Senior Electrical Engineer

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard University Central Administration?

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

Job Summary:

Energy & Facilities (E&F) operates and manages Harvard’s energy supplies, district energy plants, and utility infrastructures on the Cambridge/Allston campuses, as well as a 24/7 facilities-related call, alarm monitoring, and dispatch center. E&F also provides a broad portfolio of labor-based services, including building maintenance, landscaping, and custodial, to a large portion of the University, as well as engineering, technical, and sustainability services. Within E&F, Engineering & Utilities (E&U) operates and manages energy supplies, district energy plants, and utility infrastructures on the Cambridge/Allston campuses, a 24/7 facilities-related call, alarm monitoring, and dispatch center, and provides engineering and technical services.

This position provides electrical engineering at a senior level for the planning, design, technical support on operation, maintenance, and upgrades of the University’s utility infrastructure which includes electric, steam, hot water and chilled water as well as energy/building management and utility metering systems. This position shall also perform special short and long-range projects as directed.
 

Position Description:

• Partners with E&F Leadership to develop, refine, and maintain the campus utility systems. Coordinate with the plans and needs of the University’s Schools and Units. Oversee the installation and relocation of underground utility infrastructure with minimum impact to the University’s community and its activities. Assume complete engineering responsibility for utility distribution systems to ensure system capability, flexibility, reliability, safety, economic operation, and consideration for expansion. Formulate and balance long and short-range plans and budgets with respect to utility distribution upgrades. Develop distribution system statistics, records, and drawings, and assist in the documentation of utility infrastructure for record purposes.
   
• Maintain communications and relationships with governmental agencies/departments to ensure that the University’s interests are served in a safe, reliable, economical, and least disruptive manner. Stay current with pertinent government standards relative to employee environmental, health, and safety. Maintain knowledge of federal, state, municipal, industry, and University codes, regulations, practices, trends, and/or guidelines as well as stay current with the latest information on electrical design and equipment.
   
• Engages and collaborates with E&F staff and partner groups to understand systems, data, and reporting that can be leveraged for use in E&F’s KPI monitoring and operational analysis/reporting.
   
• As stewards of university energy and utility systems, provide technical assistance to Campus Services operating and maintenance personnel and technical support for the operation and maintenance of central energy/utility production/distribution systems and building systems as necessary. Evaluate and provide recommendations for preventive maintenance, inspection, and testing programs for the University’s electrical distribution systems, the central chilled water and steam plants, and other electrical systems and equipment. Identify and develop cost control opportunities and system cost planning.  
   
• Act as the University's central engineering representative by providing unbiased information to University Schools and Units based upon recognized engineering principles and sound professional judgment.  Demonstrates, promotes, and is guided by the mission, vision, and values of the organization; advancing the University’s mission of teaching and research by partnering to provide stewardship, strategies, and services that create exceptional community experiences.  Always acts in the University’s best interest.
   
• Interface with local utility suppliers. Assist in the University’s utility metering, accounting, and billing activities. Perform utility rate analyses and evaluate impacts upon the University. Evaluate and recommend appropriate action to provide alternative utility sources to or within the University whenever economically feasible or otherwise justified. Evaluate energy management system operations for improvement and enhancement possibilities for control and monitoring of the campus utility distribution system and building distribution systems.
   
• Demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively and independently.  Must be flexible, self-motivated, possess excellent organizational and presentation skills; be able to multitask in a fast-paced environment with ability to adapt; and be able to think and work well independently with minimal supervision and as a member of a team.
   

Duties and Responsibilities continued in Additional Information...

Physical Requirements:

• Must always be physically fit and mentally alert. 
• Must be able to frequently walk up and down stairs, ladders, etc. on an on-going basis, in an industrial plant and/or construction site setting. 
• Must be able to utilize ladders, scaffolds, high-lifts, and enter/work in confined spaces. 
• Required to wear personal protective equipment where necessary.

Working Conditions:

Work Format:  This is an on-campus position (not hybrid or remote) based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Work location is responsive and subject to change based on business needs.

Emergency Status Designation: Critical Operations Personnel (required to provide on-site support during emergency situations as determined by management).
 

Basic Qualifications:

• BS in Electrical Engineering
• Registration as a Professional Engineer in Massachusetts
• Minimum of ten years of professional level experience
• Experience in master planning, design, installation, and operation of central utility systems
• Experience managing capital construction projects

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

Additional Qualifications:
 

• Institutional, industrial, or utility company experience
• Experience working with underground electric distribution and medium-voltage substations
• Familiarity with small scale power generation, combined heat and power (CHP), distributed generation, microgrids, renewable energy, battery energy storage, grid interconnection.
• Knowledge of electrical systems in complex buildings and labs
• Knowledge of automated meter reading (AMR) systems for buildings
• Knowledge of management information systems and asset/work management systems (Maximo).
• Experience with power system analysis software (modeling, simulation, and results interpretation)
• Familiarity with electrical safety regulations including OSHA Subpart S, and NFPA 70E
• Experience in developing, evaluating, and managing energy conservation projects
• Experience working in a customer-oriented business unit
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic, with a can-do attitude, be able to think and work well independently and as a team member.
• Ability to respond to off-hour storm contingencies and utility emergencies
• Ability to work extended hours when necessary
• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Technology Skills Required:

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications (e.g., word-processing, spreadsheets, databases), internet applications, electronic mail/calendaring, etc.
• Ability to access and modify data in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems including AutoCAD
• Familiarity with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems

Special Requirements:

• Must possess a valid driver’s license and must provide his/her personal vehicle to travel on and off campus.

Certificates and Licenses:

• Registration as a Professional Engineer in Massachusetts
• Must possess a valid driver’s license

• Standard Hours/Schedule:40 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening:Criminal,DMV,Drug Testing,Education,Employment,Identity,License/Cert.
• Other Information:

  Duties and Responsibilities Continued...

  • Coordinate with other Campus Services divisions to formulate the best delivery of services to the University’s Schools and Units. Explore with the other Campus Services divisions possible new business opportunities within the University and help formulate business strategies. 
     
  • Assist in the preparation and implementation of new departmental policies and procedures to improve the delivery of engineering, operational, utility accounting, and maintenance services and planning.
     
  • Develop, negotiate, and perform project management duties and oversight of various projects relative to the utility infrastructure. Prepare and review technical and business portions of bid and contract documents. Interface with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants and University representatives to coordinate and manage projects for best implementation and minimum disruption to the University’s community and its activities. Responsible for budgeting and monitoring the function and expenditures for the various utility projects for the Schools and Units.
     
  • Study and evaluate electrical building systems for relevant Harvard facilities and departments as needed. Provide technical support including but is not limited to the installation, operation, and maintenance of normal and emergency lighting, distribution systems, fire alarm, specialized research, and test equipment, and HVAC controls. Interface with representatives from the Schools and Units to coordinate their projects with campus-wide utility projects. Incorporate the impacts of School and Unit projects into the budgets and work scope of the University’s utility capital plan.
     
  • Assist in the reviewing and updating design guidelines/project specifications and drawings for electrical systems and construction work. Work with representatives, architects, and consultant engineers for the Schools and Units to develop optimum cost and benefits to the campus utility and building systems for new construction and renovation projects.
     
  • Examine, evaluate, and make recommendations on energy conservation proposals and products for the Schools and Units.
     
  • Perform and interpret system load flow, short circuit/fault analysis, equipment evaluation, protective device coordination, harmonic distortion, and arc flash studies for the University’s electrical distribution systems. Recommend settings for electronic and electromechanical system protective relaying. Evaluate and develop system and equipment protective schemes.
     
  • Responsible for the development and maintenance of utility system records/documentation, internal technical standards, guidelines, recommended practices, and other knowledge or information management initiatives.
     

  The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Work Format Details

This position is based on-site at a Harvard campus location. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment. 

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 059. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes. 

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non-discrimination policy. Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.