Electrical Design Lead - Data Center Development (Dallas)

Location: Dallas, Texas | US-based; relocation considered | Regular travel across the US and Canada
Industry: Data Center Development | Hyperscale and AI Campuses
Employment: Full-Time, Direct Hire | Lead Electrical Engineer
Compensation: USD $275,000 to $300,000 base | Bonus and equity participation | Comprehensive benefits package

The Opportunity

We are partnering with a data center developer that designs, builds and powers large campuses for hyperscale and AI customers across the United States and Canada. Its first campus is already in delivery, and the technical standards for the rest of the portfolio are being set now.

This seat is the owner's electrical authority. You own the electrical design from the medium voltage point of delivery down to the rack: the basis of design, the reference designs and the topology calls every campus is built on. Engineers of record and design consultants work to your direction, and you are the one who challenges their work and decides.

The role is hands-on technical leadership in a growing Design and Engineering team, reporting to the VP of Design and Engineering. You work with the Power team on utility and substation interfaces, with Delivery on constructability and commissioning, and with the commercial team on what customers need from each building.

What You'll Own

• The electrical basis of design, reference designs and standards for the portfolio, covering MV distribution, transformers, LV switchgear, UPS and battery systems, standby generation, busway, grounding and lightning protection.
• Single line diagrams and topology decisions, weighing resilience, cost, speed to power and customer requirements.
• Designs for high-density AI halls, including liquid cooling integration and phased power delivery.
• One design standard for US and Canadian sites that still meets local code: the NEC, the Canadian Electrical Code and the relevant NFPA, CSA and IEEE standards.
• Scoping, selecting and directing engineers of record and specialist consultants, with design reviews at every stage from concept to issued for construction.
• Review and approval of power system studies: load flow, short circuit, protection coordination and arc flash.
• Specifications for owner-furnished electrical equipment, vendor evaluation with Supply Chain, submittal reviews, factory acceptance tests, and advice on lead times and alternates when supply puts the schedule at risk.
• Support through construction and commissioning: energization planning, RFIs and field changes, integrated systems testing and handover to operations.

What You Bring

• A degree in electrical engineering.
• 10+ years in electrical design, including at least 5 years on mission-critical or data center projects.
• Lead designer or design manager on at least one hyperscale or large colocation facility, carried from concept through commissioning.
• Deep working knowledge of MV and LV distribution, UPS and battery systems, standby generation and protection design.
• The ability to review and challenge power system studies, with working knowledge of ETAP, SKM or EasyPower.
• Strong command of the NEC or the Canadian Electrical Code, plus the relevant NFPA, CSA and IEEE standards.
• A track record of directing external engineers of record and holding consultants to account.
• The ability to explain technical trade-offs plainly to executives and customers.

Who Gets Our Attention

Engineers who have held design authority on the owner side, at a data center developer, operator or hyperscaler, or who have led data center electrical design as engineer of record and are ready for the owner's seat. The strongest backgrounds blend enterprise, colocation and hyperscale work, and cover both live environments and greenfield builds, from service entrance to rack.

We also look closely for:

• A Professional Engineer license in a US state, or a P.Eng in a Canadian province.
• Campuses of 100 MW and above, including high-density AI and liquid-cooled halls.
• On-site generation, battery energy storage and utility interconnection.
• Projects on both sides of the border.
• A reference design you created and rolled out across several sites.

The Person

You lead through the quality of your technical judgment. You can take a consultant's single line diagram apart, say where it falls short, and then explain the trade-off to an executive or a customer in plain terms. You hold firms to account and keep the working relationship intact, and you want your decisions to become the standard other people build to.

Why This One?

You set the electrical standard for a multi-gigawatt portfolio while that standard is still being written. You have real authority over design decisions and direct access to the leadership team.

The first year is concrete: a basis of design and reference single lines adopted across the portfolio, the first campus's electrical design on schedule with its studies approved and long-lead equipment ordered, and engineers of record and key vendors performing against clear scopes. As the team grows, you help build the electrical design capability around you.

Location

Dallas, Texas. The role is open to US-based candidates, and relocation to Dallas will be considered for the right person. Expect regular travel to project sites, consultant offices and factory tests in the United States and Canada.

Compensation

USD $275,000 to $300,000 base salary, plus bonus and equity participation. Full-time, direct hire.

Comprehensive benefits package