Principal Electrical Design Engineer | Data Centres

Principal Electrical Design Engineer | Data Centres Abu Dhabi Role Summary: A leading international engineering consultancy is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to join its growing Data Centre team in the UAE. This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced electrical design professional with a strong background in mission critical facilities, hyperscale data centres, and MEP consultancy environments. You will play a key role in delivering complex, high-value projects across the Middle East while leading electrical design from concept through to construction. Key Responsibilities • Lead the electrical design and technical delivery of hyperscale, colocation, and mission-critical data centre projects from concept design through construction and commissioning. • Undertake and review data centre electrical load assessments, power demand calculations, capacity planning and infrastructure sizing for critical and non-critical systems. • Perform and review power supply and power distribution calculations, ensuring electrical infrastructure is designed to meet resilience, redundancy and scalability requirements. • Carry out and validate fault current, short-circuit and protection coordination studies to ensure system safety, reliability and compliance. • Develop robust and resilient electrical infrastructure solutions, including HV/LV distribution, UPS systems, standby generation, grounding, and power monitoring systems. • Provide technical leadership on complex engineering challenges, ensuring designs meet performance, reliability, sustainability, and operational requirements. • Coordinate closely with mechanical, structural, civil, ICT, and specialist data centre disciplines to deliver fully integrated design solutions. • Review and approve engineering calculations, specifications, drawings, reports, and technical submissions to ensure compliance with project standards and international codes. • Act as a key point of contact for clients, contractors, vendors, and project stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. • Support project delivery teams in managing programme, resource allocation, design budgets, and technical risk throughout multiple concurrent projects. • Provide technical guidance during testing, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness phases. • Mentor, develop, and support junior and intermediate engineers, fostering technical excellence and knowledge sharing across the team. • Support the development of engineering standards, design methodologies, and innovation initiatives aimed at improving project efficiency and sustainability. Requirements • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline. • 12+ years of experience in electrical design engineering within an MEP consulting or engineering consultancy environment. • Minimum 5 years of experience delivering data centre, mission-critical, or other highly resilient infrastructure projects. • Proven experience designing electrical systems for Tier III and/or Tier IV data centre facilities, including redundancy and resilience strategies. • Professional memberships and certifications such as CEng, PE, ATD, CDCDP, AOS, or equivalent are highly desirable. • Proficient in industry-standard design software, including AutoCAD, Revit, and electrical calculation/modelling tools. • Familiarity with international design standards and best practices, including IEC, IEEE, NFPA, ASHRAE, TIA, and Uptime Institute guidelines. • Proven experience undertaking or reviewing electrical load calculations, power distribution calculations and fault current studies for mission-critical facilities. • Experience performing or reviewing short-circuit, protection coordination and power system analysis studies. • Strong technical knowledge of HV/LV power distribution systems, UPS systems, standby generators, busbar systems, earthing, and lightning protection. • Strong client-facing, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions and present design solutions. • Demonstrated ability to review technical deliverables, manage design quality, and support project delivery across multiple concurrent projects. • Experience supporting construction, testing, commissioning, and handover activities for complex engineering projects is advantageous. • Previous Middle East/GCC project experience and knowledge of regional utility requirements would be beneficial. • A proactive and solutions-oriented approach, with a passion for innovation, sustainability, and technical excellence within the data centre sector. What's on Offer? • Opportunity to work on large-scale hyperscale and cloud infrastructure developments. • Exposure to market-leading data centre clients and projects. • Senior-level technical leadership role. • Collaborative international engineering environment. • Long-term career progression within a rapidly growing sector. Show more Show less

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline. 12+ years of experience in electrical design engineering within an MEP consulting or engineering consultancy environment. Minimum 5 years of experience delivering data centre, mission-critical, or other highly resilient infrastructure projects. Proven experience designing electrical systems for Tier III and/or Tier IV data centre facilities, including redundancy and resilience strategies. Professional memberships and certifications such as CEng, PE, ATD, CDCDP, AOS, or equivalent are highly desirable. Proficient in industry-standard design software, including AutoCAD, Revit, and electrical calculation/modelling tools. Familiarity with international design standards and best practices, including IEC, IEEE, NFPA, ASHRAE, TIA, and Uptime Institute guidelines. Proven experience undertaking or reviewing electrical load calculations, power distribution calculations and fault current studies for mission-critical facilities. Experience performing or reviewing short-circuit, protection coordination and power system analysis studies. Strong technical knowledge of HV/LV power distribution systems, UPS systems, standby generators, busbar systems, earthing, and lightning protection. Strong client-facing, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead technical discussions and present design solutions. Demonstrated ability to review technical deliverables, manage design quality, and support project delivery across multiple concurrent projects.

Lead the electrical design and technical delivery of hyperscale, colocation, and mission-critical data centre projects from concept design through construction and commissioning. Undertake and review data centre electrical load assessments, power demand calculations, capacity planning and infrastructure sizing for critical and non-critical systems. Perform and review power supply and power distribution calculations, ensuring electrical infrastructure is designed to meet resilience, redundancy and scalability requirements. Carry out and validate fault current, short-circuit and protection coordination studies to ensure system safety, reliability and compliance. Develop robust and resilient electrical infrastructure solutions, including HV/LV distribution, UPS systems, standby generation, grounding, and power monitoring systems. Provide technical leadership on complex engineering challenges, ensuring designs meet performance, reliability, sustainability, and operational requirements. Coordinate closely with mechanical, structural, civil, ICT, and specialist data centre disciplines to deliver fully integrated design solutions. Review and approve engineering calculations, specifications, drawings, reports, and technical submissions to ensure compliance with project standards and international codes. Act as a key point of contact for clients, contractors, vendors, and project stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Support project delivery teams in managing programme, resource allocation, design budgets, and technical risk throughout multiple concurrent projects. Provide technical guidance during testing, commissioning, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness phases. Mentor, develop, and support junior and intermediate engineers, fostering technical excellence and knowledge sharing across the team. Support the development of engineering standards, design methodologies, and innovation initiatives aimed at improving project efficiency and sustainability.