Senior Principal Electrical Physical Designer

Location: Reading, PA
Job Type: Contract-to-Hire

Position Summary

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Principal Electrical Physical Designer to join its engineering team in Reading, PA. This position is ideal for a highly skilled electrical designer with extensive experience in industrial and power-related facilities who can lead design efforts, mentor junior designers, and deliver high-quality electrical design packages for complex projects.

The successful candidate will provide advanced electrical design and drafting support for a variety of engineering projects while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure designs meet client requirements, applicable codes, industry standards, and project schedules.

Responsibilities

• Lead discipline-specific design activities for one large project or multiple smaller projects.
• Supervise and coordinate the work of junior designers while ensuring project deliverables meet quality, schedule, and client requirements.
• Perform complex electrical drafting and design assignments using established design standards, procedures, and industry best practices.
• Prepare detailed electrical design drawings from sketches, specifications, engineering markups, and reference documents.
• Design high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) electrical systems for industrial and commercial facilities.
• Develop layouts, plans, elevations, sections, installation details, and construction drawings for electrical systems and equipment.
• Prepare electrical design packages including:
  • Lighting systems
  • Small power systems
  • Grounding and earthing systems
  • Lightning protection systems
  • HV/LV single-line diagrams
  • Wiring and control schematics
  • AC/DC distribution panels
  • Process area electrical equipment layouts
  • Substation and switchyard layouts
  • Cable tray systems
  • Above-grade and underground cable routing
  • Duct bank layouts and sizing
• Prepare cable schedules and perform cable pulling, cable tray sizing, and cable selection calculations.
• Perform lighting calculations using AGI32 or similar software.
• Participate in SmartPlant 3D model reviews and interdisciplinary design coordination meetings.
• Conduct point-to-point reviews of complete electrical design packages.
• Travel to project sites to perform electrical panel audits and raceway routing walkdowns.
• Participate in design reviews with clients and provide technical guidance regarding design standards and compliance.
• Perform dimensional and routine engineering calculations required for drawing preparation.
• Maintain organized project documentation and drawing records.
• Complete assigned work within established budgets and project schedules.
• Ensure all work complies with applicable quality assurance procedures and project standards.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree or two- to three-year technical diploma with discipline-specific electrical design training.
• Extensive experience in electrical physical design and drafting for industrial, utility, or power generation projects.
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • SmartPlant Electrical (SPEL)
  • SmartPlant Instrumentation (SPI)
  • SmartPlant 3D
  • AutoCAD
  • MicroStation
• Experience participating in 3D model reviews and multidisciplinary project coordination.
• Thorough understanding of electrical drafting standards, design practices, and applicable industry codes.
• Experience preparing detailed construction drawings for HV and LV electrical systems.
• Strong knowledge of electrical layouts, cable systems, substations, grounding, lighting, and electrical distribution.
• Ability to independently manage multiple design assignments with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
• Ability to travel to project sites as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with AVEVA E3D.
• Equivalent combination of education, technical training, and extensive electrical design experience.
• Previous experience leading design teams on EPC or industrial facility projects.