Department Leader & Senior Electrical Project Engineer

Overview:

Department Leader & Senior Electrical Project Engineer

Location: San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento or Santa Monica, CA

Join HGA and help create environments that strengthen communities and improve lives. Our work spans a diverse portfolio, including healthcare facilities, performing arts venues, corporate workplaces, government buildings, higher education campuses, and complex electrical infrastructure systems.

We are seeking a Department Leader & Senior Electrical Project Engineer to lead our California Electrical Group and contribute to the design and delivery of complex, high-impact projects.

In this role, you will provide both department leadership and technical expertise, guiding multidisciplinary teams, leading electrical system design, and partnering with clients to deliver exceptional results. You will be responsible for departmental performance, talent development, technical excellence, and strategic growth while remaining actively engaged in project work.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced engineering leader who is passionate about developing people, building client relationships, solving complex technical challenges, and delivering innovative, sustainable design solutions.

We offer:

• A collaborative and integrated design environment where architects, engineers, and planners work together from project conception through completion.
• Opportunities to work on impactful and technically complex projects across multiple market sectors.
• A culture that embraces diverse ideas, encourages open communication, and supports continuous learning and career development.
• The ability to influence project outcomes, mentor emerging professionals, and help advance the practice of electrical engineering and design.

As a Department Leader, you will:

Strategy & Discipline Leadership

• Set direction for the department aligned with firm and practice priorities.
• Advance design quality, best practices, and knowledge sharing.
• Position the department for future growth and capability development.
• Work collaboratively with electrical engineering leadership at a national level in other offices to create standards, protocols and quality for the electrical engineering group.

Business & Operational Performance

• Manage utilization, profitability, and staffing alignment.
• Align resources to support project delivery and client outcomes.
• Monitor performance and address risks proactively.

Talent Leadership & Development

• Build and develop a high-performing team through hiring, coaching, and retention.
• Lead performance review, promotion, compensation, and succession processes.
• Foster a culture of accountability, growth, and inclusion.

Collaboration & Leadership Alignment

• Partner across departments, offices, and practice groups on shared priorities.
• Contribute to firm-wide initiatives and cross-disciplinary efforts.
• Align stakeholders through clear communication and leadership.

Project Contribution

• Maintain involvement in project work while prioritizing department leadership responsibilities.

As a Senior Electrical Project Engineer, you will:

Project Leadership & Technical Oversight

• Lead the electrical engineering scope for large, complex, and strategically significant projects through all phases of planning, design, documentation, and construction.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight for multidisciplinary project teams.
• Establish engineering approaches, design strategies, and technical direction for complex project challenges.
• Oversee engineering analyses, calculations, specifications, and construction documentation to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance.
• Guide project teams in resolving complex technical, coordination, constructability, and code-related issues.
• Support project planning, staffing, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management efforts.

Advanced Engineering & Subject Matter Expertise

• Serve as a senior technical resource for electrical system design, power distribution, sustainable technologies, resiliency planning, and building performance strategies.
• Apply advanced engineering knowledge to evaluate alternatives, develop innovative solutions, and address unique project challenges.
• Review and provide guidance on engineering designs, technical studies, and project deliverables.
• Maintain expertise in evolving technologies, industry trends, codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Client Leadership & Strategic Relationships

• Serve as a trusted advisor and primary technical resource for clients, owners, and project stakeholders.
• Lead technical presentations, design reviews, and engineering discussions with clients and project teams.
• Develop strong client relationships through responsiveness, technical excellence, and strategic problem-solving.
• Support project pursuits, interviews, and proposal efforts by providing technical expertise and project leadership experience.

Staff Development & Technical Mentorship

• Mentor and develop Electrical Engineers, Project Engineers, Staff/EITs, and design professionals.
• Provide technical coaching, guidance, and feedback to support professional growth and project success.
• Promote knowledge sharing, collaboration, and continuous learning across teams.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning efforts within the engineering practice.

Practice Advancement & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to the development and refinement of engineering standards, best practices, design resources, and technical processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, innovation, and project outcomes.
• Support implementation of new technologies, tools, and engineering methodologies.
• Participate in practice initiatives that strengthen technical excellence and organizational capability.

Construction Administration & Quality Assurance

• Provide senior-level support during construction, including review of RFIs, submittals, change requests, and field conditions.
• Resolve highly complex construction-related technical issues and support project teams in achieving successful project outcomes.
• Champion quality assurance and quality control processes across projects.

You will need to have:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering required.
• 15+ years of experience with emphasis in electrical systems design within a consulting engineering or A/E environment for a variety of HCAI/OSHPD projects for healthcare, laboratory, commercial, municipal, institutional and government facilities.
• Experience leading a department, practice, or team.
• Active California Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Demonstrated success leading electrical engineering efforts for large, complex healthcare, commercial, government, institutional, or similarly sophisticated projects.
• Advanced knowledge of CEC, NFPA standards, HCAl, Title 24, energy codes, sustainability requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Extensive experience with multidisciplinary project delivery and complex building systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, mentoring, and relationship management skills.

Salary Information:

The pay range listed aligns to the geography of the office for which this position is posted. Actual compensation will be based upon work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer. Individuals in this role working more than 24 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in HGA’s robust benefit programs which include an annual bonus and success sharing bonus program, 401(k) guaranteed contribution, paid parental leave, medical, dental and life insurance plans as well as PTO and short- and long-term disability programs. Salary Range: $172,000 - $188,000 depending on location, qualifications and experience.

Additional Information:

At HGA, you’ll do the best work of your career. We design with impact by diving deep into the people and passions that shape every place. Empathy fuels us, curiosity drives us, and meaningful work leads to innovation. We celebrate individuality, embrace flexibility, and thrive together in the office three days a week.

Join our nationally recognized, award-winning team of architects, engineers, and interior designers — help us shape what’s next.

Learn more about us here.

Application Requirements & InstructionsPlease submit resume for consideration.