Electrical Engineer Job Description
Hire an Electrical Engineer to design, install and maintain safe, compliant electrical systems across building services, industrial or infrastructure projects. This template helps you define practical responsibilities, realistic requirements and recruitment channels for UK roles.
What does a Electrical Engineer professional do?
An Electrical Engineer designs, specifies and tests electrical systems, ensures regulatory compliance, supports installation and commissioning, and provides technical troubleshooting and maintenance guidance.
Electrical Engineer job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Electrical Engineer
About the role
[Company name] is seeking an experienced Electrical Engineer to join our team in [Location]. You will design and specify electrical systems, produce technical drawings and calculations, support installation and commissioning on site, and carry out testing, fault-finding and handover documentation. This role reports to [Line manager] and will involve occasional site visits and coordination with contractors and clients. Salary: [Salary or range].
Key responsibilities
- Develop electrical designs, schematic diagrams and installation specifications that meet current UK standards and client requirements.
- Produce calculations for cable sizing, short-circuit, protective device coordination and earthing systems.
- Prepare and revise technical drawings, layouts and bill of materials for procurement and installation.
- Carry out site surveys, inspections and risk assessments; support installation teams during fit-out and commissioning.
- Plan and perform testing and pre-commissioning works, record results and resolve defects to achieve safe handover.
- Provide technical support to project teams, clients and contractors throughout the project lifecycle.
- Ensure designs and site activities comply with BS 7671, relevant industry regulations and health & safety procedures.
- Produce clear technical reports, method statements and handover documentation for clients.
Essential skills and experience
- Degree (BEng/MEng) or equivalent qualification in Electrical Engineering or related discipline, or demonstrable equivalent experience.
- Minimum of 2 years' relevant experience in electrical design, installation or commissioning within building services, industrial or utilities environments.
- Practical knowledge of UK wiring regulations (BS 7671) and safe electrical working practices.
- Ability to read and produce engineering drawings and carry out electrical calculations.
- Proven ability to work on-site and in office, including undertaking site surveys and contractor liaison.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Desirable
- Membership or working towards registration with a professional body (e.g. IET / Engineering Council) or chartered status.
- Experience with electrical design/CAD software (for example AutoCAD, Revit, EPLAN) and MS Office.
- Familiarity with LV and HV distribution, distribution boards, and protective device selection.
- Experience of building services MEP coordination, BIM processes or integration with other disciplines.
- Understanding of controls, PLCs or motor control systems and basic commissioning of control panels.
- Project management experience, site supervision or experience managing subcontractors.
What we offer
- [Competitive salary package]
- [Pension scheme or employer pension contribution]
- [Paid annual leave — e.g. x days per year]
- [Training and professional development budget / CPD support]
- [Flexible / hybrid working options where role allows]
- [Company vehicle or mileage allowance for site work (if applicable)]
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is an Electrical Engineer role?
Electrical Engineers design, specify and test electrical systems for buildings, industrial plants and infrastructure. They translate client requirements into safe, compliant designs, perform technical calculations and drawings, support installation and commissioning on site, and produce the documentation required for handover. The role balances office design duties with on-site verification and close liaison with contractors, clients and other engineering disciplines.
Core focus
Design and verification of electrical systems, testing, commissioning and technical support across project stages.
Typical employers
Building services consultancies, construction contractors, facilities teams, industrial manufacturers and utilities.
Work location
Combination of office-based design work and site visits; occasional travel between project sites is common.
Team & seniority
Ranges from early-career engineers supporting senior engineers to project-level engineers managing small teams.
Typical Electrical Engineer responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Develop electrical designs
Develop electrical designs, schematic diagrams and installation specifications that meet current UK standards and client requirements.
Produce calculations for cable sizing
Produce calculations for cable sizing, short-circuit, protective device coordination and earthing systems.
Prepare
Prepare and revise technical drawings, layouts and bill of materials for procurement and installation.
Carry out site surveys
Carry out site surveys, inspections and risk assessments; support installation teams during fit-out and commissioning.
Plan and perform testing
Plan and perform testing and pre-commissioning works, record results and resolve defects to achieve safe handover.
Provide technical support
Provide technical support to project teams, clients and contractors throughout the project lifecycle.
Ensure designs
Ensure designs and site activities comply with BS 7671, relevant industry regulations and health & safety procedures.
Produce clear technical reports
Produce clear technical reports, method statements and handover documentation for clients.
Electrical Engineer skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Degree (BEng/MEng) or equivalent qualification in Electrical Engineering or related discipline, or demonstrable equivalent experience.
- Minimum of 2 years' relevant experience in electrical design, installation or commissioning within building services, industrial or utilities environments.
- Practical knowledge of UK wiring regulations (BS 7671) and safe electrical working practices.
- Ability to read and produce engineering drawings and carry out electrical calculations.
- Proven ability to work on-site and in office, including undertaking site surveys and contractor liaison.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Useful where relevant
- Membership or working towards registration with a professional body (e.g. IET / Engineering Council) or chartered status.
- Experience with electrical design/CAD software (for example AutoCAD, Revit, EPLAN) and MS Office.
- Familiarity with LV and HV distribution, distribution boards, and protective device selection.
- Experience of building services MEP coordination, BIM processes or integration with other disciplines.
- Understanding of controls, PLCs or motor control systems and basic commissioning of control panels.
- Project management experience, site supervision or experience managing subcontractors.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Electrical Engineer job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be specific about site obligations
Clarify expected site frequency, travel radius, on-call or out-of-hours duties and any PPE or security pass requirements so candidates know practical commitments.
List true essentials vs nice-to-haves
Separate mandatory qualifications and hands-on experience from desirable skills such as chartership or specific software to avoid excluding suitable candidates.
Highlight project types
Note whether role focuses on building services, industrial power, renewables or control systems to attract candidates with relevant sector experience.
Include compliance and safety expectations
State responsibilities for compliance with BS 7671, CDM or site safety regimes and any requirement for competency records or licences.
Electrical Engineer salary considerations
Electrical Engineer pay varies widely depending on sector, project complexity and seniority. Rather than a single market figure, consider the factors below when setting a salary range or budget.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Electrical Engineer candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
How much site work is required?
Candidates need to know typical time on site, travel distance and whether full-time site presence, hybrid or occasional visits are expected.
Which systems will I work on?
Clarify whether the role focuses on LV/HV distribution, lighting, power, controls, or industrial equipment so applicants can match skills.
Are there on-call or shift duties?
State any out-of-hours, emergency call-out or shift patterns and how these are compensated.
Is support available for professional development?
Experienced candidates will want to know about CPD, chartership support and training budgets.
What safety and compliance responsibilities are expected?
Outline expectations for adherence to BS 7671, permit-to-work systems, site inductions and H&S documentation.
Who will I report to and who do I manage?
Provide clarity on the reporting line, team size and whether the role includes subcontractor supervision.
Where to post a Electrical Engineer job
Electrical Engineer vacancies perform well when promoted across a mix of channels: general UK job boards for volume, specialist engineering and construction job sites for targeted applicants, and professional networks such as engineering societies and LinkedIn for mid-to-senior roles. For regional projects, include local recruitment channels and relationships with nearby universities or technical colleges to attract early-career talent.
Electrical Engineer job description FAQs
Do I need to state a specific salary in the advert?
You don't have to, but publishing a clear salary or indicative range increases response quality and reduces unsuitable applications. Align any range with the role’s responsibilities, location and required experience.
Should I make chartership (CEng) mandatory?
Chartered status is valuable for senior technical or client-facing roles but is not always essential. Consider making professional registration desirable and offer support for candidates working towards it.
What pre-employment checks are typical?
Right-to-work checks, employment references and verification of qualifications are standard. For certain sites, additional checks (DBS, drug & alcohol testing, medical fitness or site-specific certifications) may be required.
How can I assess practical skills remotely?
Use technical interview questions, request work examples or design samples, run take-home technical tasks or practical assessments, and follow up with a site-based technical interview or trial where possible.
When should I advertise with a specialist recruiter?
Use a specialist recruiter if you need to fill senior roles quickly, require niche technical skills, or need vetted candidates with specific sector experience; combine this with public adverts for broader reach.
Ready to hire an Electrical Engineer?
Create a tailored vacancy using this template and share it across targeted channels to attract suitably qualified candidates. When ready, include clear details on location, site commitments and essential qualifications to streamline applications.
