Lead Electrical Engineer – Control Panel Design & Industrial Automation

Lead Electrical Engineer – Control Panel Design & Industrial Automation Company Overview

A growing industrial automation and systems integration company is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to provide technical leadership for the design and execution of custom control systems and industrial automation projects. The company delivers turnkey automation solutions including electrical engineering, UL control panel fabrication, PLC/HMI programming, SCADA integration, field installation, and commissioning for customers across a wide range of manufacturing and process industries.

The Lead Electrical Engineer will serve as the technical leader for electrical engineering projects, overseeing the design and implementation of industrial control panels, power distribution systems, and automation solutions from concept through commissioning. This role provides engineering direction to project teams, establishes design standards, mentors junior engineers and designers, and works closely with customers to deliver reliable, high-quality automation systems.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise in electrical design with leadership experience in industrial automation, control panel design, and multidisciplinary project execution.

• Lead the electrical engineering design for custom industrial automation and control system projects.
• Design industrial control panels in compliance with customer specifications, NEC, NFPA 79, and UL 508A standards.
• Power distribution drawings
• PLC I/O drawings
• Loop drawings
• Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Establish engineering standards, design practices, and documentation procedures.
• Provide technical oversight for multiple engineering projects simultaneously.
• Review and approve electrical designs produced by engineers and designers.
• Mentor junior engineers, electrical designers, and CAD personnel while supporting their technical development.
• Work directly with customers to define project scope, review specifications, and resolve technical issues.
• Coordinate with controls engineers, software developers, mechanical engineers, fabrication teams, and project managers throughout project execution.
• Specify and select electrical equipment including:
  • PLC platforms
  • HMIs
  • Industrial PCs
  • VFDs
  • Servo systems
  • MCCs
  • Motor starters
  • Circuit protection devices
  • Industrial networking equipment
  • Safety components
• Support Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), startup, commissioning, and field troubleshooting.
• Manage engineering change orders (ECOs), drawing revisions, and document control.
• Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency through design standardization and reusable templates.
• Provide technical support during panel fabrication, installation, and startup activities.

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology.
• 8+ years of experience designing industrial electrical control systems.
• 3+ years of technical leadership or lead engineering experience.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD Electrical.
• Strong knowledge of PLC-based control systems and industrial automation.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering projects from concept through commissioning.
• Strong understanding of electrical power distribution and industrial control circuits.
• Ability to review and interpret:
  • Electrical schematics
  • One-line diagrams
  • P&IDs
  • Loop diagrams
  • Instrumentation drawings
  • Control narratives
• Excellent communication, leadership, and customer-facing skills.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus.
• Experience with UL 508A panel design.
• Familiarity with UL 698A, NFPA 70 (NEC), NFPA 79, and IEC standards.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Omron, or Beckhoff automation platforms.
• Knowledge of industrial networking including Ether Net/IP, Modbus TCP, Profinet, and Ethernet-based control systems.
• Experience with SCADA systems such as Ignition, Factory Talk View SE, Wonderware, or AVEVA.
• Experience supporting industries such as manufacturing, food & beverage, water/wastewater, life sciences, chemicals, or oil & gas.
• Previous experience supporting field commissioning and startup activities.

• AutoCAD
• UL 508A
• PLC Hardware Design
• HMI Integration
• Power Distribution Systems
• Motor Control Centers (MCCs)
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
• Instrumentation & Process Controls
• SCADA Systems
• BOM Development
• Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT)
• Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Technical leadership and engineering mentorship
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Project planning and execution
• Customer relationship management
• Design review and quality assurance
• Continuous improvement and engineering standardization
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment

• Occasional travel (approximately 10–20%) to customer facilities for project meetings, site surveys, startup support, and commissioning activities may be required.

This is an excellent…