Electrical engineer job description template: power, buildings, electronics or controls, the PE line and the work
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"Electrical engineer: design, develop and test electrical systems; PE preferred" could describe a utility engineer planning substations, a building electrical designer producing permit drawings at a consulting firm, a hardware engineer laying out circuit boards, or a controls engineer programming a packaging line. Those engineers have different tools, different codes and standards, and different licensure needs. A useful electrical engineer job description names the seat, the systems or products, the voltages or signal levels involved, the standards and codes that apply, the design tools, whether the engineer seals documents, and how much time is spent in the field or lab. Below are the seat types, the licensure and classification lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the first call, use the electrical engineer phone screen questions.
Name the seat first
| Seat | What the work looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Power systems or utility engineer | Load flow, protection and coordination, substation and distribution design, interconnection studies | Has run studies with a named power analysis tool and seen a design through construction |
| Building electrical (MEP) design engineer | Load calculations, panel schedules, lighting and power layouts, permit drawings, construction support | Has designed building systems to code; PE in the project state or a clear path to it |
| Electronics or hardware design engineer | Schematics, board layout reviews, component selection, bring-up, debugging in the lab | Has taken a board from schematic to working prototype and debugged it with lab equipment |
| Controls and automation engineer | PLC and HMI programming, panel design, commissioning on site, troubleshooting lines | Has commissioned a control system on a live line and handled the start-up problems |
| Test and compliance engineer | Test plans, emissions and safety testing, certification support, failure analysis | Has taken a product through certification testing and fixed a failure found there |
Then settle the facts: the systems or products, the stage of the work, the codes and standards, the design and analysis tools, lab or field time, travel, and who checks and signs the work. If the seat is closer to an electrician doing installation, the electrician job description template is the right starting point.
Licensure and classification lines, with sources
Not legal advice. We checked the licensing, overtime and pay-data points on this page with NCEES, the Department of Labor, the federal overtime regulations and the BLS Handbook in October 2026. Who may seal electrical drawings, and which industrial or manufacturer exemptions apply, is decided state by state, so ask the board in the state where the drawings will be filed.
When a PE matters. BLS says licensure is not required for entry-level electrical and electronics engineer positions, that experienced engineers may obtain a PE license so they can oversee other engineers' work and sign off on projects, and that licensure typically includes passing the FE exam, work experience and the PE exam (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026). Require the PE when the seat seals drawings, and name the state.
FE and PE exams. NCEES calls the FE exam generally the first step toward a PE license, designed for recent graduates and students close to finishing an accredited engineering degree (NCEES FE exam). The PE Electrical and Computer exam comes in three versions: Power, given year-round at approved test centers, and Computer Engineering and Electronics, Controls, and Communications, each given one day a year, with the next dates listed as October 28, 2026 and April 14, 2027 (NCEES PE Electrical and Computer). If you prefer a PE, name the version, and be patient with candidates scheduled for a once-a-year sitting.
Exempt or nonexempt. An electrical engineer whose work needs an engineering degree fits the learned professional test, which names engineering in 29 CFR 541.301(c). That exemption also needs pay on a salary or fee basis at or above the federal level, currently $684 a week (DOL Fact Sheet 17D). The harder calls are the hybrid seats: a controls technician who programs PLCs, or an electrical designer who drafts under an engineer, is judged on what the job actually requires, not on the word engineer in the title.
The electrical engineer job description template
[Senior] Electrical Engineer, [Power Systems / Building Electrical
/ Electronics Hardware / Controls and Automation / Test]
[Company], [city, state] — [On-site / Hybrid: days], [N]% time in
[lab / plant / job sites / substations], travel about [N]%
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per year, plus [bonus, if any].
[Benefits summary, if required.] [Exempt, after review.]
SUMMARY
You will [design / analyze / program / test] [systems or products]
for [customers or projects], working at [voltage range or signal
level] to [codes and standards]. Your work goes to [manufacturing
/ the client / the contractor / the utility] through [design
reviews / drawing sets / firmware releases], and is checked by
[title]. You will report to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- [Run (load flow / short circuit / arc flash) studies in (tool).]
- [Produce drawings and calculations for permit and construction.]
- [Design schematics and review board layouts; bring up and debug
prototypes.]
- [Program and commission (PLC / HMI) systems on site.]
- Work with [manufacturing, contractors, clients, suppliers] to
solve problems in [production / construction / the field].
- Keep documentation and change records in [system].
YOU MUST HAVE
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a related
engineering field.
- [N] years doing [the seat's core work], with projects you can
walk through.
- Working skill in [one design or analysis tool] or similar.
- [PE license in (state), Power version, or eligible by (date),
only if the seat seals documents.]
- [Ability to work in (plant / substation / site) conditions with
required PPE, with or without reasonable accommodation.]
NICE TO HAVE
- FE passed / EIT or EI designation.
- Experience with [standards], [industry], [tool].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; technical conversation with (lead) about a
project you choose; a review of a schematic, one-line or problem
we provide; meeting (project / manufacturing) partners.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
Need an adjustment to apply or interview? Contact [address].Pay and EEO
Where the role sits in a state or city with a posting law, the range has to appear in the ad; see pay transparency laws by state. For market context, the BLS profile for electrical and electronics engineers linked above is the neutral source; we do not reproduce its numbers here. End the posting with one EEO sentence and a named contact for accommodation requests.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design ownership | "Pick a system or board you designed. What requirement drove it, and what changed after the first build or review?" | Engineering judgment | Names the requirement, the trade-off and the change, with numbers |
| Analysis | "How did you check that a design was safe and within limits before it was built?" | Analytical rigor | Calculations or studies, stated assumptions, margins and a check against code or test |
| Troubleshooting | "Tell me about a fault you traced in the lab or field. How did you find it?" | Root cause analysis | A method, the instruments used, a verified fix |
| Safety | "How do you plan work on or near energized equipment?" | Safety mindset | Specific procedures, refusal to cut corners, a near miss they learned from |
| License (if the seat seals) | "Which state boards license you, did you sit for the Power, Electronics, or Computer exam, and what kind of drawings have you stamped?" | Not scored: verified with the board | States, version and examples of sealed work |
To source, use the Boolean search strings for electrical engineers. For plant and controls seats, the later rounds fit the interview guide for manufacturing roles, and if the team also needs mechanical design, compare with the mechanical engineer job description template.
Common mistakes in electrical engineer job descriptions
One posting for power, electronics and controls
A board designer and a protection engineer do not read the same posting. Pick the seat and say what voltages or signals the work involves.
"PE preferred" with no reason
If nothing gets sealed, drop it. If the seat seals, make it a must-have with the state and version.
Tool lists instead of work
Name the one design tool used weekly and accept similar tools; the engineering judgment is what is hard to find.
No field or lab time
Commissioning weeks and substation visits matter to candidates. Say how much time is spent away from a desk.
Blanket citizenship lines
Defense electronics and some power work can fall under export controls, and some contracts limit who may see technical data. Write that requirement only when a specific contract or license triggers it, and name it; a blanket citizenship line on an ordinary commercial electrical seat screens out lawful candidates.
Before you publish
- The summary says whether the seat is power, buildings, electronics or controls, and names the governing codes (NEC, IEEE, UL) that matter.
- A PE requirement appears only if this engineer will stamp drawings, and it names the state and the PE exam discipline.
- Software is cut to what is used weekly (ETAP, SKM, Revit MEP, Altium, PLC suites), with "or similar" accepted.
- Energized-work exposure, site visits, commissioning trips and on-call are spelled out, and exempt status has been checked against the duties.
- The range, a one-line EEO statement and an accommodation contact end the ad.
Questions people ask
Does an electrical engineer need a PE license?
Not for most entry-level roles; BLS says licensure is not required for entry-level electrical and electronics engineer positions. A PE matters when the engineer signs off on projects, such as sealing building electrical or utility drawings. Require it only when the seat seals documents, and name the state.
Which PE exam applies to electrical engineers?
NCEES offers the PE Electrical and Computer exam in three versions: Power, given year-round as a computer-based test, and Computer Engineering and Electronics, Controls, and Communications, each given one day a year. If you prefer a PE, name the version that matches the work.
Is an electrical engineer exempt from overtime?
Engineering is listed as a learned profession in the federal regulation, so an electrical engineer whose primary duty uses that advanced knowledge and who is paid a salary of at least the standard level, $684 a week as listed by the Department of Labor, is commonly exempt. Technicians and drafters are judged on their own duties. Check state law.
Should the posting ask for an electrician's license?
Usually not. Installing wiring and designing electrical systems are different jobs. If the engineer will also do hands-on installation, describe that work plainly and ask the state licensing board what credential it needs.