Electrical Engineer

Electrical EngineerThis role focuses on designing and delivering secure, high-performance electrical systems for specialized containers and platform solutions used in defense, aerospace, energy, and high-tech applications. You will own electrical designs end-to-end, from requirements and architecture through wiring, integration, testing, and commissioning, ensuring seamless interfaces with mechanical, thermal, and refrigeration subsystems. This is a hands-on, practical engineering position where you see your designs move from concept to production containers and into the field, while contributing to mission-critical operations worldwide.ResponsibilitiesDesign and develop electrical architectures for specialized shipping containers and reefer/control systems used in aerospace and defense applications.Define low-voltage and medium-voltage power distribution schemes, perform load calculations and power balance, and conduct short-circuit and protection coordination studies, including grounding and bonding design.Design complete container wiring schemes, including cable routing in confined spaces, cable sizing, wiring diagrams, terminal plans, and cable schedules for containerized systems.Develop control panel and enclosure layouts for container applications and perform thermal and heat-dissipation assessments to protect electronics in harsh environments.Specify appropriate cooling solutions such as fans, air conditioning units, and passive measures for electrical panels and enclosures.Integrate refrigeration and reefer systems electrically, including compressors, fans, heaters, variable frequency drives, and sensors, and support remote monitoring and IoT capabilities where required.Prepare complete, production-ready documentation packages, including single-line and multi-line schematics, wiring diagrams, panel and enclosure layouts, cable schedules, and Bills of Materials.Apply relevant IEC/EN and UL/CSA standards, support Machinery Directive and CE marking where applicable, and generate documentation for certification bodies, factory acceptance tests, site acceptance tests, and customer approvals.Work directly with outsourced panel builders and integrators to clarify designs, support component selection, manage deviations, and support Factory Acceptance Testing at supplier sites.Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and issue resolution during build, factory testing, and field deployment of containerized electrical systems.Own system-level requirements definition, allocation, and traceability for container electrical and control systems from customer specification through verification.Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents that capture electrical, mechanical, thermal, and reefer subsystem interfaces, including penetrations, cable tray routing, enclosure placement, and thermal interactions.Collaborate closely with Mechanical Engineering on system architecture, functional decomposition, and the interaction between electrical enclosures, reefer units, and container structures.Develop verification and validation plans and test procedures to confirm system-level requirements are met at factory and site acceptance testing and during field commissioning.Support technical design reviews and identify and mitigate system-level risks that span electrical, mechanical, and thermal domains.Maintain requirements and traceability documentation throughout the program lifecycle to ensure system-level intent is preserved from customer specification to as-built container.Communicate and collaborate effectively with Mechanical Engineering, Program Management, supply chain, and external panel builders to drive designs from concept through production and field deployment.Contribute to a fast-paced, engineering-to-order environment where you may wear multiple hats and help build internal electrical engineering capability previously outsourced.Essential SkillsBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline.At least 5 years of electrical engineering experience in industrial automation, control panels and enclosures, or containerized and skid-mounted systems.Proven experience designing wiring and panel or enclosure layouts for complex assemblies such as control panels, motor control centers, and containerized systems, including cable routing, cable sizing, and termination details.Hands-on experience with electrical CAD tools such as EPLAN Electric P8, AutoCAD Electrical, or SEE Electrical.Experience performing thermal and heat-dissipation assessments for electrical panels and enclosures and specifying appropriate cooling strategies.Familiarity with PLC-based control systems and I/O definition, with exposure to platforms such as Siemens, Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Schneider, or Danfoss considered a plus.Strong working knowledge of IEC/EN low-voltage standards and UL/CSA requirements, including experience with CE and UL documentation and factory and site acceptance test procedures.Working knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements definition and allocation, interface control, and verification and validation planning at the subsystem or system level.Demonstrated ability to work with outsourced manufacturing partners such as panel shops and integrators to resolve wiring and build issues and deliver production-ready solutions.Practical, detail-oriented problem-solving skills with the ability to switch between desk-based design and documentation work and on-site build and test support.Ability and willingness to work full-time on-site in McLean, VA.U.S. Citizenship is required due to the nature of defense and aerospace programs.Electrical engineering expertise in container and skid electrical architecture, low-voltage and medium-voltage power distribution, protection, grounding and bonding, and integration of reefer and control loads.Proficiency in designing container wiring schemes, cable routing, cable schedules, terminal plans, and control panel and enclosure layouts for harsh environments.Capability to perform thermal and heat-dissipation assessments for electrical enclosures and panels and to select and specify cooling solutions suitable for containerized systems.Understanding of PLC-based control fundamentals, including architecture, I/O definition, basic logic concepts, and interfaces to refrigeration, fire suppression, and auxiliary systems.Experience applying IEC/EN, UL/CSA, Machinery Directive and CE, and container-related safety and transport standards, including preparing documentation for certification and factory and site acceptance testing.Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external suppliers.Additional Skills & QualificationsExperience with refrigeration or process systems such as reefer containers, cold-chain applications, or process skids.Experience in containerized, skid-mounted, or modular plant systems.Exposure to defense, aerospace, marine, or offshore standards.Experience working in engineering-to-order or project-based environments, including direct customer interaction on technical topics.Familiarity with requirements management tools such as DOORS or equivalent from prior systems engineering work.Interest in contributing to a small, rapidly growing company in the aerospace and defense community.Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and comfortably wear multiple hats as the first internal electrical engineering hire.Work EnvironmentThis is a full-time, on-site role based in McLean, VA, within a small and rapidly growing organization serving the aerospace and defense community. You will work in a fast-paced, engineering-to-order environment where projects move from concept to container to field deployment, and where electrical engineering has historically been outsourced but is now being built in-house. The role involves close collaboration with mechanical engineers, program teams, supply chain, and external panel builders, as well as occasional travel to manufacturing sites for factory acceptance testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting. The work centers on specialized containerized and skid-mounted systems, refrigeration and reefer equipment, PLC-based controls, and compliance with industrial, defense, and transportation standards, providing a hands-on setting where you can directly influence mission-critical solutions.