Principal Electrical Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Principal Electrical Engineer Location: Colonial Heights, VA, United States Overview The Principal Electrical Engineer is responsible for troubleshooting and improving electrical and instrumentation systems using reliability-centered maintenance and process control technologies while serving as the primary point of contact for E&I issues, leading diagnostics, maintenance activities, and cross-functional collaboration to support plant operations. The position also drives continuous improvement through data analysis, standardization, and support of capital projects and maintenance initiatives. Responsibilities:

• Solve Electrical and Instrumentation problems through design, redesign, application, and reliability centered maintenance techniques.
• Familiar with all instrumentation devices such as transmitters, controllers, transducers, signal conditioners, valves, limit and proximity switches.
• Perform E/I loop checks, calibrations, and interlock testing.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all E&I related issues during normal working hours and during off hours.
• Develop Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) guidelines, inspection/test/work procedures, standards, documentation methods, and policies to achieve world-class level.
• Provide troubleshooting flow charts and standard works to improve troubleshooting techniques and reduce troubleshooting time.
• Lead troubleshooting and problem-solving activities on E&I related issues.
• Support, plan, and coordinate E&I work during outages.
• Interact effectively with Planners, Operators, Shift Leaders, and Production Engineers to resolve day-to-day E&I maintenance and minor mechanical issues.
• Assist in the implementation of capital projects and maintenance process improvements to maximize manufacturing rates, yields, and efficiencies.
• Provide short-term and long-term improvements in process control using PLC, HMI Programming, AC/DC Inverter Drives, Motor Controls, Experion DCS, and electrical power distribution.
• Utilize SAP, MS Project, and MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for planning and reporting.
• Use various test and inspection instruments, including NDT and PdM technologies, to assess equipment condition and repair requirements.
• Apply statistical tools to track, analyze trend data, perform calculations, communicate performance, and predict remaining life and failure expectancy to improve MTBF.
• Investigate incidents related to equipment failure, perform root cause analysis, and develop follow-up recommendations.
• Collaborate with maintenance, stores, suppliers, and purchasing on spare parts and equipment opportunities.
• Track plant downtime and OEE, prepare monthly reports, and report benefits from reliability centered maintenance.
• Support MOC programs for changes in reliability databases and maintenance excellence efforts.