Electrical Design Lead

Position Title: Design Lead

Location: Detroit MI USA 48226-1221 (Hybrid)

Duration: 1 year Contract on W2 (Possible Extension)

Job Description:

• The Design QA/QC Lead – Overhead Distribution serves as the first-line independent technical reviewer for conversion and distribution overhead work packages within OHD QA/QC function. This role performs structured design reviews at the 30%, 60%, and 90% completion stages, validating that designs from external service providers comply with Distribution Design Operating (DDO) standards, are constructible, and are free of defects before packages advance toward scheduling and construction.
• This position is being created to establish a staged (30/60/90%) design review for conversion and distribution work. The role does not redesign existing engineering process; it applies to an independent quality review layer over that process. The Design QA/QC Lead is expected to engage during the 0 to 30% window as well, helping shape project scope and design criteria before formal design begins.
• The Design QA/QC Lead reports to the QA/QC Engineering Supervisor, who retains final review of authority and sign-off. This role carries no supervisory responsibility.

Key Accountabilities

• Conduct structured 30%, 60%, and 90% design reviews of conversion and distribution overhead work packages submitted by external design service providers, documenting findings against DDO, standards and construction details.
• Verify design accuracy and standards compliance across conductor sizing and ampacity, clearances, grounding, pole class and loading, and armless versus crossarm construction.
• Verify conversion-specific design changes, including insulation levels, arrester and cutout ratings, and secondary impacts associated with 4.8kV to 13.2kV conversion.
• Evaluate constructability and safety considerations, including tree trim requirements, joint use coordination, top cut sequencing, and construction list completeness.
• Conduct field site visits as required to verify existing conditions, constructability, and design accuracy.
• Track and document standards exceptions and non-standard designs; route deviations to the Standards group for disposition and log outcomes in the Standards Exceptions and Deviations tracker.
• Log all findings, RFIs, and review outcomes.
• Contribute to the QA/QC lessons learned process by identifying recurring defects and trends that should inform checklist updates, standards clarifications, or reviewer training.
• Provide design service provider performance input, including accuracy, completeness, and rework frequency, to support vendor scorecards and quality metrics reporting.
• Partner with the QA/QC Engineering Supervisor to validate and refine AI-assisted review tools used to support conversion and distribution package reviews.
• Technical Review Scope
• The reviewer is expected to independently evaluate conversion and distribution design packages across the following technical areas:
• Conductor loading, ampacity, and approved conductor sizes for new construction
• Voltage drop and voltage regulation checks for new overhead laterals
• Transformer sizing and loading, including flags for oversized or undersized transformers
• Fuse sizing and coordination with upstream protective devices
• Vertical and horizontal clearance requirements over roadways, driveways, and structures, including where standards are more restrictive than NESC
• Pole loading analysis triggers, wind/ice loading zone application, and pole class requirements
• Grounding and neutral continuity requirements, including ground rod spacing
• 4.8kV to 13.2kV conversion-specific equipment and design standard changes
• Standards exceptions and non-standard design documentation requirements
• Armless versus crossarm construction triggers
• Span length and sag/tension table verification
• Construction list and material list completeness, including CU text accuracy
• Stakeholder and permit review status, including Real Estate, Environmental, Construction, Forestry, and Project Management touchpoints

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related discipline.
• Senior level: minimum 6 years of relevant experience in overhead distribution design, engineering, or construction.
• Advanced level: minimum 8 years of relevant experience, including demonstrated independent technical review or design QA/QC experience.

Preferred Qualification

• Working knowledge of DDO, standards and construction details, or equivalent utility overhead distribution design standards.
• Direct experience with 4.8kV to 13.2kV or comparable voltage conversion projects.
• Experience with staged (30/60/90%) design review processes.
• Experience with sag/tension analysis, pole loading analysis, or related engineering verification tools.
• Familiarity with Maximo, Documentum, and Bluebeam tools used in design and work management workflow.
• Experience identifying, documenting, and dispositioning standards for exceptions and deviations.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license, preferred but not required

Other Requirements

• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to independently assess design adequacy rather than rely on checklist compliance alone.
• Strong documentation discipline: findings must be clear, specific to work location, and traceable to a standard or design criterion.
• Ability to work independently against review cycles and manage multiple concurrent design packages.
• Effective communicator, able to deliver direct and defensible technical feedback to design service providers and escalate unresolved issues appropriately.
• Proficiency in computer applications relevant to the role, including document markup and review tools.
• Reports to: QA/QC Engineering Supervisor, OHD QAQC.
• Works alongside: Design QA/QC Lead – Sub-Transmission, the parallel technical reviewer role for sub-transmission scope.
• Coordinates with: DDO, standards group on exceptions and deviations, PMO on design package status and scheduling, and external design service providers on findings and corrective action.
• Does not supervise staff in this role.