Lead Electrical Design Engineer
Company Name: MG Engineering D.P.C.
Location: New York City, NY
Project Focus: Electrical Engineering, MEP/Building Systems, Power Distribution, Emergency and Standby Power, Lighting, Utility Service, High-Rise, Healthcare, Life Science, Commercial, Institutional, and Mission-Critical Projects
Work Setting: Full-Time | New York City Office | Integrated MEP Engineering Environment
Base Salary: $120,000-$210,000+ annually (DOE)
Total Compensation Package: Potential total compensation of $140,000-$250,000+, medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits, paid leave, professional development, licensure support, and leadership advancement opportunities
Recruited Exclusively By: Luxus Group
Position Overview
MG Engineering D.P.C. is seeking an accomplished Lead Electrical Design Engineer to provide technical leadership and design oversight for complex building and infrastructure projects from its New York City headquarters. This is a high-impact opportunity for an experienced electrical engineer who can lead sophisticated building-systems designs, guide multidisciplinary project teams, mentor developing engineers, and collaborate directly with architects, owners, contractors, utilities, and public agencies.
The Lead Electrical Design Engineer will oversee projects from initial planning and conceptual design through construction documents, agency approvals, bidding, construction administration, commissioning, and closeout. The position requires advanced knowledge of electrical power distribution, emergency and standby power, lighting, fire alarm coordination, utility service, energy codes, and New York City design and filing requirements.
The ideal candidate is equally comfortable solving difficult technical problems, directing engineering production, communicating with clients, and developing the next generation of electrical design professionals.
Core Responsibilities
- Lead the electrical engineering design of new construction, renovation, infrastructure, and building-upgrade projects
- Establish project design criteria, system concepts, technical approaches, and engineering standards
- Direct the preparation of electrical drawings, specifications, calculations, studies, narratives, and construction documents
- Oversee normal and emergency power distribution, low- and medium-voltage electrical systems, utility services and service upgrades, switchgear, transformers, substations, and panelboards
- Oversee emergency, standby, and optional standby generators, paralleling switchgear and generator plants, and uninterruptible power supply systems
- Oversee lighting and lighting controls, emergency and egress lighting, fire alarm and life-safety coordination, grounding and bonding, and lightning protection
- Oversee renewable energy and distributed-generation systems, electrical metering and submetering, telecommunications pathways and infrastructure, and electrical systems for elevators, fire pumps, and mechanical equipment
- Evaluate system alternatives based on reliability, resilience, maintainability, constructability, efficiency, and lifecycle cost
- Work closely with Project Managers to establish scope, schedule, budget, staffing, milestones, and technical deliverables
- Plan and delegate work to engineers, designers, BIM/Revit professionals, and technical support staff
- Monitor project progress and ensure engineering assignments are completed accurately and on schedule
- Manage multiple concurrent projects while maintaining quality, responsiveness, and accountability
- Identify technical, coordination, permitting, and construction risks early and develop mitigation strategies
- Support project financial performance by managing engineering effort and minimizing redesign
- Participate in project kickoff meetings, design workshops, milestone reviews, and coordination meetings
- Ensure that final documents are complete, coordinated, constructible, and ready for agency or construction submission
- Perform or oversee electrical load calculations, demand calculations, voltage-drop calculations, feeder sizing, equipment sizing, and service-capacity evaluations
- Prepare and review short-circuit, selective-coordination, arc-flash, grounding, harmonic, and power-quality studies
- Evaluate existing electrical infrastructure and develop recommendations for repair, replacement, expansion, or modernization
- Perform electrical due-diligence assessments and existing-condition surveys
- Develop one-line diagrams, riser diagrams, equipment schedules, panel schedules, controls diagrams, and electrical details
- Coordinate emergency power classifications and separation requirements for life-safety, legally required, and optional standby systems
- Review utility capacity, service requirements, vault arrangements, metering, and interconnection considerations
- Incorporate energy-efficiency, sustainability, electrification, and resilience goals into electrical-system designs
- Ensure compliance with the New York City Electrical Code, New York City Building Code, New York City Energy Conservation Code, National Electrical Code, NFPA standards, Local Laws and agency requirements, utility standards and service requirements, and owner-specific design standards
- Support NYC electrical plan-review drawings, filings, agency submissions, and responses to review comments
- Coordinate with the New York City Department of Buildings, FDNY, utilities, and other authorities having jurisdiction
- Remain current on evolving electrical, energy, fire alarm, sustainability, and building-performance requirements, and help project teams interpret code requirements and develop defensible compliance strategies
- Coordinate electrical systems with mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, architectural, structural, civil, lighting, technology, audiovisual, and security disciplines
- Participate in BIM coordination and clash-detection reviews
- Confirm that electrical rooms, shafts, pathways, clearances, equipment locations, and service spaces are properly incorporated into the design
- Coordinate electrical requirements for HVAC equipment, pumps, elevators, fire pumps, specialty systems, and tenant equipment
- Collaborate with architects and owners to integrate electrical infrastructure without compromising design intent or building operations, and identify and resolve interdisciplinary conflicts before construction
- Lead electrical QA/QC reviews at major project milestones, reviewing plans, specifications, calculations, studies, and reports for technical accuracy and completeness
- Confirm coordination among electrical drawings, specifications, schedules, and other engineering disciplines, and ensure designs comply with MGE standards and applicable codes
- Track review comments and verify that required revisions are incorporated, and identify potential errors, omissions, constructability concerns, and professional-liability risks
- Help develop standardized details, calculation templates, design procedures, and quality-control checklists, and promote consistent engineering practices across project teams and offices
- Serve as a senior electrical engineering contact for clients, architects, developers, owners, contractors, and consultants
- Lead technical discussions during client meetings, presentations, and design workshops, and explain complex electrical concepts clearly to technical and nontechnical stakeholders
- Help clients evaluate electrical-system alternatives, infrastructure investments, and operational risks
- Coordinate with electric utilities regarding new services, upgrades, vaults, metering, and distribution requirements
- Develop trusted relationships that support client satisfaction, repeat assignments, and long-term partnerships, and represent MGE professionally in meetings with agencies, contractors, and industry partners
- Provide technical leadership during bidding, construction, testing, commissioning, and closeout
- Review shop drawings, equipment submittals, substitutions, requests for information, and contractor proposals
- Conduct site visits and field observations to evaluate construction progress and compliance with design documents
- Participate in preconstruction meetings, coordination meetings, punch-list inspections, and commissioning activities
- Resolve unforeseen field conditions while protecting design intent, safety, schedule, and client interests
- Review change-order requests and assist with evaluating scope, cost, and technical merit
- Support functional testing and commissioning of electrical distribution and emergency-power systems, and review record documents and closeout materials
- Lead, mentor, and develop electrical engineers, designers, and BIM/Revit staff, providing technical guidance on codes, system selection, calculations, equipment sizing, documentation, and constructability
- Assign work based on project needs and individual development goals, review team members' work, and provide clear, constructive feedback
- Help junior engineers strengthen their technical judgment and client communication abilities, and support internal training, knowledge-sharing, and professional-development programs
- Assist employees pursuing EIT certification, PE licensure, and relevant industry credentials, and foster a collaborative culture centered on technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
- Provide technical input for proposals, qualifications packages, interviews, and project pursuits, and assist with developing scopes of work, staffing plans, project schedules, and fee estimates
- Participate in client presentations and project interviews as a senior technical representative, and identify opportunities to expand services with existing clients
- Support relationship-building with architects, developers, owners, contractors, institutions, and public agencies, and contribute to the continued growth and reputation of MGE's electrical engineering practice
Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from an accredited program
- Experience: Eight or more years of progressively responsible electrical engineering experience, preferably within an MEP consulting environment
- Project Types: Substantial experience designing electrical systems for commercial, institutional, residential, healthcare, educational, hospitality, cultural, mission-critical, or mixed-use buildings
- Technical Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading electrical design assignments and coordinating multidisciplinary teams
- System Expertise: Advanced knowledge of normal and emergency power-distribution systems
- Codes & Standards: Strong understanding of the National Electrical Code and applicable building, energy, and life-safety requirements
- Documentation: Experience preparing electrical drawings, specifications, calculations, and technical reports
- Software: Proficiency with Revit, AutoCAD, and electrical engineering calculation tools
- Construction Administration: Experience reviewing construction submittals and responding to RFIs
- Project Delivery: Ability to lead multiple projects and prioritize competing deadlines
- Communication: Excellent written, verbal, technical, and client-facing communication skills
- Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making abilities
- Field Work: Ability to perform site surveys and participate in construction-phase field activities
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience: Twelve or more years of electrical engineering and building-systems design experience
- Licensure: Professional Engineer license in New York
- Licensure Path: EIT certification with active progress toward PE licensure may be considered for candidates with strong leadership experience
- Engineer of Record: Experience serving as Engineer of Record or senior electrical technical reviewer
- NYC Expertise: Advanced knowledge of New York City codes, filing procedures, utility requirements, and construction practices
- Complex Systems: Experience with medium-voltage distribution, substations, generator plants, paralleling switchgear, or mission-critical power systems
- Project Experience: Experience with healthcare, life-science, higher-education, commercial high-rise, residential high-rise, hospitality, or institutional projects
- Power Studies: Experience performing short-circuit, coordination, arc-flash, and power-quality studies
- Analysis Software: Proficiency with ETAP, SKM PowerTools, EasyPower, AGi32, Visual Lighting, or similar software
- Credentials: LEED, WELL, CEM, LC, or other relevant professional credentials
- Market Relationships: Established relationships within the New York architecture, engineering, construction, real estate, or institutional market
- Team Leadership: Experience supervising engineers and developing future technical leaders
What Success Looks Like
- Deliver technically accurate, coordinated, and constructible electrical designs
- Establish clear technical direction at the beginning of each project
- Anticipate and resolve design, code, utility, and construction challenges
- Consistently meet project schedules and quality expectations
- Build confidence with clients, architects, agencies, and contractors
- Strengthen the technical capabilities of developing engineers and designers
- Improve design standards, QA/QC practices, and project-delivery efficiency
- Help MGE secure repeat work and expand strategic client relationships
- Become a trusted technical leader within MGE's New York electrical practice
Compensation & Benefits
- The anticipated base salary range for this position i...