Electrical Subject Matter Expert (SME) - Data Centres Location: Remote - United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Spain or Italy Sector: Data Centres | Mission-Critical Infrastructure | Engineering Consultancy Working Arrangement: Remote, with occasional European project travel The Opportunity We are supporting a leading international construction and property consultancy in the appointment of an experienced Electrical Subject Matter Expert (SME) to provide senior technical leadership across a portfolio of major European data centre developments.
This is an opportunity for an accomplished electrical engineering professional with extensive experience in hyperscale, colocation or other mission-critical environments to influence the design, delivery and operational performance of complex, high-value data centre infrastructure.
Working alongside multidisciplinary project teams, design consultants, contractors and client stakeholders, the successful candidate will act as a trusted technical authority throughout the project lifecycle, from initial feasibility and site due diligence through detailed design, construction, commissioning and operational readiness. The position offers remote working from the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain or Italy, with travel to project locations across Europe as required.
Key ResponsibilitiesElectrical Design Leadership & Technical Assurance Act as the Electrical Subject Matter Expert across multiple large-scale data centre projects, providing technical leadership, guidance and independent design assurance. Lead the technical review, coordination and assessment of electrical infrastructure designs throughout concept, schematic and detailed design stages.
Direct and challenge external electrical engineering consultants to ensure designs meet client requirements, technical specifications and operational objectives. Review electrical drawings, single-line diagrams (SLDs), equipment schedules, load calculations, technical specifications and design submissions.
Evaluate electrical design solutions for technical compliance, constructability, resilience, scalability, maintainability and whole-life performance. Identify design risks, technical gaps and potential improvements, providing clear recommendations and practical solutions. Critical Power Infrastructure & Resilience Provide specialist expertise across HV/MV/LV electrical distribution systems and associated critical power infrastructure.
Oversee the technical design and integration of UPS systems, standby generators, transformers, switchgear, protection systems and power distribution networks. Assess electrical redundancy and resilience strategies, including N, N1, 2N and 2N1 configurations. Review electrical system architecture, failure scenarios, fault tolerance and single points of failure. Support electrical capacity planning, future expansion strategies and power infrastructure scalability.
Assess power availability, utility connections, grid interfaces and associated infrastructure constraints. Provide technical input into energy efficiency, electrical losses, sustainability and power optimisation initiatives. Project Delivery & Stakeholder Management Work closely with project managers, client representatives, design teams, contractors and specialist equipment suppliers. Coordinate electrical design requirements with mechanical, cooling, controls, ICT, architectural and structural disciplines.
Participate in technical design reviews, engineering workshops, risk assessments and project coordination meetings. Provide expert technical advice during site selection, feasibility assessments and due diligence exercises. Review contractor technical submissions, equipment proposals, design changes and value-engineering recommendations. Monitor electrical design and installation activities to ensure compliance with approved specifications and project requirements.
Support the resolution of complex technical issues during procurement, construction and commissioning. Communicate technical risks, design decisions and recommendations clearly to both engineering and non-technical stakeholders. Commissioning, Testing & Operational Readiness Provide technical oversight and support throughout electrical commissioning activities, including Levels 1-5. Review commissioning strategies, integrated systems testing (IST) procedures and electrical performance requirements.
Assess factory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT) and associated equipment verification processes. Support testing of critical power systems, redundancy arrangements, failure scenarios and electrical infrastructure resilience. Review commissioning documentation, technical handover packages and operational readiness requirements.
Ensure electrical systems are designed and delivered to support safe, reliable and maintainable data centre operations. Technical Standards, Compliance & Governance Ensure electrical infrastructure designs comply with applicable IEC, IEEE, EN, BS and relevant country-specific regulations and standards.
Demonstrate understanding of recognised data centre design and resilience frameworks, including Uptime Institute Tier principles and EN 50600. Maintain technical oversight of electrical engineering quality, design compliance and risk management. Promote consistent engineering standards, best practice and lessons learned across multiple European projects.
Essential Experience & Qualifications We are seeking an established Electrical Engineering professional with a proven track record in the design and delivery of major data centre or mission-critical infrastructure projects. Essential requirements: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline. Minimum 5 years' experience in a Lead Electrical Engineer, Electrical Design Lead or Electrical SME capacity within data centre or comparable mission-critical environments.
Significant practical experience of hyperscale, colocation or large-scale mission-critical data centre developments. Extensive technical knowledge of HV/MV/LV power distribution, UPS systems, generators, switchgear, transformers and electrical protection systems. Strong understanding of data centre electrical architecture, redundancy, resilience and critical power availability. Proven experience reviewing, challenging and approving electrical engineering design deliverables within an appropriate delegated authority.
Experience working with engineering consultancies, developers, operators, contractors or client-side technical teams. Strong knowledge of electrical engineering standards, design compliance and technical risk management. Experience supporting electrical construction delivery, commissioning and integrated systems testing. Ability to provide senior-level technical guidance across multiple projects and multidisciplinary teams. Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex technical issues effectively. Ability and willingness to travel occasionally to European project locations.
Desirable
Experience
Experience delivering major hyperscale or multibuilding data centre campuses. Previous experience working in a client-side technical advisory, owner's engineer or independent design assurance capacity. Chartered Engineer (CEng), Eur Ing or equivalent professional engineering registration. Experience with high-capacity electrical infrastructure, grid connections and utility coordination. Knowledge of electrical power system studies, including short-circuit analysis, protection coordination, load flow and arc-flash assessments.
Familiarity with ETAP, SKM, PowerFactory or equivalent power system analysis tools. Experience with Uptime Institute Tier certification processes or EN 50600 assessments. Exposure to energy efficiency, sustainability, renewable power integration and emerging data centre technologies. Experience working across multiple European jurisdictions and regulatory environments.
The Ideal Candidate The successful candidate will be a technically authoritative electrical engineering professional who combines deep knowledge of data centre critical power systems with strong commercial awareness, project delivery experience and stakeholder management skills. You will be confident challenging design proposals, identifying technical risks and influencing engineering decisions at senior level. Importantly, this is not simply a design production role.
It requires someone capable of taking a broader technical leadership position, providing independent engineering judgement and ensuring that complex electrical infrastructure solutions are robust, compliant, scalable and operationally resilient. Why Consider This Opportunity? Work with a leading international consultancy supporting major European data centre developments. Influence the technical direction of complex, high-value hyperscale and mission-critical projects. Enjoy a remote working arrangement from one of five European countries.
Collaborate with experienced international engineering, construction and technical advisory teams. Play a key role in the continued expansion of Europe's digital infrastructure sector. Apply If you are an experienced Electrical SME, Electrical Design Lead or Senior Electrical Engineering professional with a strong background in data centre infrastructure, we would welcome a confidential discussion. Apply through Novalith Advisory to learn more about the opportunity and the projects involved.
Electrical Subject Matter Expert (SME) - Data Centres in Humber employer: Novalith Advisory Ltd
Novalith Advisory is an exceptional employer for Recruitment Consultants, offering a fully remote working environment that fosters autonomy and entrepreneurial spirit. With access to the rapidly expanding European data centre market, employees benefit from a collaborative culture, competitive salary and commission packages, and genuine opportunities for professional growth as the business evolves.
