Technical Director, Electrical Engineer

WSP is seeking a Technical Director, Electrical Engineer for our San Francisco or Sacramento, CA office. This role involves working on projects within our Transportation Sector Mechanical & Electrical Team, contributing to a growing organization that addresses client objectives and challenges.

About the role

Provides leadership within a sector of the organization to ensure electrical engineering subject matter, technical deliverables, infrastructure projects, and programs are delivered with a level of quality that meets or exceeds industry and company standards. Responsible for SME innovation and administration, ensuring corporate compliance with all local, state, and federal engineering, construction, and safety regulations. Offers pragmatic direction to address current and future challenges in a rapidly changing business climate.

Responsibilities

• Act as a staff specialist, providing technical guidance for complex or unique assignments.
• Apply diversified knowledge of engineering principles and practices, making independent decisions on significant engineering problems.
• Direct segments of major projects and participate in applying engineering concepts and techniques.
• Analyze complex problems requiring new or improved techniques or procedures.
• Monitor project progress for technical accuracy and adherence to schedule and budget.
• Represent the company at project meetings and conferences.
• Plan, organize, and supervise engineering staff and activities for large, complex projects.
• Make recommendations on project staffing.
• Direct design tasks requiring independent judgment in evaluation, selection, and adaptation of standard techniques.
• Ensure production of specifications, reports, and analyses meet scope, schedule, cost, and quality requirements.
• Perform electrical calculations, including load flow, voltage drop, short circuit, selective coordination, and arc flash.
• Design lighting systems, including calculations, circuiting, and controls.
• Design facility electrical service and power distribution for 480/277V, 120/208V, and 120/240V classifications.
• Apply medium voltage knowledge and work experience.
• Design grounding systems and perform related calculations.
• Design motor control centers (MCC), including layouts, sizing, and motor starter selection.
• Design standby and emergency power systems, including generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
• Coordinate with other design disciplines, including architectural, mechanical, civil, geotechnical, structures, hydraulics/drainage, stormwater, traffic, utilities, and right of way.
• Occasionally serve as a Project Manager.
• Mentor staff to support their growth and professional development.
• Manage and provide performance guidance to assigned staff.
• Stay current with the latest electrical engineering techniques and practices.
• Collaborate with professionals from various disciplines to provide "trusted advisor" services and future-ready solutions for clients.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company resources and conduct.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 12+ years of relevant post-education experience in electrical engineering and infrastructure design for capital projects in power generation, transmission, and distribution at a utility, industrial, or commercial scale.
• Engineer license required (multi-state preferred).
• Advanced proficiency with electrical engineering principles, practices, processes, design/build, and standards of care.
• Advanced proficiency with infrastructure design.
• Experience with infrastructure planning, design, and program/construction management, including working with adjacent disciplines such as electrical engineering, P&C, SCADA, and telecom.
• Strong knowledge of relevant engineering and electrical construction laws, codes (especially NFPA 70-NEC, NFPA 130, and NFPA 101), regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
• Strong working knowledge of the business impact of engineering and electrical construction laws, codes, and regulations.
• Advanced proficiency in making technical computations and calculations involving engineering principles, understanding plans and specifications, and comparing them to regulations.

Skills

• Excellent leadership and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to interact effectively and persuasively with employees at all organizational levels.
• Tactical lateral thinking and strong analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities in a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including senior management, clients, regulators, and staff.
• Advanced proficiency with technical writing, office automation, and discipline-specific design software (e.g., CADD, ETAP and/or SKM, AutoCAD Electrical).
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and adhering to health, safety, and drug/alcohol policies.
• Strong adaptability to change and flexibility regarding schedules and hours to meet business needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Engineering.
• Strong experience in managing the review and approval of documents and discipline-specific deliverables, certifications, processes, and plans in a multi-project environment.

Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on health and financial stability, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage.
• Retirement savings plans.
• Paid sick leave, vacation (or other personal time), and parental leave.
• Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and naturalization proceedings.

Pay

Expected salary range (all locations): $190,000 - $260,000.

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, a global engineering and professional services firm. We design lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water, and environment markets. With over 15,000 employees in more than 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with clients to help communities prosper. WSP offers a flexible and agile workplace model while providing a comprehensive suite of benefits.