Electrical Engineer

Job Description

The Electrical Engineer provides technical support for power and distribution systems planning and management, electrical control systems, process planning, and process improvements. Involves the different phases of Manufacturing engineering projects from concept through on-going production. The incumbent participates in such specific activities as design and evaluation of processes, logic development for programmable logic controllers, design and implementation of electrical controls or distribution systems, coordination of plant's electrical distribution system, and preparation of specifications for bids and proposals. The individual must assist in maintaining technological control over all processes.

This position provides support and management of the electrical power and control systems for the entire plant operations and facilities. Electrical technical guidance is provided to others as required in the liaison role between production and all other functional areas of the company. This position also performs engineering and technical assistance in providing economical manufacturing methods to accomplish optimum utilization of machines, processes, facilities, quality, and timely production.


This position will serve the Water Heater Division, located in Montgomery, AL.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Upload and maintain a current back-up of all programs or parameters including documentation for electrical control systems such as PLC's, drives, and operator interface terminals. Maintain electrical schematics for all equipment control systems in a central location as well as at the respective equipment.
• Assist plant maintenance in troubleshooting and repair of electrical systems.
• Develop hardware requirements for electrical control systems for process equipment based on required process input and outputs. Develop control programs for programmable logic controllers and operator interface terminals to reflect the process. Maintain and troubleshoot all PLC equipment hardware and software for plant's processes.
• Calculate and design power requirements for new power feed installations to new process equipment or facilities. Incumbent must determine size and appropriate ratings of transformers, wire, conduit, circuit protection and grounding systems, which complies with national electrical codes.
• Investigates and determines adaptability of new electrical technologies to facilities and equipment. Prepares specifications, appropriations, and initiates purchases of capital equipment and oversees their installation and implementation.
• Manages the existing and new installations to the plant's power distribution systems. Maintain and update any changes to current single line electrical diagrams, panel drawings, panel or distribution centers labeling and systems loads. Makes recommendations to management for changes or adjustments to the power systems.
• Monitors and implements corrective actions to maintain the plant's power factor close to unity to prevent penalties from the local power utilities.
• Must provide a proactive communication link of any power demand fluctuations or modifications to plant power facilities to the local power utilities representatives.
• Monitor power systems for any unusual demands or improper operation and report any such activities to management and local utilities for corrective actions.
• Manages the existing and new installations as well as testing to the plant's fire protection system. Maintain and update any changes to current system diagrams, drawings, and documentation. Makes recommendations to management for changes or adjustments to the fire protection systems.
• Plan, design and assist in construction and implementation of new control systems to replace antiquated or inefficient control systems on current equipment or processes.
• Develop and assist in the implementation of an electrical preventative maintenance program. Identify critical equipment and it's electrical components and initiates predictive programs to replace worn equipment prior to failure to reduce downtime to the operations.
• Participate in cost and productivity improvement projects to reduce utility costs, high maintenance costs or excessive downtime with electrical power or control systems.
• Determine the most efficient workstation layout, machines, tools and operations required to develop optimum line balance for sequential operations. Devises and develops the use of substitute equipment, tools and operations to overcome production schedule or technical problems.
• Plan and design new processes and equipment such as electrical control systems, jigs, fixtures, gauges and tools. Develop improvements of special hydraulic, pneumatic and electromechanical equipment. After design, monitors and controls fabrication progress, establishes estimates of time, material and labor costs on projects submitted. Project management methods and reports are used to monitor the projects.
• Participate in productivity and quality improvements by investigation, analyzing and estimating cost reduction in proposed major changes involving department layouts, methods and operation sequence, machine utilization, tools, jigs, fixtures and the introduction of automation.
• Investigate availability of special machines, restrictions of work place layout and available facilities prior to estimation material, labor and machine costs. Obtains necessary data from various sources such as research and development engineering, quality control, and material costs required to support specific items of equipment or production schedules. Reviews and directs the integration of this information as facets of cost into bid proposals.
• Investigate new process technologies. Determines adaptability to facilities and product designs. Prepares specifications, appropriations, and initiates purchases of capital equipment and oversees their installation and implementation.
• Develop capability requirements and acceptance criteria for new and existing manufacturing processes.
• Recommend and develop flow layouts.
• Analyze all manufacturing and procedural proposals to determine the most feasible methods, the probable capital or expense expenditure requirements and the estimated total cost. Prepare and present both oral and written reports to management along with detailed justification of recommendations.
• Assist in evaluating the condition and providing recommendations as to the effective maintenance of process equipment and electrical systems.
• Investigate and provide solutions for process issues to reduce defects, scrap or re-work to improve the quality of the product and productivity of the plant.
• Determine ways to reduce work-in-process, finished good inventories, raw materials or non-value added activities to aid in controlling the operating cost of the facility.
• Interpret instructions and company policy to employees such as ISO 9000 documentation. Maintain standards of performance and training of new personnel, discipline good employee-management relations, improvement of costs and quantity and quality of work of employees.
• Plan, devise and document engineering information such as operation sequences, materials, machines, equipment, tooling, and processes required to manufacture, fabricate, assemble or process electrical, mechanical, sheet metal or non-ferrous components, assemblies and systems of minimum material, labor and machine costs.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering with three (3) to five (5) years of experience or Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering with one (1) to three (3) years of experience working in an Electrical, Manufacturing or Process Engineering Department for a manufacturing company and demonstrated ability to perform job duties.
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively at the engineering technical level with people in and outside the company.
• Must possess effective verbal and written skills to communicate technical analysis of problems and reports.
• Knowledge of PC software applications such as spreadsheets, word processors, presentation and project management a must.
• Must have excellent communication skills to deal effectively with other functional areas of the company.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Independent thought, good judgment, problem-solving skills and ability to prioritize multiple projects a must.
• AutoCAD or similar computer-aided drafting.
• Project management experience and excellent organizational skills a must.
• Knowledgeable in National Electrical Codes and industrial wiring practices.
• Significant training and experience in developing logic for programmable logic controllers and operator interface terminals and schematics for industrial electrical control systems.
• Experienced in troubleshooting industrial electrical control systems, programmable logic and drive systems.
• Experience in Power systems planning; power distribution systems, single phase and three phase substation transformers, power feeds sizing, motor control centers, etc.
• Experienced in various types of motors; AC, DC, single phase motors, three phase motors, synchronous motors, etc.

HOW TO STAND OUT

• Working knowledge of Pro-E a plus.
• Knowledgeable in pneumatic, hydraulic and mechanical systems.
• Experienced in control's systems integration a plus