Director of Electrical Engineering

We do not offer H-1B or other visa sponsorship for this position. 

About the Role: We are seeking an experienced Director of Electrical Engineering to lead our electrical engineering practice within a full-service MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) design firm. This individual will provide technical leadership, business development support, and staff management for the electrical engineering department, overseeing the design of power distribution, lighting, fire alarm, low-voltage, and related building systems across commercial, healthcare, institutional, industrial, mission-critical, and DOT projects. This position allows for becoming a Principal in the next few years. This is a remote position, however candidates must reside in the Chicagoland area for occasional client visits.

The ideal candidate is a licensed Professional Engineer with deep technical expertise, a track record of successful project delivery, and the leadership skills to mentor engineers, manage client relationships, and drive department growth.

Key Responsibilities :

Technical Leadership

• Provide senior-level technical oversight and quality control (QA/QC) for electrical engineering deliverables, including power distribution, emergency/standby power, lighting design, fire alarm systems, and low-voltage/technology systems
• Review and stamp construction documents, calculations, and specifications in accordance with applicable codes (NEC, NFPA, IEEE, local jurisdictional requirements)
• Resolve complex technical challenges and serve as the escalation point for design issues across active projects
• Stay current on emerging technologies, energy codes, sustainability standards (LEED, WELL, ASHRAE 90.1), and industry best practices, and integrate these into department standards

Team & Department Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of electrical engineers, designers, and CAD/BIM staff, fostering a culture of technical excellence and professional growth
• Manage staffing plans, workload allocation, and resource forecasting across multiple concurrent projects
• Conduct performance reviews, support career development plans, and lead recruitment/hiring efforts for the department
• Establish and maintain department design standards, templates, and best practices to ensure consistency and efficiency across projects

Project & Client Management

• Oversee project scoping, fee proposals, and budgets for electrical engineering services
• Serve as principal-in-charge or senior technical advisor on key projects, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, architects, contractors, and other project stakeholders
• Support business development efforts, including proposal writing, client presentations, and participation in industry organizations and networking events

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate closely with Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Protection, and Structural engineering leads to ensure integrated, coordinated design solutions
• Partner with firm leadership on strategic planning, department growth initiatives, and operational improvements
• Collaborate with contractors and commissioning agents during construction administration to resolve field issues and ensure design intent is met

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (Master's degree a plus)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required; ability to obtain licensure in additional states as needed
• 12+ years of progressive electrical engineering experience in the MEP/building systems industry, including 3+ years in a leadership or management role
• Demonstrated expertise in power distribution systems, lighting design, emergency power/generators, fire alarm systems, and low-voltage systems
• Strong working knowledge of NEC, NFPA 70/72/110, IEEE standards, and local/state building and energy codes
• Proficiency with industry design software (Revit MEP, AutoCAD, SKM/ETAP, AGi32/Visual, Bluebeam)
• Proven experience managing project budgets, schedules, and multi-disciplinary teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to clients and stakeholders