Electrical Engineer

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Job Description

This role focuses on designing and delivering secure, high‑performance electrical systems for specialized containers and platform solutions used in defense, aerospace, energy, and high‑tech applications. You will own electrical designs end‑to‑end, from requirements and architecture through wiring, integration, testing, and commissioning, ensuring seamless interfaces with mechanical, thermal, and refrigeration subsystems. This is a hands‑on, practical engineering position where you see your designs move from concept to production containers and into the field, while contributing to mission‑critical operations worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop electrical architectures for specialized shipping containers and reefer/control systems used in aerospace and defense applications.
• Define low‑voltage and medium‑voltage power distribution schemes, perform load calculations and power balance, and conduct short‑circuit and protection coordination studies, including grounding and bonding design.
• Design complete container wiring schemes, including cable routing in confined spaces, cable sizing, wiring diagrams, terminal plans, and cable schedules for containerized systems.
• Develop control panel and enclosure layouts for container applications and perform thermal and heat‑dissipation assessments to protect electronics in harsh environments.
• Specify appropriate cooling solutions such as fans, air conditioning units, and passive measures for electrical panels and enclosures.
• Integrate refrigeration and reefer systems electrically, including compressors, fans, heaters, variable frequency drives, and sensors, and support remote monitoring and IoT capabilities where required.
• Prepare complete, production‑ready documentation packages, including single‑line and multi‑line schematics, wiring diagrams, panel and enclosure layouts, cable schedules, and Bills of Materials.
• Apply relevant IEC/EN and UL/CSA standards, support Machinery Directive and CE marking where applicable, and generate documentation for certification bodies, factory acceptance tests, site acceptance tests, and customer approvals.
• Work directly with outsourced panel builders and integrators to clarify designs, support component selection, manage deviations, and support Factory Acceptance Testing at supplier sites.
• Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and issue resolution during build, factory testing, and field deployment of containerized electrical systems.
• Own system‑level requirements definition, allocation, and traceability for container electrical and control systems from customer specification through verification.
• Develop and maintain Interface Control Documents that capture electrical, mechanical, thermal, and reefer subsystem interfaces, including penetrations, cable tray routing, enclosure placement, and thermal interactions.
• Collaborate closely with Mechanical Engineering on system architecture, functional decomposition, and the interaction between electrical enclosures, reefer units, and container structures.
• Develop verification and validation plans and test procedures to confirm system‑level requirements are met at factory and site acceptance testing and during field commissioning.
• Support technical design reviews and identify and mitigate system‑level risks that span electrical, mechanical, and thermal domains.
• Maintain requirements and traceability documentation throughout the program lifecycle to ensure system‑level intent is preserved from customer specification to as‑built container.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with Mechanical Engineering, Program Management, supply chain, and external panel builders to drive designs from concept through production and field deployment.
• Contribute to a fast‑paced, engineering‑to‑order environment where you may wear multiple hats and help build internal electrical engineering capability previously outsourced.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• At least 5 years of electrical engineering experience in industrial automation, control panels and enclosures, or containerized and skid‑mounted systems.
• Proven experience designing wiring and panel or enclosure layouts for complex assemblies such as control panels, motor control centers, and containerized systems, including cable routing, cable sizing, and termination details.
• Hands‑on experience with electrical CAD tools such as EPLAN Electric P8, AutoCAD Electrical, or SEE Electrical.
• Experience performing thermal and heat‑dissipation assessments for electrical panels and enclosures and specifying appropriate cooling strategies.
• Familiarity with PLC‑based control systems and I/O definition, with exposure to platforms such as Siemens, Rockwell/Allen‑Bradley, Schneider, or Danfoss considered a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of IEC/EN low‑voltage standards and UL/CSA requirements, including experience with CE and UL documentation and factory and site acceptance test procedures.
• Working knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including requirements definition and allocation, interface control, and verification and validation planning at the subsystem or system level.
• Demonstrated ability to work with outsourced manufacturing partners such as panel shops and integrators to resolve wiring and build issues and deliver production‑ready solutions.
• Practical, detail‑oriented problem‑solving skills with the ability to switch between desk‑based design and documentation work and on‑site build and test support.
• Ability and willingness to work full‑time on‑site in McLean, VA.
• U.S. Citizenship is required due to the nature of defense and aerospace programs.
• Electrical engineering expertise in container and skid electrical architecture, low‑voltage and medium‑voltage power distribution, protection, grounding and bonding, and integration of reefer and control loads.
• Proficiency in designing container wiring schemes, cable routing, cable schedules, terminal plans, and control panel and enclosure layouts for harsh environments.
• Capability to perform thermal and heat‑dissipation assessments for electrical enclosures and panels and to select and specify cooling solutions suitable for containerized systems.
• Understanding of PLC‑based control fundamentals, including architecture, I/O definition, basic logic concepts, and interfaces to refrigeration, fire suppression, and auxiliary systems.
• Experience applying IEC/EN, UL/CSA, Machinery Directive and CE, and container‑related safety and transport standards, including preparing documentation for certification and factory and site acceptance testing.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross‑functional teams and external suppliers.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with refrigeration or process systems such as reefer containers, cold‑chain applications, or process skids.
• Experience in containerized, skid‑mounted, or modular plant systems.
• Exposure to defense, aerospace, marine, or offshore standards.
• Experience working in engineering‑to‑order or project‑based environments, including direct customer interaction on technical topics.
• Familiarity with requirements management tools such as DOORS or equivalent from prior systems engineering work.
• Interest in contributing to a small, rapidly growing company in the aerospace and defense community.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment and comfortably wear multiple hats as the first internal electrical engineering hire.

Work Environment

This is a full‑time, on‑site role based in McLean, VA, within a small and rapidly growing organization serving the aerospace and defense community. You will work in a fast‑paced, engineering‑to‑order environment where projects move from concept to container to field deployment, and where electrical engineering has historically been outsourced but is now being built in‑house. The role involves close collaboration with mechanical engineers, program teams, supply chain, and external panel builders, as well as occasional travel to manufacturing sites for factory acceptance testing, commissioning, and troubleshooting. The work centers on specialized containerized and skid‑mounted systems, refrigeration and reefer equipment, PLC‑based controls, and compliance with industrial, defense, and transportation standards, providing a hands‑on setting where you can directly influence mission‑critical solutions.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Mc Lean, VA.

The pay range for this position is $48.00 - $67.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Mc Lean,VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 28, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.