Senior Electrical Engineer

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer for our downtown Chicago office to lead electrical design for complex building projects. You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, establish client relations, and drive design development through construction documents with PMs and other disciplines.

The role requires a minimum of 10 years in electrical design of buildings, a PE license, and a track record of leading projects and mentoring staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in Electrical or Architectural Engineering with Electrical emphasis.
• Minimum of 10 years experience in electrical design of buildings (lighting/power/systems).
• Professional Engineer (PE or equivalent) license required.
• Preference given to local candidates.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the work of Electrical Engineers with the balance of a multidiscipline team throughout the entire project's development.
• Establish client relations, and participate in the marketing, design and production meetings with regard to electrical systems.
• Assume the electrical lead on many projects.
• Participate in reviews with various governing agencies for code compliance.
• Conduct schematic, design development and contract document work sessions at the project site with the Project Manager, Project Architect and other disciplines.
• Coordinate workload through the entire project development to complete documents on schedule.
• Track the financial aspects of projects and coordinate and adjust the work effort with the team to meet the project schedule.
• Direct the activities of other electrical engineering professionals, and mentor staff as needed.

Skills

Electrical design

Project coordination

Mentoring

Client relations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/ Architectural Engineering (Electrical emphasis)

Master's degree in Electrical/ Architectural Engineering (Electrical emphasis)

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Electrical design software

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you're optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.

Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

Come join the fast-growing Building Engineering Services Group at HDR. The Building Engineering Services Group (BES) provides industry leading mechanical, electrical, plumbing, site civil, structural, and specialty design services for a wide variety of buildings that include public, municipal, private, and government project types. Projects are a balance of local as well as across the region and the globe. With a team of experienced staff in specific market areas such as Healthcare, Datacenters, Science and Technology, Commercial Real Estate, Finance, Hospitality, Industrial, Municipal, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Federal facilities; we provide engineering excellence for our clients.

We are searching for Senior Electrical Engineer at our downtown Chicago office.

In the role of Senior Electrical Engineer, we'll count on you to:

• Coordinate the work of Electrical Engineers with the balance of a multidiscipline team throughout the entire project's development
• Establish client relations, and participate in the marketing, design and production meetings with regard to electrical systems
• Assume the electrical lead on many projects
• Participate in reviews with various governing agencies for code compliance
• Conduct schematic, design development and contract document work sessions at the project site in conjunction with the Project Manager, Project Architect and other disciplines
• Coordinate workload through the entire project development to complete documents on schedule
• Track the financial aspects of projects, and coordinate and adjust the work effort with the team to ensure that the work is completed within the parameters of the agreed-upon schedule
• Work with the Project Manager and Regional Controller for project reviews with corporate management as needed
• Direct the activities of other electrical engineering professionals, and act as a mentor to other staff members as needed
• Perform other duties as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Architectural Engineering with an Electrical emphasis
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm desired
• Preference given to local candidates

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Architectural Engineering with an Electrical emphasis
• A minimum of 10 years experience in electrical design of buildings (lighting/power/systems);

Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.

• Extensive knowledge of building electrical power, lighting and signal design, including life safety systems and building management systems
• Strong computer knowledge of Microsoft Office and AutoCAD, and electrical design software
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location

United States-Illinois-Chicago

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

Job Posting

Sep 29, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

Ready to learn more? Let's work together to make great thingspossible.

We design solutions to the world's greatest challenges. We'realways looking for great talent to join our global teams.