Electrical Principal Engineer

Description

SINCE 1976, CANNON has provided creative solutions to clients in the energy industry, water resources, public infrastructure, and commercial and residential development. We work hard. We play hard. We have fun.

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in San Luis Obispo.  San Luis Obispo is on the beautiful central coast of California, has scenic beaches, is surrounded by the wine country, and offers endless recreational opportunities. 

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an Electrical Principal Engineer to help lead the growth and delivery of electrical engineering solutions across diverse markets—such as water treatment, wastewater, renewable energy, public infrastructure, utilities, industrial, and process facilities. This senior role combines technical leadership, strategic client engagement, and hands-on project delivery. The successful candidate will contribute to business development, lead major design efforts, and mentor the engineering team.

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB DUTIES

Design & Engineering

• Leads and oversees the development of electrical designs, including plans, specifications, and cost estimates.
• Perform, oversee, and review electrical calculations, studies, and reports for low and medium voltage power projects, i.e. voltage drop, fault current, arc flash, load studies, etc.
• Collaborate with CAD technicians and design engineers to produce high-quality construction documents.
• Coordinate with civil, structural, mechanical, automation, and process teams to ensure integrated project delivery.

Project Leadership & Execution

• Leads the delivery of electrical engineering and design projects.
• Manages project scope, schedule, and budget, proactively addressing risks and changes.
• Coordinates with vendors, subcontractors, and internal disciplines to ensure seamless execution.
• Ensures compliance with applicable codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.

Team Collaboration & Resource Planning

• Help build and maintain a robust pipeline of billable work by aligning project acquisition efforts with the capacity and skill mix of the electrical team.
• Provides mentorship to junior staff, ensuring quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) on deliverables.
• Supports workload planning and contribute to team development through coaching and knowledge sharing.

Client Engagement & Business Development

• Drives strategic growth by identifying new opportunities and engaging both existing and prospective clients to understand and meet their electrical needs.
• Utilize their professional reach and generate business through industry relationships, referrals, and networking.
• Develops and manages proposals, scopes of work, fee estimates, and schedules tailored to client objectives.
• Fosters long-term client relationships to promote trust, repeat business, and cross-sector collaboration.
• Collaborates with internal teams to position electrical services effectively across target markets.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent), preferably with power systems emphasis (e.g. utility, industrial).
• California Professional Engineer (PE) License required.
• 10+ years progressive experience and growth in power systems engineering.
• Must have low and medium voltage design experience.
• Experience with SKM and/or ETAP electrical modeling and design software required.
• Experience with NEC (National Electrical Code) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency).
• Strong communication, negotiation, and client-facing skills.
• Ability to travel to client sites, utilities, field locations, and to support team projects across Central and Southern California.
• Electrical infrastructure design per governing utility design standards (PG&E QAD and/or SCE Certified Designer) a plus.
• Project management experience a plus.

WE OFFER competitive salaries, relocation assistance, excellent benefits package, remote work flexibility, and an active and positive team building, work environment.

Cannon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age.