Job Description Summary
The Lead HW Engineer is responsible for leading the technical execution of secondary hardware design within a project. The role provides technical direction to the project engineering team, makes key hardware design decisions, reviews and approves design solutions, and ensures that project-specific customer requirements are implemented in alignment with standard design principles, project schedules, and manufacturing milestones.
The Lead HW Engineer acts as the main technical interface between the hardware design team and other project stakeholders, including project management, project planning, regional teams, product specialists, manufacturing, and the customer. The role also supports continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and feeding them back to the relevant stakeholders.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the technical execution of secondary hardware design within assigned projects
- Provide technical guidance and continuous direction to the project hardware engineering team
- Make technical decisions related to hardware design solutions, design changes, and implementation approach
- Review and approve hardware design work prepared by other engineers and designers within the project
- Ensure consistency, quality, and technical correctness of the overall design package
- Adapt standard design solutions, including panel drawings and technical specifications, to meet customer-specific project requirements
- Balance customer requirements with standardization, engineering quality, project schedule, and panel manufacturing milestones
- Act as the main technical connection point between the hardware engineering team and project stakeholders, including:
- Project management
- Project planners
- Regional teams
- Manufacturing / production
- Product specialists
- Customers
- Provide technical support to production and manufacturing during project execution
- Participate in technical discussions with customers and other stakeholders as the hardware engineering representative
- Capture project-specific lessons learned and communicate them to product specialists and other relevant stakeholders
- Contribute to continuous improvement of standard design packages, engineering practices, and ways of working
Main Technical Scope
The Lead HW Engineer is typically responsible for the technical leadership of work related to:
- Panel drawings and project-specific design modifications
- Input data and guidelines for Low Voltage (LV) cabling design
- Technical specifications and hardware-related documentation
- Design review, validation, and implementation support
Expected Role in the Project Team
Within the project team, the Lead HW Engineer is expected to:
- Take ownership of the technical hardware design concept and its implementation
- Guide other engineers and designers in executing the design in line with the agreed technical direction
- Clarify priorities, interfaces, and design expectations for the engineering team
- Resolve technical design issues and escalate when needed
- Ensure that the engineering team works in a coordinated and consistent way
- Maintain focus on both technical quality and delivery performance
This role is not only responsible for producing design output, but also for ensuring that the hardware engineering work of the team is aligned, feasible, and delivered according to project needs.
Qualification Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering
- Experience in hardware design for Protection & Control systems, substation secondary systems, or similar industrial / energy applications
- Good understanding of electrical hardware engineering principles and technical documentation
- Experience with engineering design tools such as Engineering Base, AutoCAD, CADS, E3, EPLAN, or similar tools
- Ability to assess technical solutions, make sound engineering decisions, and guide implementation by others
- Ability to work across functions and coordinate with multiple project stakeholders
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Willingness to travel occasionally
Additional Experience Considered Beneficial
- Experience in substation secondary system design
- Familiarity with electro-technical standards and industry requirements
- Experience from customer delivery projects
- Experience in design review and approval responsibilities
- Experience in technical coordination across engineering, project, and manufacturing functions
- Knowledge of panel manufacturing and delivery-driven project execution
Expected Competencies
- Technical ownership
- Decision-making ability
- Structured and solution-oriented working style
- Clear communication and stakeholder coordination
- Ability to guide and align a project engineering team
- Good judgment in balancing technical, schedule, and customer requirements
- Proactive and accountable way of working
- Continuous improvement mindset
- Ability to work effectively in an international and multicultural environment
Additional Information
Relocation Assistance Provided: No