Senior Electrical Engineer - Infrastructure Power Systems (Owner's Engineer)

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is hiring a Senior Electrical Engineer - Infrastructure Power systems (Owner's Engineer) in the Facilities division to serve as the Lab's Senior technical engineer for its high and medium voltage campus power systems (12kV–115kV). The senior individual contributor role operates at the intersection of technical authority and organizational influence, responsible for both day‑to‑day system ownership of the Lab's HV/MV infrastructure and serving as the primary engineering interface for capital projects designed by outside consultants and Engineers of Record, including assigned low voltage (100–1000V) capital projects. Responsibilities Serves as the Laboratory's SME for high‑ and medium‑voltage systems, advising on performance, safety, and reliability. Acts as Owner's Engineer for LV/MV/HV capital projects, overseeing planning, design, construction, testing, and energization in coordination with Engineers of Record, consultants, contractors, and utility providers. Navigates competing technical perspectives and drives alignment on design intent, protection philosophy, and acceptance criteria across project teams where no direct supervisory authority is held. Collaboratively leads and reviews power system studies (short‑circuit, load flow, protection coordination, arc‑flash, grounding, capacity) and validates modeling assumptions. Oversees 115kV utility interconnections and 12.47kV campus distribution, including protection coordination, switching, grounding, fault analysis, and resilience. Develops and maintains effective working relationships with the serving utility to support ongoing interconnection requirements, system upgrades, and operational coordination. Develops and maintains LV/MV/HV engineering standards and specifications through engagement with operations, maintenance, construction management, and project delivery stakeholders to ensure standards are practical, enforceable and broadly understood. Ensures compliance with codes (NEC, NFPA, NETA, CBC) and Lab requirements. Performs advanced analyses and limited‑scope designs; prepares and reviews technical specs, calculations, and construction documents. Oversees protection, control, automation, metering, and SCADA/telemetry systems for HV/MV infrastructure. Supports low‑voltage projects interfacing with HV/MV systems. Contributes to infrastructure planning and modernization, assessing asset condition, capacity, risk, and reliability. Translates technical findings and risk assessments into clear recommendations for facilities leadership and institutional stakeholders to inform capital investment and prioritization decisions. Mentors engineering staff and supports knowledge development. Requirements Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Electrical Engineering (power systems emphasis preferred) AND a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in medium‑ and/or high‑voltage power systems engineering, including utility interconnection and campus/industrial power distribution systems (e.g., 12.47kV and above); OR a Master's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or related field and a minimum of five (5) years of such experience; OR an equivalent 12 years combination of education and relevant professional experience. Professional Engineer (PE) license in the State of California. Demonstrated experience designing, analyzing, or providing technical oversight of medium‑ and/or high‑voltage distribution systems. Demonstrated ability to exercise technical leadership and drive engineering outcomes in a matrixed or owner's‑representative environment where the incumbent does not hold direct supervisory authority over project engineers, consultants, or contractors. Must be effective at building credibility and achieving alignment through expertise, persuasion, and relationship‑building. Demonstrated ability to constructively challenge engineering deliverables, negotiate technical resolutions with external design firms and utility partners, and resolve disagreements while maintaining productive professional relationships. Experience collaborating across functional boundaries with construction management, safety, environmental compliance, operations, and procurement staff to align technical requirements with project and institutional objectives. Demonstrated leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, including the ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, mentor junior engineers, and clearly communicate complex technical issues to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to work independently with little to no supervision, take initiative to identify technical or operational issues, and proactively develop practical engineering solutions that improve system reliability, safety, efficiency, or departmental processes. Ability to perform, review, and interpret power system studies (short circuit, protective device coordination, arc flash, load flow, and voltage drop) using industry‑standard software such as SKM, ETAP, EasyPower, or equivalent. Demonstrated understanding of protection and control systems, including the development or review of relay settings and protective coordination strategies. Experience coordinating with electric utilities on system interconnection, upgrades, or operational requirements for high‑voltage transmission or sub‑transmission systems (e.g., 115kV class or similar). Ability to provide construction support and field issue resolution. Experience acting in an owner's engineer, technical authority, or EOR‑interface capacity. Experience in low‑voltage power distribution (480V/208V systems) is required to support assigned projects as needed. Demonstrated advanced knowledge of high‑voltage (115kV) and medium‑voltage (12.47kV and 4.16kV) power distribution system design, operation, protection philosophy, and reliability principles. Demonstrated expertise in power system analysis, including short‑circuit, load flow, protective device coordination, arc‑flash, grounding, and capacity evaluations. Strong understanding of utility interconnection principles, fault contribution analysis, switching strategies, and distribution system resilience planning. Advanced knowledge of protective relaying, protection coordination, metering architecture, and SCADA/telemetry integration for HV/MV systems. Proficiency in power system modeling software (e.g., SKM PTW preferred, ETAP, Easy Power or equivalent) and ability to define modeling assumptions and evaluate system impacts. Advanced knowledge of electrical equipment selection and application for HV/MV systems, including switchgear, breakers, transformers, cable systems, and grounding systems. Thorough knowledge of applicable industry codes and standards, including NEC, NFPA 70E, NFPA 70B, NETA ATS, California Building Code (CBC), and relevant IEEE standards. Strong understanding of electrical constructability, maintenance considerations, and long‑term system performance implications in a campus or utility‑scale environment. Ability to review and technically evaluate engineering calculations, construction documents, and system studies prepared by Engineers of Record and consultants. Ability to develop technical specifications, engineering criteria, and acceptance standards for HV/MV infrastructure. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present technical analysis, system risk assessments, and engineering recommendations to diverse stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to coordinate across multidisciplinary teams, manage competing priorities, and provide technical leadership on complex infrastructure projects. Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills, particularly in evaluating system reliability, risk, and operational impacts. Desired skills/knowledge Knowledge of DOE Orders, Federal standards, and mission‑critical facility infrastructure requirements. Familiarity with power monitoring systems such as Schneider Electric Power Monitoring Expert (PME) and ION metering platforms. Participation in capital infrastructure planning, modernization strategy discussions, and long‑range capacity assessments. Contribution to development of engineering standards, internal technical guidance documents, and knowledge‑sharing initiatives. Experience mentoring junior engineers and supporting succession planning in high‑voltage and medium‑voltage system expertise. Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Bluebeam, or similar tools sufficient to review and mark up engineering documents. Additional information Appointment type: This is a full‑time, career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay. Salary range: The expected salary for this position is $180K – $198K depending upon the candidate's skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes education, certifications, and years of experience. Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment. Work modality: Work will be hybrid (1 day remote/ 4 days on‑site) performed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites. Relocation: This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Work authorization: Candidates must be eligible to work in the U.S. at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law. Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory