Principal Engineer

Job Title: Principal Engineer Department: Engineering Work Location: US/Canada Reports To: Director of Engineering FLSA Status: Exempt Position Description The Principal Engineer will play a key role in the design and development of distribution transformers in compliance with IEEE, CSA, and customer specifications. This role requires technical expertise and a deep understanding of transformer electrical design theory and principles, materials, and associated industry standards. The ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert and provide strategic leadership to improve product design, production, and testing, ensuring goals for performance, cost, and reliability are met. Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership Lead the electrical design and development of distribution transformers, ensuring compliance with IEEE, CSA, DOE, IEC, utility, and customer specifications. Serve as the technical authority and subject matter expert for transformer electrical design, providing guidance and decision-making support across engineering, manufacturing, quality, testing, and commercial teams. Establish and maintain engineering design practices, technical standards, and design methodologies to support product performance, manufacturability, reliability, and cost objectives. Design & Development Design, develop and review electrical specifications for distribution transformers, ensuring compliance with IEEE, CSA, DOE, and customer requirements. Develop and review electrical designs for distribution transformers including core type and sizing, coil designs, switch and tap selector components and connections, etc. as needed for custom and non-standard configurations. Perform electrical calculations, including impedance, losses, efficiency, insulation and fuse coordination, and short‑circuit strength. Utilize engineering software (proprietary transformer design tools and in specific cases software like ANSYS, MATLAB, or similar) for electrical modeling and simulation. Participate in design reviews and analysis related to product performance and manufacturability. Lead new product development projects and improvement initiatives to maintain market competitiveness of company products and solutions. Standards and Compliance Ensure designs meet applicable industry regulations and standards including applicable utility and customer specifications. Stay updated on evolving industry standards, participating in and representing the company on industrial committees and technical events as required. Lead and support all electrical certification and testing requirements, including dielectric, loss and efficiency and short cath circuit performance. Provide technical oversight when required for type testing on site or at external labs (heart run, SC tests, etc.). Collaboration and Coordination Provide technical direction and mentorship to design engineers and other engineering personnel, supporting technical development and knowledge transfer across the organization. Lead cross‑functional collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, purchasing, quality, and operations teams to ensure successful executing of product and process objectives. Lead or support process improvement initiatives to enhance departmental efficiencies and output quality. Support and guide manufacturing and assembly teams on winding specifications, component/material selection, and hook‑up requirements. Support customers with technical inquiries, offering guidance on application and performance requirements. Provide technical support during prototype builds, production, and customer testing. Participate in pre‑order and post‑order design reviews to confirm technical compliance and mitigate risks. Develop and deliver technical training for design, quality and production teams. Education Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in electrical engineering or a related field. Experience 15+ years of experience in engineering within a manufacturing environment in transformer manufacturing. Demonstrated expertise in distribution transformer electrical design and application engineering. Proven experience leading complex engineering projects and providing technical leadership within cross‑functional environments. Experience mentoring engineers and supporting technical development initiatives is strongly preferred. Skills and Competencies Strong proficiency in engineering design and analysis tools (e.g., CAD, FEA, simulation software, etc.) as well as productivity and ERP software. Advanced proficiency in distribution transformer design, associated manufacturing processes, and application of applicable industry standards such as ANSI, IEEE, IEC, CSA. In depth understanding of mechanical fabrication and related systems. Strong project management skills with the ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Strong written and verbal communication skills with an ability to explain technical concepts to non‑technical stakeholders and vice versa. Strong leadership, coaching, and collaboration skills with the ability to develop and support engineering talent. Ability to lead diverse teams and foster collaboration across departments and disciplines as needed. Job Location and Travel This is a hybrid position and will primarily support daily operations at US facilities in Pine Bluff AR and Panama City, FL as well as Canada. Approximately 25% travel to company sites for customer and internal meetings is expected, although business necessity may require more frequent travel based on need. This position will mainly support daily operations and development for our facilities in Pine Bluff, AR and Panama City, FL, monthly travel for a week at the time will be required. Travel for customer and internal meetings to locations in US and Canada. #J-18808-Ljbffr