Electrical Design Engineer SME – Nuclear

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Design Engineer SME – Nuclear to provide senior-level technical leadership in the design, analysis, modification, testing, and implementation of electrical power systems and power equipment within a nuclear environment.

This is a Subject Matter Expert-level engineering position requiring approximately 15 years of electrical engineering discipline experience and specialized SME expertise. The selected engineer will serve as a technical authority on complex electrical design activities involving transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, protective relays, motor control centers, generators, and electrical distribution systems.

The engineer will lead complex design and modification efforts, provide technical direction to project teams, mentor less-experienced engineers, and ensure designs comply with applicable codes, standards, licensing requirements, configuration-control requirements, and engineering processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for complex electrical power system design, modification, analysis, testing, and implementation activities.
• Develop comprehensive engineering design packages for electrical system modifications and upgrades.
• Prepare and/or review:
  • Engineering calculations
  • Technical specifications
  • Design drawings
  • Design inputs
  • Modification packages
  • Testing requirements
  • Design basis documentation
  • Engineering Change (EC) Base Documents
  • Equipment Database records
  • Electrical Elementary Diagrams
  • Connection Diagrams
  • Wiretabs
  • Bills of Materials
  • Cable Cards
• Perform and/or review electrical power system studies, including:
  • Load flow analysis
  • Short-circuit analysis
  • Protective device coordination
  • Arc flash evaluations
  • Voltage drop analysis
• Evaluate, size, specify, and support the application of electrical power equipment, including:
  • Transformers
  • Switchgear
  • Circuit breakers
  • Protective relays
  • Motor control centers (MCCs)
  • Variable frequency drives (VFDs)
  • Generators
  • Auxiliary power equipment
• Prepare technical specifications and procurement documentation for new equipment and plant modifications.
• Perform technical evaluations to verify compliance with applicable design basis requirements.
• Read and interpret plant drawings, including Control Wiring Diagrams, One-Line Diagrams, and Logic Diagrams.
• Conduct design reviews, technical verifications, and engineering change evaluations.
• Maintain configuration control by ensuring drawings, calculations, equipment databases, and other engineering records are properly updated following modifications.
• Coordinate with Project Management, Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, vendors, and other stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), commissioning, and post-modification testing.
• Provide technical support for electrical equipment troubleshooting and resolution of complex engineering issues.
• Support engineering risk assessments and implementation of engineering changes.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to less-experienced engineers.
• Independently manage complex engineering assignments with limited supervision while maintaining accountability for assigned deliverables.

Electrical Engineering & SME Expertise

The ideal candidate will bring advanced experience in several of the following areas:

• Electrical power system analysis and modeling
• Protective relay coordination
• Transformer sizing and application
• Switchgear and circuit breaker specification
• Cable ampacity and routing calculations
• Grounding system design
• Electrical distribution systems
• Generator and auxiliary power systems
• Electrical equipment troubleshooting
• Electrical equipment commissioning and testing
• Technical report and specification development
• Engineering change implementation
• Configuration management
• Risk assessment
• Switchyard and transmission-related engineering changes

Codes & Standards

Candidates should have experience applying relevant electrical engineering codes, standards, and procedures, including:

• IEEE
• ANSI
• NEC
• NFPA
• NESC
• Applicable nuclear licensing requirements
• Company-specific engineering and design procedures

Desired Qualifications

• Approximately 15 years of relevant electrical engineering discipline experience, including specialized SME-level expertise.
• Strong electrical design experience within nuclear, utility, renewable energy, or large industrial plant environments.
• Experience designing and applying transformers, switchgear, protective relays, circuit breakers, generators, and related power equipment.
• Knowledge of the Standard Design Process.
• Previous experience at a nuclear site.
• Previous Duke Energy experience.
• Experience with Switchyard/Transmission-related Engineering Changes (ECs).
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience with power system analysis/modeling software such as ETAP, SKM, or PowerWorld.
• Knowledge of electrical equipment commissioning and testing practices.
• Familiarity with engineering change and configuration-management processes.

Highly Desired Duke Energy Qualifications

Current or previous Duke Energy qualifications in the following areas are highly desirable:

• CO-FLT-ENG-2000 – Design Change / Preparation of Engineering Changes
• FLT-ENG-DIGITAL-EC – Digital Engineering Change
• CO-FLT-ENG-2050 – Design Verification
• CO-FLT-AD – Applicability Determination Preparer
• CO-FLT-50.59-SCR – 50.59 Screener

Key Competencies

• Technical leadership and subject matter expertise
• Technical rigor and attention to detail
• Complex problem solving and troubleshooting
• Design ownership and accountability
• Power system analysis
• Engineering judgment and decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Project planning and execution
• Safety, regulatory, and compliance focus
• Mentoring and technical coaching
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Stakeholder and vendor engagement

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will be a senior electrical design engineer with approximately 15+ years of experience who can independently lead complex nuclear electrical design and modification activities. They should bring deep expertise in power distribution systems, transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, protective relays, MCCs, generators, power system studies, engineering changes, and configuration control.

Previous nuclear and Duke Energy experience, existing Duke design qualifications, Switchyard/Transmission EC experience, and a PE license would make a candidate particularly competitive. This person should be capable of functioning as a true technical authority—taking ownership of difficult engineering problems while also reviewing work and mentoring less-experienced engineers.