Electrical Engineer - Plant Electrical Systems

Job Summary

Kairos Power is seeking an Electrical Engineer to support the design, development, analysis, and implementation of electrical distribution and switchyard systems for an advanced nuclear power plant as part of the Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical (IC&E) department. This role will work under the guidance of experienced engineers to develop safe, reliable, and efficient electrical-system designs that integrate with plant instrumentation and control systems. 

The successful candidate will have a strong foundation in electrical engineering principles, power systems, and electrical equipment. This individual will collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams and contribute to engineering analyses, design documentation, equipment specifications, construction support, and commissioning activities. The candidate will support delivery of assigned work in accordance with project schedules, budgets, quality requirements, and safety expectations. 

Job Responsibilities

Electrical System Design

• Support the design and development of electrical distribution systems, including low-, medium-, and high-voltage power distribution networks. 
• Assist with development of switchyard layouts, including bus configurations, transformers, circuit breakers, disconnect switches, and grounding systems.
• Support specification and selection of electrical equipment, such as transformers, switchgear, protective relays, cables, and associated components. 
• Assist with incorporation of safety considerations into electrical designs, including arc-flash mitigation, grounding, equipment protection, and seismic requirements. 
• Prepare and update electrical design deliverables, applying established engineering practices and receiving technical review from senior engineers as appropriate.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity and controls personnel to support consideration of applicable critical-infrastructure and cybersecurity requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

System Studies and Analysis

• Assist with load-flow, short-circuit, protective-device coordination, arc-flash analysis, and related power-system studies using tools such as ETAP, SKM Power Tools, or equivalent software. 
• Support evaluation of electrical-system performance, reliability, and equipment ratings. 
• Participate in troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for electrical-system issues under guidance from experienced engineers. 
• Support electrical design risk assessments and implementation of corrective actions. 
• Assist with development of maintenance and monitoring approaches for electrical infrastructure. 

Project Engineering Support

• Support electrical engineering activities through conceptual design, detailed design, procurement, construction, and commissioning phases. 
• Coordinate with civil, mechanical, IC&E, construction, and operations personnel to integrate electrical designs into overall plant infrastructure. 
• Participate in design reviews, technical meetings, and interdisciplinary coordination activities. 
• Apply sound engineering judgment within assigned scope; seek technical guidance and review from senior engineers as needed. 

Regulatory Compliance

• Support development of electrical designs consistent with applicable nuclear regulatory requirements, industry codes, and standards, including IEEE, NEC, ANSI, NRC, and NERC requirements, as applicable. 
• Assist with preparation of technical documentation supporting licensing, permitting, and regulatory activities.
• Maintain awareness of quality, safety, and regulatory requirements applicable to assigned work.

Engineering Documentation

• Prepare engineering deliverables, such as single-line diagrams, schematics, wiring diagrams, cable schedules, equipment specifications, and calculation packages. 
• Support development of bills of materials and cost estimates for electrical distribution and switchyard components. 
• Review vendor drawings, data sheets, and technical proposals with guidance from senior engineering personnel. 
• Maintain organized, accurate, and traceable engineering documentation in accordance with project and quality requirements.

Construction and Commissioning Support

• Support installation, testing, and commissioning activities for electrical distribution and switchyard systems. 
• Assist with field walkdowns, inspection activities, issue resolution, and verification that installed systems conform to approved design documentation. 
• Support troubleshooting of electrical-system issues during construction, startup, and turnover to operations. 
• Assist with collection and review of test results, commissioning records, and equipment documentation.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
• Coursework or academic projects involving power systems, electrical distribution, protection and control, or high-voltage systems preferred.

Experience

• Two to four years of relevant professional electrical-engineering experience. Relevant internships, co-op assignments, and/or academic projects may be considered toward the lower end of the experience range. 
• Exposure to power generation, industrial facilities, utility systems, electrical distribution, or similarly regulated industries is preferred. 
• Nuclear-industry experience is not required; interest in learning nuclear quality, safety, and regulatory practices is expected.

Technical Skills

• Foundational knowledge of electrical-engineering principles, power distribution systems, and electrical equipment. 
• Familiarity with electrical-system analysis concepts, including load flow, short-circuit analysis, and protective-device coordination. 
• Experience or coursework using power-system analysis software, such as ETAP, SKM Power Tools, PSS/E, or similar tools, is preferred. 
• Familiarity with high-voltage and medium-voltage equipment, including transformers, switchgear, circuit breakers, relays, and grounding systems. 
• Familiarity with CAD tools, such as AutoCAD or MicroStation, is preferred. 
• Basic awareness of electrical codes and standards, such as NEC, IEEE, ANSI, and NERC, is preferred. 
• Ability to read, interpret, and prepare electrical drawings, schematics, and technical documentation. 

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and attention-to-detail skills. 
• Clear written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to learn quickly, seek feedback, and apply guidance from experienced engineers. 
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment. 
• Ability to organize work, manage assigned tasks, and meet project deadlines.

Functional Competencies

• Ability to work on a highly collaborative team. 
• Ability to solve problems efficiently and escalate issues appropriately. 
• Commitment to personal and team safety. 
• Ability to collect, manage, document, and transfer technical knowledge. 
• Curiosity and willingness to identify practical improvements to processes, designs, and engineering workflows.

Physical Demands

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting, for prolonged periods. 
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or move between worksites. 
• Communicating with others to exchange information.

Environmental Conditions

• General office environment. 
• Low- and high-temperature conditions. 
• Outdoor environments and exposure to elements such as precipitation and wind. 
• Noisy environments. 
• High-concentration, demanding, and fast-paced work environments. 

Safety and PPE

• Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs. 
• Reporting equipment issues and unsafe conditions. 
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment, which may include safety shoes, safety glasses, gloves, face shields, hearing protection, respiratory protection, and other site-specific PPE.

Travel

• Some travel may be required, up to approximately 15%.

Certification

• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification or progress toward EIT certification is preferred. 
• Interest in pursuing Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, where applicable, is a plus. 
• Additional relevant certifications are a plus.

Additional Requirements

• Occasionally requires schedule flexibility. 
• May occasionally require extended hours to support critical project milestones, construction, testing, or commissioning activities.

The salary range for this position is $92,454 to $108,769 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters. The range provided in this job posting represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired in California. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, the market data for your work location, and a comparison to other employees already in the role.

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