engineering concerns.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

Ten or more years of progressive electrical engineering experience, including substantial experience designing power transformers.

Strong understanding of electromagnetic theory, transformer equivalent circuits, insulation coordination, and thermal performance.

Demonstrated expertise in core-and-coil design, winding arrangements, impedance calculations, loss evaluation, and dielectric design.

Experience evaluating short-circuit forces and coordinating electrical and mechanical design requirements.

Working knowledge of applicable IEEE/ANSI and IEC transformer standards and testing requirements.

Proficiency with transformer design software, engineering calculation tools, and analysis methods.

Experience supporting transformer manufacturing and interpreting factory test results.

Strong root cause analysis, technical documentation, and communication skills.

Ability to manage complex technical priorities in an engineered-to-order manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on power systems, electromagnetics, or electrical machines.

Experience designing liquid-filled medium- and high-voltage power transformers.

Experience with autotransformers, generator step-up transformers, or other specialized transformer applications.

Familiarity with finite element analysis, impulse voltage distribution, stray loss analysis, and hotspot evaluation.

Experience developing or validating transformer design programs and automated calculation tools.

Demonstrated success improving design performance, reducing material costs, and standardizing engineering practices.

Experience serving as a senior technical resource and developing engineering talent.

What Success Looks Like

Transformer designs meet specified electrical performance and customer requirements.

Designs support successful factory testing and reliable operation.

Engineering documentation is accurate, complete, and released on schedule.

Design improvements reduce costs and manufacturing complexity while maintaining quality.

Technical issues are resolved through sound analysis and lasting corrective actions.

Engineering capabilities grow through mentorship and consistent design practices.

Bring your electrical design expertise to Virginia Transformer Corp and help develop the power transformers that support critical infrastructure.