Project Development Engineer

Responsibilities

• Develop conceptual designs and technical scopes for data center and critical power applications.
• Select appropriate equipment and prepare proposal documentation.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Estimating, and Project Management teams.
• Engage with customers to define project scope, cost, schedule, and risk.
• Provide technical support during the execution phase of projects.

Essential Skills

• Experience supporting mission-critical facilities, data centers, utility systems, microgrids, power generation, or large industrial power systems.
• Knowledge of medium voltage (5kV-38kV), low-voltage switchgear, transfer switches, UPS systems, battery storage, generators, or distribution equipment.
• Ability to develop conceptual designs, single-line diagrams, technical scopes, and equipment selections.
• Experience in front-end engineering or solutions development.
• Exposure in EPC or consulting engineering, design firms, or mission-critical engineering organizations.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Experience in power systems, data centers, mission-critical facilities, utility infrastructure, power generation, or electrical applications engineering.
• Strong understanding of electrical distribution systems and critical power infrastructure.
• Experience developing technical proposals and conceptual engineering packages.
• Able to read and interpret specifications, drawings, and customer requirements.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working directly with clients, consultants, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Knowledge of NEC, IEEE, NFPA 70E, and related electrical standards.

About the Role

The Project Development Engineer serves as a technical resource supporting the Data Center Solutions team. This position works closely with Sales, Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Estimating, Project Management, and customers during the pre-sale phase of mission-critical infrastructure projects. The engineer will develop conceptual designs, technical scopes, equipment selections, and proposal documentation for data center and critical power applications. Projects may include medium-voltage distribution, low-voltage switchgear, UPS systems, battery storage, generators, transfer switches, and associated mechanical infrastructure. This role combines technical engineering expertise with customer interaction and solution development, helping define project scope, cost, schedule, and risk before project execution. Following project award, the engineer remains involved as a technical support resource for project execution teams.

Work Environment

The work environment is a collaborative engineering setting with significant interaction across sales, engineering, manufacturing, construction, and project management teams. This role involves a mix of technical design, proposal development, customer engagement, and internal project coordination. The position is primarily office or hybrid-based with limited travel (

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Durham, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $70.00/hr.

Requirements

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully remote position.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.