Electrical Principal Engineer

Description

SINCE 1976, CANNON has provided creative solutions to clients in the energy industry, water resources, public infrastructure, and commercial and residential development. We work hard. We play hard. We have fun.

JOIN CANNON as an ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER  in IRVINE. Irvine offers warm weather, beautiful scenery, and is a top bicycling city with miles of on-road bicycle lanes and mountain bike trails. It is one of the safest communities and the public schools have consistently ranked among the best in California.

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a visionary Electrical Principal Engineer to lead the growth and delivery of electrical engineering solutions across diverse markets—such as water treatment, wastewater, renewable energy, public infrastructure, utilities, industrial, and process facilities. This senior role combines technical leadership, strategic client engagement, and hands-on design oversight. The successful candidate will contribute to business development, lead major design efforts, and mentor the engineering team.

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB DUTIES

Client Engagement & Business Development 

• Supports strategic growth by identifying new opportunities and engaging with clients to understand their automation needs. 
• Utilize their professional reach and generate business through industry relationships, referrals, and networking.
• Develops and manages proposals, scopes of work, fee estimates, and schedules tailored to client objectives. 
• Fosters long-term client relationships to promote trust, repeat business, and cross-sector collaboration. 
• Collaborates with internal teams to position automation services effectively across target markets. 

Project Leadership & Execution 

• Leads the delivery of electrical design projects.
• Manages project scope, schedule, and budget, proactively addressing risks and changes. 
• Coordinates with vendors, subcontractors, and internal disciplines to ensure seamless execution. 
• Ensures compliance with applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements. 

Team Collaboration & Resource Planning 

• Helps maintain a strong backlog of billable work by aligning staff resources with project needs. 
• Provides mentorship to junior staff, ensuring quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) on deliverables. 
• Supports workload planning and contribute to team development through coaching and knowledge sharing. 

Design & Engineering Oversight 

• Leads and oversees the development of electrical designs, including plans, specifications, and cost estimates. 
• Oversee and review electrical calculations and studies for power projects, i.e. voltage drop, fault current, arc flash, load studies, etc.
• Collaborates with CAD technicians and design engineers to produce high-quality bid documents. 
• Coordinates with civil, structural, and mechanical teams to ensure integrated project delivery. 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent), preferably with power systems emphasis (e.g. utility, industrial).
• California Professional Engineer (PE) License required.
• 15 years experience in electrical power systems design.
• 8 years of experience in project management.
• 5 years of experience as a consultant.
• 5 years of experience in business development.
• 5 years of experience managing a team and keeping them utilized 
• Experience with NEC (National Electrical Code) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency).
• Must have low voltage design experience (1,000 volts and below). Medium voltage experience is a plus.
• Experience with SKM or ETAP electrical modeling and design software a plus.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and client-facing skills.
• Ability to travel to client sites, utilities, field locations, and to support team projects across Central and Southern California.

WE OFFER competitive salaries, relocation assistance, excellent benefits package, remote work flexibility, and an active and positive team building, work environment.

Cannon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age. 

Salary : $110,000 - $190,000