Independent Contractor Electrical Engineer Jobs in Colorado

This role offers an experienced Electrical Engineer the opportunity to lead complex engineering projects in the mining and bulk material handling industries, with a strong focus on power and control systems. You will apply your technical expertise in electrical design, analysis, and equipment specification to support large-scale, international projects while enjoying a small-company atmosphere backed by the resources of a global organization. The position emphasizes sustainable productivity, cross-functional collaboration, and mentoring less experienced engineers in a supportive, team-oriented environment.

• Lead the preparation and execution of electrical engineering project scope for mining and bulk material handling systems.
• Develop, review, and refine electrical power system designs for systems ranging from 480 VAC to 13,800 VAC, including equipment sizing and selection.
• Generate and oversee project drawings and documentation, including single-line diagrams, schematics, interconnection diagrams, and layout drawings using AutoCAD and related tools.
• Prepare specifications and technical documents for the requisition, bid analysis, and purchase of electrical distribution equipment such as switchgear, motor control centers, transformers, power distribution centers, generators, UPS systems, and DC systems.
• Ensure electrical designs comply with applicable industry codes and standards, including NEC or IEC, and company-specific engineering practices.
• Incorporate a fundamental understanding of instrumentation and controls into power and control system designs, ensuring effective integration with overall control systems.
• Coordinate inter-discipline reviews and interface requirements with other engineering disciplines to ensure cohesive and integrated project execution.
• Manage and oversee third-party subcontractors, including defining scope, monitoring progress, and ensuring adherence to technical and quality requirements.
• Review and approve vendor and contractor document submittals, including drawings, calculations, and technical specifications, to ensure compliance with project requirements.
• Perform or oversee power system analysis, including short-circuit calculations, voltage drop calculations, motor starting analysis, and arc flash studies using ETAP or SKM software.
• Support and participate in Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for control and power distribution equipment such as medium voltage switchgear, ensuring equipment meets design and performance criteria.
• Develop and review PLC and HMI programming specifications and related documentation to support control system implementation and integration.
• Mentor interns and early-career engineers by providing technical guidance, reviewing their work, and fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
• Collaborate with international project teams and colleagues across different regions to deliver consistent, high-quality engineering solutions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on sustainable productivity and environmentally responsible engineering practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, preferably with a specialty in Control or Power Systems Engineering.
• 8–10 years of progressive, post-baccalaureate experience in electrical engineering or a closely related electrical engineering occupation.
• Demonstrated electrical engineering experience in the preparation and execution of project scope for industrial or heavy industry applications.
• Hands-on electrical discipline experience with work sequencing, content definition, and methods used to generate specifications for electrical distribution equipment.
• Proficiency in specifying and evaluating switchgear, motor control centers, transformers, power distribution centers, generators, UPS systems, and DC systems.
• Working experience with industry codes and standards such as NEC or IEC and the ability to apply them in design and documentation.
• Experience developing electrical power system equipment sizing and generating project drawings and documents for medium and low voltage systems (480 VAC to 13,800 VAC).
• Fundamental understanding of instrumentation and control systems and their integration with electrical power systems.
• Experience coordinating inter-discipline reviews and managing interface requirements with other engineering disciplines.
• Experience managing third-party subcontractors on engineering projects, including technical oversight and performance monitoring.
• Experience reviewing vendor and contractor document submittals for technical accuracy and compliance with project specifications.
• Proficiency with 2D drawing software, specifically AutoCAD, for creating and modifying electrical drawings and schematics.
• Experience using electrical analysis software such as ETAP or SKM for power system studies.
• Experience with PLC and/or HMI programming software or equivalent exposure sufficient to support control system projects.
• Professional Engineer (PE) or Structural Engineer (SE) licensure or eligibility, as indicated by the requirement for PE or SE.
• Knowledge of the mining and/or bulk material handling industries and their specific electrical and control system requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to collaborate effectively with internal teams, vendors, and international colleagues.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of complex engineering tasks from concept through execution.

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline is desired but not required.
• Specialization or significant experience in Control Systems Engineering and/or Power Systems Engineering.
• Bilingual capabilities in Spanish or German are considered an asset and support collaboration with international teams and clients.
• Experience in power system analysis, including short-circuit calculations, voltage drop calculations, motor starting analysis, and arc flash studies using ETAP or SKM.
• Experience participating in or leading Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) on control and power distribution equipment such as medium voltage switchgear.
• Experience handling electrical power, control, and instrument circuits by generating schematics and interconnection diagrams using AutoCAD.
• Knowledge and experience in mining and/or bulk material handling industries, including familiarity with typical equipment and systems used in these sectors.
• Experience working on international projects and collaborating with geographically dispersed engineering teams.
• Demonstrated interest in sustainable productivity and environmentally responsible engineering solutions.
• Ability to mentor interns and early-career engineers, providing structured guidance and feedback.

This position offers a small-company feel within a larger global organization, providing both close-knit team collaboration and exposure to international projects. You will initially work fully on-site, enabling direct interaction with colleagues and hands-on involvement in project activities. After the initial period, the role transitions to a hybrid schedule, with the option to work from home on Mondays and Fridays while remaining on-site for the rest of the week. The work involves the use of industry-standard engineering tools, including 2D AutoCAD for drawing development, ETAP or SKM for power system analysis, and PLC/HMI programming environments for control system support. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams and international colleagues, contributing to complex engineering projects in the mining and bulk material handling sectors. The environment emphasizes mentorship, collaboration, and professional growth, with opportunities to guide interns and beginning engineers. The organization is committed to sustainable productivity and environmentally responsible solutions, creating a setting that values innovation, technical excellence, and long-term impact. Relocation support is not provided for this role.

This is a Permanent position based out of Denver, CO.

The pay range for this position is $106000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

health dental vision 401k etc.

This is a fully onsite position in Denver,CO.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 13, 2026.

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.

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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.

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