Electrical Power Systems Advisor (Data Centers)

Position: Electrical Power Systems Advisor (Data Centers)
Location: Houston, TX (Onsite)


Keywords:
Hyperscale Data Centers, MV Distribution, Substations, Utility Interconnection, Protection & Controls, Relay Coordination, IEC 61850, Digital Switchgear, GOOSE, MMS, Power Monitoring System (PMS), SCADA, Commissioning, Energization, Integrated Systems Testing, Sequence of Operations (SoO), Critical Facilities, eliability
Engineering.
The ask is for a highly experienced power systems architect who can design and own the “utility-to-rack power path” (means ower drawing from grid to consumption by infra) of data centre.  

Role Summary:
We are hiring an Electrical Power Systems leader to own and define the electrical power architecture for hyperscale and AI-focused data centers, including multi‑building campuses and 100MW–1GW+ programs. This role represents the highest technical authority for power systems—setting strategy, standards, and architectural direction from concept through
commissioning and operations. This position is intended for a proven engineering leader who combines deep MV/HV power systems expertise, protection & controls mastery, and real-world operational experience, with the authority and credibility to influence executives, utilities, EPCs, OEMs, and operations teams alike.

What You will Do:
1) Electrical Architecture (MV/HV) for Mission-Critical Facilities
Architect MV/HV electrical distribution for data centers (utility-to-rack power path), including substation topology, MV switchgear, transformers, secondary distribution, and critical power interfaces.
Define and standardize repeatable reference designs for power-dense facilities that scale across regions and vendors.
Develop design decisions grounded in availability, reliability, maintainability, safety, and operational response during abnormal events.
2) Protection, Controls & Digital Power Systems
Own protection philosophy, relay settings coordination strategy, and system selectivity for MV/HV systems in mission-critical environments.
Lead adoption and deployment of IEC 61850 digital substation/switchgear architectures, including GOOSE/MMS and engineering best practices for repeatability and quality.
Develop and validate Sequences of Operation (SoO) and control narratives for normal operation, failover, maintenance modes, and recovery.
3) Utility Interconnection & Grid Interface
Serve as technical lead for utility engagement: interconnection requirements, protection & metering, power quality, and operational coordination for large-load facilities.
Drive designs that support flexible grid connections and advanced resiliency strategies (e.g., self-generation, BESS integration, islanding concepts where applicable).
4) Commissioning, Testing, and Live-Site Execution
Partner with construction and commissioning teams to plan and execute acceptance testing, energization, integrated systems testing, and operational readiness.
Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for complex system behaviors across switchgear, relays, controls networks, and power monitoring systems.
Support retrofits and upgrades in live data centers where continuity of service is non-negotiable.
5) Leadership, Standards & Vendor Ecosystem
Set technical direction and mentor engineers across design, controls, commissioning, and operations.
Influence and negotiate technical outcomes with OEMs, EPCs, utilities, AHJs, and global vendors.
Establish and maintain electrical and controls standards (e.g., vendor-agnostic SoO, digital switchgear templates, quality/defect reduction practices). 

What You will Bring:
15+ years in electrical power systems for data centers, critical facilities, utility power, or comparable high-reliability nfrastructure.
Power generation (gas turbines, reciprocating engines, hybrid systems)
Demonstrated expertise in MV distribution, switchgear, substation design considerations, and mission-critical power architecture.
Strong background in protection & controls, including relay schemes, coordination/selectivity, and control system integration.
Experience developing and validating Sequences of Operation (SoO) and commissioning/test strategies.
Familiarity with relevant standards and environments: ANSI/UL, IEC, and multi-region deployment realities.
Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.
Travel time will vary, but it could be as high as ~50%.
Candidates with higher level qualifications/experience will be considered accordingly.

Preferred Qualifications:
Practical experience with IEC 61850 digital substations/switchgear (GOOSE/MMS) and implementation lessons learned.
Hyperscale data center experience including design, construction support, commissioning, or operations/start-up roles.
Background in power monitoring systems (PMS) integration and operational event response training (or similar reliability programs).
Experience with grid-independent or hybrid architectures including on-site generation and BESS integration.
Global/international project exposure, multi-vendor standardization, or expat/remote execution experience.
Advanced degree (MBA/MS) is a plus.