Design Lead.

Role: Design Lead

Area: Project Delivery, Electrical Design

Location: Head Office, Loughrea, Co. Galway

Salary: Competitive

Reports to: Electrical Department Manager

About Glanua

Glanua is an industry leader in providing innovative and sustainable engineering solutions to design, build, operate and maintain critical water and wastewater infrastructure across Ireland and the UK. We are a trusted delivery partner to the municipal and industrial sector, and our clients include some of the largest water utilities in Ireland and the UK, including Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water), Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Affinity Water.

We are passionate about solving today’s environmental challenges and delivering a decarbonised, sustainable world. We know that to build successful, creative teams we need a diverse workforce that brings new ways of thinking, and we provide an environment where you have the freedom to develop and grow to your full potential. We champion our core values and uphold the highest standards of Safety and Well-being, Innovation, Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, Agility, Accountability, Diversity and Inclusion in everything we do.

We have a talented team of 600+ people across Ireland, the UK and Portugal and are rapidly expanding across several disciplines to meet our ambitious growth plans.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Electrical Design Lead to join our Electrical Design team. This is a senior technical leadership role bridging hands-on electrical design delivery with the supervisory and governance responsibilities of the Electrical Department Manager. You will take ownership of electrical design on major projects, lead and coordinate the work of senior and intermediate design engineers, and act as the principal technical authority on your assigned programmes.

You will be responsible for the full electrical design lifecycle, from concept through detailed design to construction support and handover, on water treatment, wastewater treatment and energy projects across Ireland and the UK. This includes greenfield design-and-build schemes and brownfield refurbishment of existing plants and associated infrastructure.

Working closely with the Electrical Department Manager, you will help shape and maintain internal design standards, mentor engineers at all levels, and drive quality, consistency and efficiency across the electrical design function. You will collaborate with process, mechanical, automation, civil and structural disciplines in a genuine “one team” culture, and will be the primary technical interface with clients, consultants and the supply chain on electrical matters for your projects.

You will join a busy, growing department delivering against a strong multi-year pipeline of work, including significant programmes for Uisce Éireann and our UK water utility clients. Glanua is a place that invests in its engineers, through CPD, technical specialisation and breadth of project responsibility.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities of the Electrical Design are outlined as follows:

Technical Design Leadership

• Lead the electrical design on assigned projects from concept through detailed design, construction support and handover, ensuring compliance with project specifications, regulatory standards, client standards and programme.

• Act as the principal technical authority on assigned projects, providing guidance and technical approval of design solutions and deliverables within the authority delegated by the Electrical Department Manager. Ensure independent checking and required client acceptance are completed before release for manufacture or construction, and escalate specialist or unresolved matters as appropriate.

• Oversee and review all electrical design deliverables, including:

o motor and instrument schedules

o single line diagrams and distribution board schedules

o cable schedules, cable sizing calculations and cable routing

o general services, small power, fire, intruder and security system designs

o internal, external and emergency lighting designs

o MCC and control panel schematics, general arrangements and technical specifications

o medium voltage design, including MV switchgear and distribution transformers

o generator sizing, selection, changeover arrangements and integration for standby and back-up applications

o photovoltaic system design, battery storage and renewable generation for small applications

o earthing and lightning protection designs

o electrical load balances and MIC load calculations

o ESB and utility applications

o detailed design submissions

• Undertake or review electrical studies, including voltage drop, load flow where required, short-circuit levels, equipment fault ratings, protection coordination, protection settings and earth-fault disconnection performance under mains, generator and other relevant supply arrangements. Coordinate specialist arc-flash studies where required.

• Define and review MCC and control panel requirements, including assembly ratings, segregation, IP protection, access and maintainability, heat losses and ventilation, control supplies, UPS provision and applicable design and routine verification evidence.

• Review generator and alternative supply integration, including neutral and earthing arrangements, changeover interlocks, motor starting, load sequencing and protection performance.

• Define VSD and motor interface requirements, including motor protection, cable suitability, EMC measures, harmonic assessment and any required output filters or power factor correction.

• Work collaboratively with process, mechanical, automation, civil and structural disciplines to ensure an optimum, integrated design solution is reached on every project.

• Work closely with the Automation and Controls team on I/O listings, control panel drawings and schematics, VSD specifications, motor lists and electrical, control and instrumentation integration. Review instrument power and signal requirements, loop and interface drawings, interlocks, permissives, fail-safe states and packaged equipment interfaces, with clear allocation of responsibilities between disciplines and suppliers.

• Provide technical expertise and guidance to project delivery teams during system design, implementation and testing.

• Present solutions for technical issues arising during design or construction and perform fault-finding as required.

Health, Safety and Sustainability

• Ensure all electrical designs embed the requirements of CDM Regulations (UK) and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations (Ireland), applying the principles of prevention to mitigate risk, in particular electrical hazards.

• Lead Design Risk Reviews, ensuring that design outputs meet all health, safety, environmental, sustainability and quality standards.

• Ensure Design Risk Assessments are completed for all electrical design activities on assigned projects.

• Define electrical interfaces for emergency stops and safety-related controls, and coordinate specialist machinery safety assessment and validation where applicable.

• Identify hazardous-area requirements on relevant wastewater, sludge and biogas installations, coordinate specialist assessments, and ensure equipment selection and installation requirements are reflected in the design.

• Communicate residual design risks, isolation requirements and safe access and maintenance provisions to construction, commissioning and operations teams.

• Contribute to and promote Glanua’s sustainability and net zero carbon targets, embedding energy efficiency, low-carbon design and circular economy principles across electrical design outputs.

• Work with process and automation teams to translate project energy balances, energy management plans and measurement and verification requirements into metering, instrumentation and automation scopes. Agree measurement points, data collection, trending and reporting requirements and ensure they are included in procurement and design deliverables.

Design Standards and Quality

• Ensure awareness of, and compliance with, local regulations, directives, asset and technical standards, I.S. 10101, BS 7671, relevant IEC and EN standards, WIMES and client-specific requirements across all design outputs, including applicable amendments and project requirements.

• Assist the Electrical Department Manager in developing, maintaining and updating internal electrical design standards, templates and reusable libraries to drive efficiency and consistency.

• Implement and uphold quality assurance and quality control procedures for all electrical design deliverables, including review and approval of documentation prior to issue to external clients and consultants.

• Ensure that digital workflows and the common data environment (CDE) are followed for all electrical design inputs across project phases: design, construction, commissioning and handover.

• Maintain technical compliance and deviation schedules, resolve client and consultant comments, and obtain the required acceptance before release of affected work for manufacture or construction.

• Maintain design assumptions, decisions, calculation records and revision histories, with clear checking and approval responsibilities. Define and coordinate specialist design scopes where additional expertise is required.

Team Leadership and Development

• Coordinate, supervise and technically direct senior and intermediate electrical design engineers on assigned projects, setting clear expectations for quality, programme and deliverables.

• Mentor and develop engineers at all levels, sharing technical knowledge and supporting their professional progression and CPD.

• Assist the Electrical Department Manager with resource planning and allocation, ensuring project teams are adequately resourced and that workload is balanced across the department.

• Support the recruitment and onboarding process, including CV review, interviews and technical assessment of candidates.

• Act as a deputy to the Electrical Department Manager as required, providing continuity and resilience within the department leadership.

Procurement and Supply Chain

• Prepare procurement packages for LV works, including main distribution boards, MCCs, control panels, automation hardware and software, starters and electrical installation works.

• Prepare procurement packages for MV works, including distribution transformers, MV switchgear and specialist MV design services.

• Procure and manage third-party design consultants as required.

• Provide technical and commercial review of tender returns for all electrical procurement packages, ensuring alignment with required standards and value for money, and provide recommendations to the procurement team.

• Liaise with suppliers, subcontractors and the wider supply chain to ensure optimal use of available technologies and components.

Commercial and Tender Support

• Provide electrical design technical input to tender submissions and proposals, including scope-of-supply matrices, bills of quantities and cost estimates.

• Review tender documents for risks and value-engineering opportunities.

• Collaborate with project managers to align design deliverables with project timelines and budgets, tracking electrical design costs against allowances.

• Assess and control design changes, identifying technical, safety, cost, programme and procurement impacts, and communicate these to the Electrical Department Manager, project manager and affected delivery teams before implementation.

Construction Support and Handover

• Ensure constructability reviews are completed at early stages of design and, as the design develops, liaise closely with site delivery teams and other engineering disciplines.

• Provide a detailed and robust handover to site delivery teams, including the close-out of any design comments or construction-related queries.

• Undertake site surveys and preliminary condition reports on existing infrastructure and assets as required.

• For brownfield projects, verify existing electrical capacity and condition, record survey limitations, and coordinate outages, temporary supplies, interfaces and staged changeovers with site and operations teams.

• Prepare or review factory acceptance test (FAT), site acceptance test (SAT) and commissioning procedures. Participate in testing where required, review results and ensure defects are closed out and the completed systems achieve the design intent.

• Review final as-built drawings, protection and equipment settings, electrical test and certification records, O&M information and outstanding technical defects to support complete and accurate handover.

• For specific projects, fulfil the role of Lead Electrical Project Engineer at site as agreed with the Electrical Department Manager, managing procurement, installation supervision, commissioning and handover. Agree the assignment duration, responsibilities and resource cover to maintain delivery of the electrical design workload.

General

• Promote and advocate key themes from the Glanua business strategy, including off-site manufacturing, digitalised ways of working and the drive towards sustainability.

• Encourage the use of innovative technology and ways of working within the electrical design team.

• Keep abreast of the latest standards and technology through continuous professional development (CPD).

• Other duties as required from time to time and communicated by your line manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• 15+ years’ experience in electrical design engineering, with significant exposure to the water, wastewater or utilities sector.

• Level 7/8 degree in Electrical Engineering, or equivalent qualification with demonstrable electrical design content.

• Proven ability to lead the full electrical design lifecycle from concept through detailed design to construction support and handover on water or wastewater treatment projects.

• Strong competence across core electrical design deliverables: single line diagrams, cable sizing and scheduling, MCC schematics, lighting design, earthing and lightning protection, generator sizing, load calculations and MIC applications.

• Demonstrable competence in fault-level calculations, protection coordination, protection settings and earth-fault disconnection assessment, including operation on standby generator supplies.

• Ability to define and review MCC and control panel technical requirements and verification evidence, and coordinate electrical, instrumentation and automation interfaces.

• Experience reviewing electrical FAT, SAT and commissioning procedures and results, resolving technical defects and verifying final handover documentation.

• Experience with medium voltage design, including MV switchgear, distribution transformers and utility interface requirements.

• Working knowledge of Trimble ProDesign (Amtech) or ETAP electrical calculation software.

• Proficiency in AutoCAD and/or Autodesk Revit for electrical design and draughting.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

• Demonstrable experience coordinating or supervising electrical design engineers on multi-disciplinary projects.

• Strong knowledge of applicable codes and regulations, including I.S. 10101 (National Rules for Electrical Installations), BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), and relevant IEC and EN standards, including applicable amendments.

• Experience working to UK and EU regulatory frameworks, client asset standards and WIMES.

• Excellent problem-solving, fault-finding and analytical skills, with the ability to use your own initiative when issues arise during project delivery.

• Strong written and verbal English, comfortable presenting technical solutions to clients and chairing design review meetings.

• Practical awareness of project programme, scope, change management and the commercial implications of design decisions.

• Full clean driving licence.

Desirable

• Direct delivery experience on water or wastewater treatment plants, including RO desalination, MBR, SBR, MBBR, DAF, tertiary treatment and sludge handling.

• Experience with photovoltaic system design, battery storage and renewable energy integration.

• Exposure to OT cybersecurity standards (IEC 62443) and modern OT network architecture as they relate to the electrical interface.

• Experience procuring and managing third-party electrical design consultants and specialist subcontractors.

• Prior experience working with Tier 1 utilities such as Uisce Éireann, Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Affinity Water, or international equivalents.

• Engineers Ireland Chartered status (CEng), or actively working towards it.

• Experience with BIM and digital delivery workflows for electrical design.

• Practical electrical installation, commissioning or electrical trade experience.

• Familiarity with lighting calculation software such as DIALux or Relux, including emergency lighting design.

• Experience implementing energy metering, energy management and measurement and verification requirements in electrical and automation designs.

• Experience coordinating hazardous-area requirements, machinery safety interfaces and specialist electrical studies.

What we offer you

• The opportunity to join an ambitious and growing organisation that is investing heavily in its electrical design capability.

• Monday to Friday working week, with an early Friday finish and genuine work-life balance.

• 23 days annual leave plus 10 public holidays (32 days total).

• Competitive senior-level base salary, with annual review.

• Company laptop and phone.

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a confidential 24/7/365 counselling service, free for you and your family.

At Glanua, we believe that people are the core of the business. We know that to build successful, creative teams we need a diverse workforce that can deliver new innovative ways of thinking. We provide an environment where you will have the freedom to develop and grow to your full potential.

Glanua Limited is an equal opportunities employer.