Director of Project Engineering

Houston, Texas | Hybrid | Confidential Search
We are representing a Houston-based energy infrastructure company expanding its Project Engineering organization and seeking a senior electrical power-systems engineer to help deliver distributed-generation, microgrid, and mission-critical power projects. This is a

level-flexible search . Depending on experience and technical authority, the selected candidate may be aligned as a

Director/Senior Engineer ,

Director/Principal Engineer , or

Director/Chief Engineer .

At every level, the person hired must remain close to the engineering. This is not a role for someone who has moved several layers away from technical work. The company needs engineers who can personally work through electrical problems, defend design decisions, coordinate with utilities and customers, and move projects forward when requirements are incomplete or changing.

What You'll Own

Lead or drive electrical engineering for

distributed-generation ,

microgrid , and large power-infrastructure projects.

Develop, review, or approve electrical architectures,

single-line diagrams , schematics,

equipment specifications , and construction packages.

Apply technical depth across

HV, MV, and LV systems , including

substations ,

switchgear ,

transformers , grounding, generation, and electrical distribution.

Develop or review

protection and control

philosophies,

protective relaying , relay settings, and system coordination.

Perform, review, or guide

power-system studies

including

load flow ,

short circuit , protection coordination,

arc flash , stability, harmonics, and related analysis.

Work directly with

utilities

on

interconnection

requirements, service requests, technical reviews, and commissioning requirements.

Coordinate technical decisions with Project Management, Product Engineering, Operations, vendors, customers, and third-party engineering partners.

Identify technical risk early and recommend a course of action rather than only documenting the problem.

Remain hands-on

while reviewing or mentoring the work of other engineers as experience level requires.

How the Role Will Be Leveled

Director/Senior Engineer

• generally

10+ years .

Execution-focused . Personally drives one-lines, equipment specifications, studies, interconnection, design packages, and project engineering through commissioning.

Director/Principal Engineer

10+ years minimum ; the proactive search will often find

15-20 year

engineers.

Independent SME

who solves difficult power-system problems, provides technical direction, reviews other engineers' work, and mentors the team.

PE highly preferred .

Director/Chief Engineer

15+ years minimum ; the proactive search will often find

18-25+ year

engineers.

PE required . Operates as a

final technical authority

who can challenge customer or utility requirements, make the difficult technical call, and mentor Principal and Senior engineers.

What We're Looking For

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

or Power Systems Engineering.

10+ years

of professional electrical engineering experience for this umbrella search.

Professional experience with

electrical power systems

and

medium- and/or high-voltage

infrastructure.

Experience with

substations ,

switchgear ,

transformers , electrical distribution, generation, or comparable power-system equipment.

Experience developing, reviewing, or approving

one-line diagrams , electrical layouts, schematics, and equipment specifications.

Working knowledge of

protection schemes ,

protective relaying , grounding, and system coordination.

Experience with

utility interconnection ,

grid integration , or utility-facing technical coordination.

Experience performing, reviewing, or directing

power-system studies .

Ability to

independently explain and defend

electrical design decisions to engineers, customers, utilities, vendors, and leadership.

Ability to

remain hands-on technically

while taking broader project or technical leadership responsibility.

Experience That Would Stand Out

34.5 kV or higher-voltage substation and distribution experience.

Utility T&D, substation, protection and controls, or switchgear engineering.

Data-center, hyperscale, mission-critical, or other large-load power infrastructure.

Electrical OEM experience involving switchgear, transformers, relays, protection, or generation equipment.

EPC or consulting experience centered on electrical power systems rather than process-only electrical work.

Experience with ETAP, SKM PowerTools, PSCAD, PSS/E, PowerFactory, CYME, or comparable tools.

Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Experience serving as a technical authority, design authority, discipline lead, principal engineer, or senior technical reviewer.

Experience challenging customer or utility requirements and defending an alternate technical recommendation.

What Makes This Search Different

One search can lead to one of three internal technical levels based on the candidate's actual scope and authority.

The company is scaling electrical project work while engineering standards, processes, and organizational structure continue to develop.

Even the most senior candidates are expected to remain technically hands-on rather than manage entirely through other engineers.

The work spans project execution, utility interconnection, customer technical decisions, product integration, and electrical design authority.

Candidates can grow toward broader technical leadership or people leadership as the engineering organization expands.

Location: Houston, Texas.
Candidates should be Houston-based or willing to relocate to Houston.

The role follows a hybrid schedule and requires regular in-person collaboration, plus site, customer, utility, or vendor meetings as project needs dictate.

Confidentiality
This search is being conducted confidentially. Additional information regarding the company, internal title/level, team, compensation, projects, and reporting structure will be shared with qualified individuals during the recruiting process.

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