Principal Electrical Engineer

Position Details

Location: Naperville, IL
Work arrangement: Onsite with periodic time in a shop/fabrication environment
Travel: Up to 20% (as needed for supplier support, build/validation, and/or commissioning)

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with R&D and Product Management/Marketing on equipment innovation, translating concepts into manufacturable electrical/control designs.
• Develop and maintain electrical documentation packages (schematics, panel layouts, wiring diagrams, BOMs) using electrical CAD tools (AutoCAD Electrical or equivalent).
• Own electrical designs throughout the product lifecycle, including sustaining engineering, cost reduction, reliability improvements, and obsolescence management.
• Lead hands-on troubleshooting during production builds; perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Ensure designs and build practices meet Ecolab safety requirements and applicable global regulations/standards (e.g., OSHA, NEC, NFPA 70E, UL, CSA, IEC, CE), including appropriate guarding, labeling, and documentation.
• Develop and maintain electrical standards, design guidelines, reusable architectures, and best practices across the product portfolio to improve consistency, scalability, and manufacturability.
• Specify electrical components and instrumentation for procurement and production; support supplier selection, technical reviews, and component standardization.
• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, DFMEA/PFMEA, and change management to ensure robust, compliant designs.
• Serve as a technical authority and escalation point for complex electrical challenges, providing guidance and driving timely resolution.
• Coach and mentor engineers through formal and informal development to build technical capability and improve team effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing and Quality to resolve nonconformances; support investigations, containment, and corrective/preventive actions (CAPA).
• Support installation, commissioning, and validation activities as needed (factory testing and/or field support) to ensure equipment meets performance requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of electrical engineering experience supporting industrial equipment and/or control panel design in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with electrical CAD (AutoCAD Electrical preferred) to create electrical schematics, panel layouts, and wiring diagrams.
• Experience designing industrial electrical systems and control panels, including schematics, panel layouts, wiring, and bills of material (BOMs).
• Working knowledge of applicable electrical codes and safety standards (e.g., NEC, NFPA 70E, UL, CSA, IEC, CE) and safe design/work practices.
• Experience supporting manufacturing builds and troubleshooting electrical/control issues in a production (and/or field) environment.
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Demonstrated ability to translate process requirements into electrical/control design requirements and explain technical documentation to diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience programming and troubleshooting PLC/HMI systems (e.g., Rockwell/Allen Bradley, Siemens, B&R) and industrial networks.
• Experience with motor control/VFDs, pumps and motors, and industrial instrumentation troubleshooting.
• Experience with ERP/plant systems (SAP preferred) and working within a document-controlled manufacturing environment.

Physical Demands / Work Environment

Work is performed in an office and shop/fabrication environment with exposure to dust, fumes/odors, and noise; appropriate PPE is required as applicable. Ability to safely move around equipment builds and test areas, including standing and walking for periods of time.

Potential Customer Requirements Notice

To meet customer requirements and comply with local or state regulations, applicants for certain customer-facing roles may need to: Undergo additional background screens and/or drug/alcohol testing for customer credentialing. Be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including a booster if eligible, unless a religious or medical accommodation is requested by the applicant and approved by Ecolab.

Our Commitment to a Culture of Inclusion & Belonging

We are on a journey to create a workplace where every associate can grow and achieve their best. We are committed to fair and equal treatment of associates and applicants and recruit, hire, promote, transfer and provide opportunities for advancement based on individual qualifications and job performance. In all matters affecting employment, compensation, benefits, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement, we will not discriminate against any associate or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or status as a covered veteran. In addition, we are committed to furthering the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) through Affirmative Action (AA).