Description

The Lead Designer is responsible for supervising and providing technical direction to a team of designers. In this role, they ensure the total delivery of electrical and instrumentation deliverables and services on time, within performance budget, and meeting quality expectations. Work is performed under minimal supervision.

Primary duties include applying department design and drafting standards, recognizing and communicating project scope, specifications, and design changes, and providing on‑site assistance during startup. The Lead Designer offers technical guidance to less experienced drafting personnel, coordinates activities with staff and the discipline lead, and reports current project status, highlighting any delays or improvements. They also interact with clients to determine scope and address technical matters, and direct designers to complete tasks such as producing equipment and installation specifications.

The role requires proactive leadership of the design staff to achieve scope, schedule, and budget objectives, mentorship of subordinates, and participation in cross‑discipline checks to ensure coordination. The Lead Designer reviews calculations for accuracy, code compliance, and good engineering practice, determines construction quantities and cost estimates, and delegates work according to team members’ technical skills while following up to ensure progress and quality. They also contribute to training program planning and identify potential scope changes for change orders.

• Supervise and provide technical direction to a team of designers as lead designer.
• Deliver electrical and instrumentation design deliverables on schedule, within budget, and to quality standards.
• Apply department design and drafting standards; recognize and communicate project scope, specifications, and design changes.
• Provide on‑site assistance during startup and technical guidance to junior drafting personnel.
• Coordinate work activities with staff and discipline leads; report project status and identify delays.
• Interface with clients to define scope and address technical matters.
• Produce and review equipment specifications (480 VAC, 15 kV/5 kV) and electrical installation documents.
• Lead, mentor, and delegate tasks to design staff, ensuring accurate calculations and code compliance.
• Conduct cross‑discipline design checks and participate in training and professional development planning.
• Estimate construction quantities, costs, schedules, and man‑hour budgets for projects.

Requirements

Ideal candidates hold an Associate degree in Engineering Technology or Computer‑Aided Drafting, though certification is not required. The position demands 20 or more years of relevant industrial experience in electrical and instrumentation drafting and design.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities include familiarity with the current National Electrical Code, ability to conduct lighting level, voltage‑drop, conduit‑sizing, and motor‑control‑center load calculations, and proficiency in creating accurate electrical installation documents from vendor drawings. Candidates must understand workflow between disciplines, schedule constraints, and information requirements for producing electrical deliverables, and be capable of estimating task completion times.

Technical expertise also encompasses developing equipment specifications for 480 VAC and 15 kV/5 kV systems, performing short‑circuit and over‑current protective device calculations, generating construction cost estimates, detailed engineering schedules, and man‑hour budgets, as well as determining material quantities. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, 2D AutoCAD, MicroStation (3D AutoCAD desirable), and programming concepts for PLC, HMI, or DCS equipment is required, along with strong communication and virtual‑team collaboration skills.

• Require associate degree in Engineering Technology or CAD drafting; 20+ years of industrial electrical/instrumentation design experience.
• Proficient with NEC, lighting calculations, voltage drop, conduit sizing, motor control center loading, and short‑circuit analysis.
• Skilled in 2D AutoCAD, MicroStation; 3D AutoCAD desirable; proficient in MS Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Experience with PLC, HMI, or DCS programming concepts.
• Strong communication, virtual team collaboration, and presentation abilities.
• Ability to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods.

Benefits

Physical requirements include the ability to sit, stand, or walk for long periods of time. The Hargrove culture emphasizes trust, personal integrity, and a team mentality, supporting safety, diversity, and community involvement. As a 100 % teammate‑owned company, Hargrove offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid holidays, personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, disability insurance, and a 401(k) plan.

• Comprehensive benefits package: paid holidays, PTO, medical/dental/vision, life/disability insurance, 401(k), etc.

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance