Chief Electrical Engineer - Jefferson County

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LOCATIONS: Jefferson County

TARGET CLOSE DATE:

11/21/2025

PAY GRADE:

Grade 33

TYPE:

Full time

JOB SUMMARY:

Jefferson County is seeking to hire a Chief Electrical Engineer to lead the strategic direction, technical leadership, and operational oversight of electrical infrastructure, systems, and equipment across Environmental Services facilities. This role is responsible for ensuring electrical system and equipment integrity, compliance, and reliability through engineering expertise, project execution, resource planning, and team management. The position works collaboratively with executive leadership, engineers, operations, and external stakeholders to support capital projects, optimize infrastructure performance, and ensure operational continuity in the county, and will require on-call coverage for emergencies.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Jefferson County provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more. The pay range for this job is listed below:

Jefferson County $94,515 - $146,640

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related engineering degree from an ABET-accredited degree program.  

  • Experience in the installation, modification, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems, controls, and equipment, including medium (4160V, 15kV) and high voltage (115kV) substation, switchgear, transformers, MCCs, motors, etc.

  • Experience with power systems engineering, including the installation, maintenance, and lifecycle management of heavy industrial or utility-scale electrical equipment and infrastructure.

  • Experience in emergency power systems (e.g., generators and controls).

  • Experience developing field personnel and technical teams.

  • Experience collaborating on complex engineering projects, such as capital improvements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are job-related qualifications deemed desirable by Jefferson County. These qualifications may be considered by the hiring agency when reviewing applications and inviting candidates to participate in subsequent steps in the selection processes.

  • Master’s degree in Electrical or Power Engineering from an accredited college or university.

  • Professional Engineer (PE) license in Electrical Engineering.

  • NFPA 70E training, OSHA 30, or equivalent safety certifications.

  • Experience providing engineering review and approval of technical documents including plans, specifications, and system modifications to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal codes (e.g., NEC, NFPA, NESC).

  • Experience developing and enforcing safety protocols for electrical operations; ensures compliance with OSHA regulations, NFPA 70E requirements, and local safety ordinances.

  • Experience participating in long-range planning efforts to ensure electrical infrastructure aligns with future service demands, sustainability goals, and resiliency standards.

  • Experience developing, presenting, and managing a departmental budget.

  • Experience supervising field and technical personnel.

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

  • Leads and supports the installation, maintenance, modification, and repair of electrical assets and systems to support Environmental Services facilities by using diagnostic tools, field reports, and testing equipment in accordance with engineering standards, safety protocols, and departmental procedures in order to ensure reliability, reduce downtime, and respond effectively to emergencies.

  • Develops and updates SOPs, technical manuals, electrical system and equipment drawings, backups of configuration settings or running software applications, Power System coordination studies, and training materials for engineering, electricians, and technical staff using engineering document management software (DMS) under industry best practices and regulatory requirements in order to promote consistent procedures, safety, and knowledge retention.

  • Manages the departmental operating budget and capital project expenditures by analyzing expenditure reports, obtaining cost estimates, and forecasting needs using financial planning tools and contract documentation in alignment with organizational policies and budgetary guidelines in order to maintain fiscal responsibility and secure necessary resources.

  • Oversees the development and maintenance of the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) for electrical assets by inputting asset data, ensuring electrical work orders are entered by originators or administrative staff, and reviewing system reports in accordance with internal workflow standards and preventive maintenance protocols in order to schedule and monitor maintenance activity and ensure data-driven decision-making.

  • Establishes and monitors an inventory management program for critical electrical parts and equipment by tracking usage trends, coordinating with vendors, and reviewing supply levels under procurement policies and inventory control procedures in order to prevent delays due to missing components and support operational readiness.

  • Directs system improvement efforts related to electrical infrastructure and teams by coordinating engineering teams, reviewing technical drawings, and monitoring project timelines in accordance with project plans, construction codes, and permitting regulations in order to ensure successful project delivery and long-term asset performance.

  • Supervises and/or mentors technical and administrative staff by providing technical expertise, field support, and comprehensive oversight to ensure work is accurately documented and performed in accordance with established standards; facilitates employee growth and development through the application of performance management tools, departmental training plans, and adherence to Human Resources policies and organizational expectations; and promotes the cultivation of a skilled, efficient, and safety-focused workforce.

  • Promotes and enforces compliance with safety procedures and regulations among field and technical staff by conducting training, reviewing incident reports, and implementing corrective actions in accordance with OSHA regulations and internal safety protocols in order to minimize risk, prevent injury, and maintain a safe work environment.

  • Develops, implements, and oversees a preventative maintenance and testing program for ESD-wide electrical systems and equipment to ensure maximum reliability, compliance and operational life.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Job involves physical exertion required for sustained periods of moderate physical activity such as walking or standing, and may involve occasional lifting of items or objects weighing up to 50 lbs., climbing ladders, and stooping, crouching or crawling.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is conducted both indoors in an office setting as well as during regular field visits to external places of business, residence, or construction worksites. Work involves the use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, and handheld devices as well as the use of electrical testing tools and hand tools (e.g., tape measure). Work requires exposure to live low, medium, and high voltage distribution systems, and to weather conditions, such as hot or cold temperatures, or other potentially hazardous conditions, such as high-voltage electric currents, partially built structures, and uneven terrain. Job may require working on call 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

EEO STATEMENT:

The Personnel Board of Jefferson County provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment with the Personnel Board of Jefferson County, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.  Each Merit System member city/agency operate its own equal employment opportunity policies available on the individual city/agency website.

ACCOMMODATION:

To request an accommodation in the application or hiring process due to your own ongoing medical condition or disability, please contact our Accommodations Coordinator at accommodationrequest@pbjcal.org or phone at 205-279-3500 (select option 1) Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The accommodation process is reserved solely for job seekers with disabilities requesting accessibility assistance or accommodation in the job application process.

NOTE:

This job posting may close before, or be extended beyond, the listed Target Close Date based on the employment needs of the Merit System. More detail regarding this job is available by clicking Apply.

DISCLAIMER:

This job posting is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of the job duties, responsibilities, or skills and abilities required to do the job and may be changed at the discretion of the Personnel Board at any time.