Electrical Engineer (Mid-Level) Job Description Template

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Design Electrical Systems & Schematics: Create and update electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and layout drawings for equipment or projects. This includes selecting appropriate components (wires, sensors, breakers, etc.) and ensuring designs meet the required functionality and safety standards .

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Testing and Troubleshooting: Build or assist in building prototypes and run electrical tests (voltage, current, continuity, etc.) on circuits or systems. Diagnose faults or performance issues using instruments (multimeters, oscilloscopes) and implement corrections. For example, systematically debug a control panel that isn-t functioning by checking power inputs, outputs, and connections.

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Compliance and Safety Assurance: Ensure all designs and modifications comply with relevant electrical codes (e.g. NEC) and regulations, as well as internal quality standards. This involves performing design reviews and safety checks so that no installation or design violates grounding, load, or insulation requirements . The engineer documents compliance or raises concerns if specifications are not met, prioritizing safety even under pressure.

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Documentation & Reporting: Prepare clear technical documentation and artifacts for each project. This includes creating bills of materials (BOM), writing test reports, updating schematics after changes (as-built drawings), and maintaining versioned design files. The engineer also writes brief summaries or user guides to assist operators or clients in understanding the electrical system-s operation.

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Project Coordination: Work closely with project managers and other teams to deliver projects on time and within scope. The Electrical Engineer communicates progress and risks, coordinates

electrical work with mechanical designs or software (for embedded systems), and integrates their deliverables into the broader project plan. In an SMB, this can mean juggling multiple small projects and adapting to shifting priorities.

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Mentorship and Support: Provide guidance to junior engineers or electricians/technicians on proper assembly, testing procedures, or troubleshooting techniques. Review their work for quality and safety (e.g. checking a junior engineer-s circuit design for errors) and share best practices. They may also oversee contractors or electricians during equipment installation on-site to ensure work follows the design and standards.

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Maintenance & Issue Response: Support maintenance teams in diagnosing electrical issues in existing equipment or facility systems. For example, if a production machine keeps tripping a breaker, the engineer investigates the cause (overload, short circuit, faulty component) and recommends fixes (redistribute loads, replace component, etc.). They respond promptly to downtime incidents and propose preventive measures for future.

(All responsibilities are concrete actions observable in day-to-day work. They ensure designs are correct, safe, and functional from start to finish

.)

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Circuit Design & Analysis: Solid understanding of electrical circuits (both AC and DC) and the ability to design and analyze them (e.g. calculating load currents, voltage drops, using Ohm- Kirchhoff-s laws). Should interpret complex schematics and design new ones accurately

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Electrical CAD Proficiency: Proficient in using electrical design software to produce schematics and layout drawings. Common examples include AutoCAD (or AutoCAD Electrical) for wiring diagrams, and PCB design tools like Altium Designer or KiCad for circuit boards. Able to produce clear drawings and update them through revisions.

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Simulation & Analysis Tools: Ability to use circuit simulation or analysis software to validate designs. For instance, using SPICE-based simulators (e.g. LTSpice) to test an analog circuit virtually, or tools like MATLAB for data analysis. In power system contexts, familiarity with tools like ETAP or SKM (for load flow, short-circuit studies) is valuable .

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Test Equipment Operation: Skilled in using electrical measurement instruments such as digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, signal generators, insulation testers, etc. Can set up and safely use these tools to gather data, and interpret the results to identify issues (for example, recognizing an oscilloscope waveform that indicates noise interference).

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Standards & Code Knowledge: Knowledge of key electrical standards and regulations relevant to the work. For a U.S. SMB context, this often means familiarity with the National Electrical Code (NEC) for building/facility electrical work, OSHA electrical safety practices, and possibly UL/IEEE standards for product safety . The engineer should know how to find and apply these requirements in their designs (e.g. proper wire sizing, circuit protection, grounding practices).

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Component & System Knowledge: Broad understanding of electrical components (resistors, capacitors, transformers, relays, power supplies, motors, PLCs, etc.) and their applications. Able to select appropriate components based on specifications and budget, and integrate them into systems. For example, choosing a motor driver that can handle the required voltage/current, or a sensor with the right range and accuracy.

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Basic Programming/Automation (optional): While not a primary responsibility, many SMB electrical engineers benefit from basic programming or scripting ability (e.g. familiarity with

microcontroller programming, PLC ladder logic, or Python/Excel macros for data processing). This helps in automating tests or working with integrated systems, though deep software development skills are not typically expected.

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Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking: A methodical approach to troubleshooting and solving technical problems. When faced with an electrical failure or a design challenge, the engineer systematically investigates root causes and devises effective solutions (e.g. breaking a problem into smaller parts, testing hypotheses one by one)

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