Lead Electrical Engineer (Chicago)

Job Title: Lead Electrical Engineer, PE

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Compensation: $165k - $185k (Competitive base salary + performance bonus)

Benefits: Excellent 401k matching, performance bonus, and comprehensive health benefits

Tiello is currently partnered with a century-old, top-ranked electrical construction company serving Chicago-area, one of the largest markets in the Midwest. With landmark projects spanning high-rises, health care facilities, data centers, financial centers, and educational institutions, they deliver electrical construction solutions across nearly every commercial and institutional sector.

Role Summary

The Lead Electrical Engineer, PE is accountable for the successful execution and coordination of complex electrical design projects supporting mission critical, commercial, and institutional facilities. This role spans all project phases, from concept and design development through construction support, while leading, mentoring, and developing a team of engineers. The Lead Electrical Engineer collaborates closely with project managers, designers, clients, contractors, and other internal departments to ensure designs are accurate, code-compliant, constructible, and aligned with project scope, schedule, and budget.

Project Type

Mission critical / data center facilities Commercial high-rises Institutional and educational facilities Health care facilities Financial centers Hotels and hospitality Recreational and shopping centers

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical lead for electrical system design, ensuring quality, accuracy, constructability, and code compliance across all project phases
• Develop and review electrical designs including low- and medium-voltage power distribution, generator and UPS systems, lighting and lighting control systems, fire alarm and life safety systems, and grounding and bonding systems
• Perform and oversee electrical engineering analyses, including short circuit, coordination, and arc flash studies, load calculations, and cable ampacity and fault current analysis
• Produce and review design deliverables such as one-line diagrams, specifications, equipment schedules, floor plans, and BIM/Revit models
• Lead, mentor, and develop a small team of electrical engineers, providing technical guidance, coaching, and performance feedback
• Delegate tasks, establish priorities, and monitor progress to ensure adherence to schedules, budgets, and quality standards
• Support resource planning and workload forecasting across active projects
• Conduct internal QA/QC reviews and enforce engineering standards and best practices
• Maintain strong working relationships with clients, internal project teams, and external partners
• Attend and lead design meetings, clearly communicating technical concepts and design intent
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless integration of electrical systems into overall project delivery
• Support proposal development, scope definition, and technical input during preconstruction and pursuit phases
• Conduct site surveys to assess existing conditions and verify installation progress (5-10% local travel)
• Respond to RFIs, review submittals, and support construction administration activities
• Provide field and engineering support during commissioning, testing, and startup phases
• Stay current with emerging technologies, industry trends, and code updates
• Contribute to the development of standard design tools, templates, and calculation methods

Qualifications / Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or related field, with a focus on building electrical systems
• Minimum 7-10+ years of electrical engineering design experience for commercial, institutional, or mission-critical facilities; data center experience strongly preferred
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required, or ability to obtain within 12 months
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and coordinating multi-discipline projects
• Proficiency in Revit and AutoCAD
• Proficiency in SKM, ETAP, or similar electrical modeling software
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Teams)
• Strong working knowledge of NEC, Chicago Electrical Code, NFPA, IBC, IECC, and related standards
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Superior organizational, prioritization, and time-management abilities
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and attention-to-detail skills
• Demonstrated leadership, influence, and collaborative mindset
• Ability to travel to project and construction sites as required

Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Tiello LLC is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Legal & EEO + Right to Work

Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship.