Associate Director, Electrical and Data Engineering

Who we are:  

We're transforming one of the world’s oldest industries with cutting-edge technology and an innovative approach. Backed by top-tier investors and recognized by Time as one of the "best Inventions of 2024" and Fast Company as one of 2024's "Next Big Things in Tech", Electra is scaling rapidly and we're looking for bold, driven individuals to help us reshape the future of iron production. If you're ready to make a real impact in a company that's redefining heavy industry for a cleaner, smarter world, we want to hear from you.

What you will do:  

The Associate Director, Electrical and Data Engineering works with senior management to execute strategic plans and objectives for the development of industrial plants from demonstration capabilities to full commercialization. This position is responsible for providing oversight of the design, development, and optimization of complex electrical, instrumentation, control and data engineering systems, ensuring systems meet the required scalability, sustainability, and reliability standards. This is a key leadership role that requires both deep technical expertise and strong management skills.

Responsibilities include:

• Works with senior leaders to execute the industrial plant equipment engineering strategy ensuring alignment with the company’s vision for scalable green iron production
• Provide strategic leadership for electrical, control, and data engineering functions, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices
• Leads and mentors a team of electrical, control and data engineers and technicians, to support all projects and requirements across the company including new technologies developed internally, ensuring high performance and professional growth
• Lead implementation and optimization of SCADA systems for real-time monitoring, control, and data acquisition across production environments
• Provides technical representation for Electra regarding Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Data engineering performed by outside consultants. Ensures compliance with the company’s requirements
• Proactively collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver integrated solutions
• Fosters a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the team
• Oversees the design, development, and validation of Electrical and Data Engineering for green iron production, ensuring technical, cost, and sustainability goals are met or exceeded
• Optimizes plant performance through continuous monitoring and iterative design improvements
• Manages internal complex Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Data engineering projects from concept to deployment, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget
• Coordinates with stakeholders across the company to align engineering efforts with business objectives
• Implements and ensures ongoing application of engineering best practices, including documentation, requirements tracking, and system validation processes
• Identifies and mitigates technical risks during development and deployment
• Provides advanced troubleshooting and support for plant failures or underperformance
• Implements solutions to ensure system resilience and reliability as we scale production
• Provides budget oversight to ensure department deliverables are completed within approved financial scope
• Manages the timeline, resources, and budget for engineering projects
• Promotes a culture of safety within the teams
• Reads, understands, and complies with all workplace health and safety policies, safe work practices, and company policies and procedures
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor

What we need you to bring to the team:   

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field of study
• 12+ years of industry experience in Electrical, Instrumentation, Control and Data engineering within process engineering or manufacturing environments (excluding internships, co-ops and other school projects)
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership role
• Demonstrated success leading engineering teams to manage complex system-level projects while cascading functional strategy and developing organizational policies
• Demonstrated ability to direct activities of a functional area or multiple integrated departments
• Strong understanding of engineering principles, including systems integration, testing, and validation
• Experience leading teams responsible for process control systems and large-scale production systems
• Experience leading teams responsible for automation and control systems in industrial applications
• Demonstrated success in PLC programming (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or equivalent) and SCADA system design and deployment
• Strong understanding of industrial networking, protocols (Ethernet/IP, Modbus, OPC), and cybersecurity principles for control systems
• Experience with data engineering tools and architectures, including data historians (OSIsoft PI, Ignition), SQL/NoSQL databases, and integration with analytics platforms
• Proficiency in relevant tools such as CAD, electrical design software, etc
• Ability to work on complex issues where problems are not clearly defined and where fundamental principles do not fully apply
• Ability to translate business segment strategy into functional plans and guide execution
• Ability to interact on a consistent basis with senior management and executives reconciling discrepancies amongst multiple stakeholders’ views to drive business results
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to effectively and efficiently evaluate problems, take charge, and make decisions. Remains calm in times of significant challenge
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint