Senior Electrical Engineer and Office Leader at SSOE in US-TX-Austin

Job description

• Imagine powering the facilities that manufacture the world's most advanced microchips and enable the technologies that define modern life and leading the team that makes it happen.
• At SSOE, you won't just be executing tasks; you'll continuously expand your expertise by confronting diverse and complex electrical engineering challenges unique to the semiconductor and advanced high-tech industrial sectors, while simultaneously guiding the culture, growth, and operational excellence of your office.
• You'll be supported by access to advanced training, leading design and analysis tools, and a collaborative multidisciplinary culture.
• We foster your ambition with clear pathways for career progression, whether your aspiration is technical leadership, project management, becoming a revered subject matter expert in mission-critical power systems, or growing as a regional leader.
• This role places you at the heart of a truly integrated team environment that champions knowledge sharing, innovation, and technical excellence, backed by the stability and proven delivery of a well-established firm.
• As a Senior Electrical Engineer and Office Leader at SSOE, you will be a pivotal force in shaping both the electrical infrastructure of advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities and the professional community within your office. Your ability to inspire teams, build enduring client partnerships, and represent SSOE to stakeholders will drive office success and market growth. You will thrive in a collaborative, design-build environment where your technical expertise, business intelligence, and strategic problem-solving skills will be highly valued. This role offers the unique opportunity to work on technically complex, large-scale projects, lead and mentor internal engineering teams, represent the firm externally, and directly contribute to the success of our leading semiconductor clients and the sustained growth of our firm in this dynamic, high-growth sector.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership & Project Delivery
• Lead and drive the electrical engineering design and planning process for a portfolio of complex, large-scale advanced high-tech industrial and semiconductor projects, from conceptual design and load analysis through construction administration within an integrated design-build delivery framework.
• Provide technical leadership and day-to-day oversight to internal electrical engineering project teams, ensuring the creation of coordinated, high-quality construction documents that meet our client’s specifications, industry’s best practices, and project schedules.
• Lead the design of comprehensive low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) power distribution systems, including MV switchgear, substation design and coordination, MV/LV transformers, low voltage switchgear and switchboards, motor control centers (MCCs), panelboards, busway distribution, and critical power pathways, ensuring selectivity, coordination, and arc flash hazard mitigation.
• Guide the seamless integration of electrical design with a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with all engineering disciplines to ensure coordination, constructability, and operational performance.
• Perform and oversee power system studies using industry-standard software (e.g., SKM PowerTools, ETAP, EasyPower), including short circuit analysis, protective device coordination studies, arc flash hazard analysis and labeling, load flow analysis, harmonic analysis, and motor starting studies to validate design integrity and safety.
• Lead peer reviews, quality assurance/quality control checks, and constructability reviews, with a particular focus on power distribution topology, protective device coordination, arc flash mitigation, and equipment clearances per NEC Article 110.
• Mentor junior and mid-level electrical engineers within internal project teams, fostering deep understanding of LV/MV power distribution design, power system analysis, cleanroom electrical considerations, semiconductor industry standards, and the technical detailing required for reliable mission-critical electrical infrastructure.
• Stay current with evolving codes, standards, industry practices, and emerging technologies.
• Lead the development and maintenance of electrical engineering standards, master specifications, templates, and power system study protocols to improve efficiency, consistency, technical quality, and speed-to-market across high-tech and semiconductor projects.
• Office Leadership & Culture
• Serve as a visible and approachable leader within the office, cultivating a positive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment where all employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
• Act as a key representative and advocate for the office's electrical engineering team, aligning local goals with firm-wide strategy, values, and vision.
• Drive staff development and career pathing for electrical professionals at all levels, identifying high-potential talent, and championing training, licensure, and certification opportunities.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and knowledge sharing, organizing technical forums, lunch-and-learns, and office-wide innovation challenges that leverage SSOE’s AI and digital tool ecosystem.
• Serve as a bridge between senior firm leadership and local staff, communicating business updates, strategic priorities, and celebrating office wins to maintain transparency and alignment.
• Coordinate cross-discipline collaboration within the office, breaking down silos between the multidisciplinary teams to enhance integrated project delivery.
• Oversee office facilities, space planning, and infrastructure for the engineering team, ensuring a safe, functional, and inspiring workspace that supports hybrid and in-person collaboration.
• In partnership with firm leadership, develop and manage office-level budgets for training, professional development, and team-building activities.
• Client, Stakeholder & Business Leadership
• Cultivate and expand trusted advisor relationships with key semiconductor and high-tech clients, understanding their long-term capital plans, operational challenges, and strategic goals to position SSOE as a partner of choice.
• Lead or actively participate in client pursuit and capture planning, including developing win themes, crafting compelling proposals, delivering client presentations, and negotiating project scopes and fees that balance client value with firm profitability.
• Represent SSOE at industry conferences, trade shows, and technical committees, building the firm’s brand as a thought leader and preferred employer in the semiconductor and mission-critical facility sector.
• Act as the primary electrical engineering point of contact for local and regional stakeholders, including utility providers, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), permitting agencies, and contractor partners, navigating complex regulatory and coordination landscapes.
• Support office-level business development efforts, working with business development managers and project managers to identify new opportunities, building a healthy pipeline of projects, and converting leads into backlog.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with trade contractors, equipment suppliers, and specialty consultants, ensuring project delivery success and leveraging their insights for continuous improvement.
• Support public and community relations efforts, presenting SSOE’s capabilities and project impacts at planning commission meetings, community open houses, and educational outreach events, demonstrating corporate citizenship.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited program.
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license in good standing within the U.S., with ability to obtain reciprocity in additional states as projects require.
• 10+ years of electrical engineering experience, with a strong and demonstrated focus on semiconductors, advanced high-tech industrial, cleanroom, or mission-critical facility design.
• Proven leadership in managing and guiding internal electrical engineering design teams through all project phases within a design-build delivery model.
• Demonstrated experience in office leadership, people management, or team development.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and client-facing skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex electrical engineering concepts to diverse audiences including engineers, project managers, trade contractors, client technical leadership, and community stakeholders.
• A proven track record of building and sustaining client relationships, contributing to business development, and participating in proposal development and interviews within the semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing industry.
• Demonstrated experience fostering an inclusive team culture and a commitment to mentoring and developing technical professionals.
• Experience with projects that demonstrated thoughtful, code-compliant, and technically precise electrical designs for semiconductor, high-tech, or comparable mission-critical facilities.
• Experience participating in activities, including client interviews, proposal development, scope definition, and relationship cultivation within the semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing industry.
• Direct experience with semiconductor wafer fabrication facility electrical design, including familiarity with sub-fab electrical distribution strategies and process tool electrical utility matrices.
• Knowledge of arc-resistant switchgear design and application, selective coordination strategies for mission-critical environments, and arc flash hazard mitigation per NFPA 70E including incident energy reduction techniques.
• Experience navigating electrical utility coordination for large industrial loads, including service entrance design, primary metering, and utility interconnect requirements for onsite generation.
• LEED AP or understanding of energy efficiency strategies and energy codes (IECC, ASHRAE 90.1) applicable to high-energy-use industrial facilities.
• Demonstrated success working within an integrated design-build project delivery environment on large-scale, fast-track high-tech projects.
• NCEES Record and ability to obtain PE licensure in multiple states.
• Experience leading organizational change, implementing new technologies (including AI) into design workflows, and driving a culture of innovation.

Skills

Required

• NEC Article 110 compliance
• NFPA 70E arc flash hazard mitigation
• LEED AP (preferred)

Benefits

• SSOE offers a competitive total compensation package designed to support and empower our employees and their families.
• Salary : $130,000 – $200,000 per year, commensurate with location, education, and depth of experience.
• Incentives : Leadership bonus program and ownership investment opportunities. We believe the people who build SSOE should share in its success.
• Health & Wellness : Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance; employer-paid life insurance; and wellness program support.
• Retirement : 401(k) plan with company match.
• Professional Growth : Dedicated professional development funding, PE licensure and certification exam support, conference attendance, and structured career advancement programs.
• Time Off : Generous paid time off (PTO) policy plus paid holidays.
• Work-Life Balance : SSOE actively supports flexible scheduling within project commitments and a culture that genuinely respects your time outside the office.