Electrical Engineering Lead

Location: Reading
Contract: 12 Months
Engagement: Inside IR35


Electrical Engineering Lead We are seeking an experienced Electrical Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership across the design, development, assessment, and delivery of complex electrical power systems within large-scale industrial environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise across electrical power generation, distribution, protection, and control systems, including generator synchronisation, voltage regulation, load shedding, UPS systems, battery storage, renewable energy integration, and protection systems.
• Lead technical reviews of electrical system designs, ensuring compliance with applicable industry standards, regulatory requirements, and engineering best practice.
• Provide expertise in power system protection philosophies, relay selection, fault studies, coordination studies, and system reliability assessments.
• Support the development and optimisation of electrical system design standards, engineering specifications, and technical governance processes.
• Review and assess electrical system configurations to maximise safety, reliability, resilience, maintainability, and operational performance.
• Oversee contractor and third-party engineering activities, providing technical assurance throughout design, analysis, installation, testing, and commissioning phases.
• Conduct and review system modelling and analysis activities, including fault analysis, transient studies, and validation of protection settings using industry-standard software tools.
• Provide technical guidance on electrical equipment used in hazardous environments, including explosion protection, lightning protection, and static grounding systems.
• Identify technical risks and develop practical, risk-based solutions to support successful project delivery.
• Support integrity management, technology evaluation, and continuous improvement initiatives relating to electrical systems and infrastructure.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet applicable international codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Experience & Qualifications The successful candidate will typically demonstrate:

• Degree qualification in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in electrical engineering leadership roles within industrial, energy, process, manufacturing, petrochemical, chemical, refinery, utilities, infrastructure, or comparable sectors.
• Strong technical expertise in electrical power systems design, operation, protection, and reliability.
• Experience developing engineering standards, design basis documents, specifications, and design philosophies.
• Proven ability to provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams and complex engineering programmes.
• Experience working across owner/operator, consultant, EPC, contractor, or engineering service environments.
• Demonstrated capability in identifying, assessing, and mitigating technical risks while delivering practical engineering solutions.
• Experience supporting large-scale engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, or operational programmes.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, collaboration, and leadership skills.
• Familiarity with international engineering standards and codes, including IEEE, IEC, and other relevant industry frameworks.
• Experience with power system modelling, analysis, and simulation software would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of hazardous area electrical design and protection systems would be beneficial.

Desirable Experience

• Experience within large-scale industrial processing, refining, petrochemical, chemical manufacturing, power generation, utilities, or energy transition facilities.
• Exposure to modular design, large capital projects, or major infrastructure developments.
• Understanding of multicultural project environments and international engineering delivery models.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.