Staff Engineer-Design Lead

The Staff Engineer - Switchgear Design Team Lead is responsible for leading a team of project engineers and designers focused on the design, development, and execution of paralleling switchgear projects. This role combines advanced technical expertise with leadership responsibilities, ensuring that projects are designed in accordance with customer requirements, industry standards, and company standards.

The Staff Engineer - Switchgear Design Team Lead position requires overseeing paralleling switchgear projects, from order through shipment, while coaching and developing team members. The Team Lead ensures designs are accurate, cost-effective, and delivered on schedule, while also driving process improvements, fostering innovation, and serving as the technical and organizational point of contact across engineering, manufacturing, and field service teams

Work Mode : Hybrid 2-3 a week in office

Location : 200 Twin Oaks Road Kohler WI 50344

Travel : 10% travel US only

Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring new or transfer visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Responsibilities :

Team Leadership & Development

Lead and mentor a team of project engineers and designers, providing guidance, training, and performance feedback.

Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Manage resource allocation to balance workloads and meet project deadlines.

Project & Design Management

Oversee design of paralleling switchgear systems, ensuring compliance with customer specifications, UL / ANSI standards, and internal design practices.

Review and approve schematics, drawings, bills of materials, and sequences of operation.

Coordinate development of submittal packages and participate in customer meetings to review project requirements.

Ensure accurate task estimation, scheduling, and timely release of project deliverables.

Technical Expertise & Support

Provide technical direction on protective relays, load sharing, synchronization, and utility intertie requirements.

Support manufacturing, production, and field service teams with troubleshooting and issue resolution.

Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities for design or field issues.

Maintain awareness of industry standards, best practices, and emerging technologies to guide engineering improvements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

May serve as the engineering interface with Switchgear Sales and Operations teams.

Collaborate with purchasing, vendors, and external partners on technical specifications and component selection.

May represent engineering in customer discussions, technical reviews, and factory acceptance testing.

Process & Quality Improvement

Drive implementation of automation, design tools, and productivity enhancements in the design process.

Create and ensure adherence to ISO procedures and internal design guides, updating documentation as needed.

Monitor and report on project performance metrics (cost, quality, schedule) and initiate improvements where required.

Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives

In conjunction with Manager, lead departmental initiatives related to engineering standards, training, and process optimization.

In conjunction with Manager, contribute to long-term strategic planning for switchgear engineering capabilities.

Requirements :

Bachelor's degree required (prefer Computer Engineer, Electrical Engineering or Computer Science)

Minimum 7-10 years of engineering experience in power systems, with a focus on switchgear, controls, or related technologies.

Knowledge of PLC and HMI programming.

Strong knowledge of paralleling switchgear design, load sharing, synchronization, and utility intertie requirements.

Familiarity with industry standards and certifications, including UL 891, UL 1558, and ANSI C37.

3 -5 years of Demonstrated leadership experience, including team supervision, mentoring, and project coordination.

Experience with ISO procedures, structured design processes, and version control systems.

Ability to manage multiple complex projects while meeting cost, quality, and delivery expectations