GDA
Lead Electrical Engineer – Mission Critical / Data Centers
Job Title: Lead Electrical Engineer – Mission Critical / Data Centers
Location: Houston, Texas
Experience: 10+ years professional experience
Role Overview
We areseeking an experienced Lead Electrical Engineer to support the design and delivery of
major data center developments in the United States.
The role will be based in Houston, Texas, working closely with the local client development team
while forming part of a wider international design and engineering team.
The successful candidate will act as a senior local electrical engineering resource, providing
technical support across design development, localisation, procurement and construction. The
role requires strong data center experience, detailed knowledge of US electrical codes and
standards, and the ability to work independently while coordinating with discipline leads based
internationally.
This is a technically hands-on position rather than a purely managerial role.
Roles and Responsibilities
1. Provide senior electrical engineering support for hyperscale, AI and other mission-critical
data center developments in the United States.
2. Act as a key local electrical engineering interface between the client team, design
consultants, EPC contractors, vendors and other project stakeholders.
3. Review and develop electrical design documentation including calculations, single-line
diagrams, equipment schedules, specifications and technical reports.
4. Support the design and technical review of utility interfaces, MV and LV distribution,
transformers, switchgear, UPS systems, BESS, standby generation, grounding, protection
and control, metering and associated critical power infrastructure.
5. Advise client teams on localisation of designs for applicable US, Texas and local code,
regulatory and authority requirements.
6. Support discussions and coordination with utilities, Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs),
local consultants and permitting teams as required.
7. Review consultant, EPC and vendor designs for compliance with project requirements,
design intent, applicable codes and good engineering practice.
Lead Electrical Engineer - USA
8. Identify technical risks, design deviations, coordination issues and potential compliance
concerns and communicate these clearly to the wider project team.
9. Coordinate electrical requirements and interfaces with mechanical, architectural,
structural, controls, BIM and other engineering disciplines.
10. Support technical evaluations of equipment, vendors and alternative design solutions.
11. Participate in design reviews, value engineering, technical workshops and
multidisciplinary coordination meetings.
12. Review technical submittals, shop drawings, RFIs and other construction-stage
information where required.
13. Undertake site visits, surveys, inspections and construction or commissioning support as
required.
14. Provide direct technical support to the Houston-based client development team on
day-to-day project matters.
15. Coordinate closely with electrical and multidisciplinary design leadership based
internationally, maintaining clear communication of decisions, risks and actions. 16.
Contribute to the development and improvement of US data center design standards,
specifications and technical processes.
Qualifications and Experience
● Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited institution.
● 10+ years of relevant professional electrical engineering experience.
● Significant experience in data center or mission-critical electrical design, with hyperscale and/or high-density data center experience strongly preferred.
● Experience working on major projects in the United States.
● Strong working knowledge of US electrical codes, standards and engineering practice
relevant to mission-critical facilities.
● Strong understanding of critical electrical infrastructure including MV/LV distribution,
transformers, switchgear, UPS, BESS, standby generation, grounding and protection
systems.
● Experience working within multidisciplinary consultancy, owner-side, EPC, design-build or
contractor environments.
● Ability to review complex technical designs and identify material compliance,
performance and coordination issues.
● Experience supporting projects through design development and construction stages.
● Strong written and verbal communication skills.
● Ability to operate effectively and independently within a geographically distributed
engineering team.
Lead Electrical Engineer - USA Professional Registration
● Professional Engineer (PE) registration in Texas is strongly preferred.
● Candidates holding an active PE license in another US jurisdiction who are suitably
qualified and able to obtain Texas licensure will also be considered.
Preferred Experience
● Hyperscale, colocation or AI / high-density data center projects.
● Large-scale campus electrical infrastructure and utility interconnection.
● Medium-voltage distribution systems.
● BESS and critical power systems.
● EPC and design-build project delivery.
● Technical due diligence and owner-side design review.
● Texas permitting, utility and AHJ processes.
● Construction, testing and commissioning of mission-critical electrical systems.
●Familiarity with Revit/BIM-based multidisciplinary coordination.
Reporting and Working Structure
The position will be based in Houston and work closely with the local client development team.
The engineer will form part of a wider design team, with functional technical management
provided by senior electrical/design leadership based internationally. The role therefore
requires an individual capable of managing day-to-day technical matters independently while
maintaining effective coordination with the wider engineering team.