$70–85/hr · Mercor · Hourly, 40 hours a week
Electrical design professional who analyzes, evaluates, and solves complex electrical system design challenges using industry-standard calculations and methodologies.
What you would do
- Develop electrical designs based on technical requirements, system specifications, and performance objectives.
- Review and validate electrical systems, circuits, components, and equipment configurations.
- Execute system studies including power distribution analysis, fault evaluation, selective coordination, and component ratings.
- Interpret electrical schematics, single-line diagrams, wiring layouts, and equipment datasheets.
- Compare design options, assess engineering compromises, and validate system behavior against specifications.
Who they want
- Degree in electrical engineering or closely related field (Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD).
- Hands-on industry experience with electrical system design and evaluation.
- Practical experience designing or evaluating systems in industrial, manufacturing, energy, renewable energy, or building services.
- Proficiency with low- and medium-voltage systems, protection, and power distribution.
- Proficiency with power system analysis software and CAD tools (ETAP, SKM, EPLAN, AutoCAD, or similar).
Main skills
What the interview asks about
1.Load flow and voltage drop analysis
Correct application of these calculations is foundational; errors can mask real system constraints.
For example: “A 1000-amp feeder runs 200 feet to a distribution panel with 2/0 copper cable; calculate the voltage drop and explain why this matters for connected equipment.”
2.Protection coordination methodology
Improper coordination creates dangerous conditions; specialists must understand relay curves and coordination principles.
For example: “You have a 480V system with two protective devices upstream and one downstream load. How do you verify the protection scheme operates correctly under both normal and fault conditions?”
3.Equipment sizing and selection
Undersizing creates failure risk; oversizing wastes capital; correct judgment requires both calculation and practical experience.
For example: “For a 300-kW motor load with three-phase power, what factors determine transformer size beyond simply matching kVA to load?”
4.Design alternatives and trade-offs
Specialists balance cost, reliability, buildability, and compliance; models often miss practical constraints.
For example: “A designer proposes a radial distribution versus a looped network for a manufacturing facility. What are three key factors that would determine which is appropriate?”
5.Code and standard compliance
Meeting IEC, IEEE, and NEC requirements is non-negotiable in real installations; gaps create liability.
For example: “Under NEC, what determines the required coordination time between upstream and downstream protective devices in a three-level system?”
A task you may get
Review a single-line diagram of a simple industrial distribution system with specified loads and calculate voltage drops and protection requirements, then justify why a proposed component meets or fails to meet the design criteria.
How to prepare
- Review recent electrical codes (NEC, IEC, IEEE) relevant to your specialty and any changes in protection coordination standards.
- Practice load flow and voltage drop calculations by hand to build intuition for what values signal problem areas.
- Gather examples from your past work showing design alternatives you evaluated and why one was selected.
- Study common electrical system faults and how protection systems are coordinated to clear them safely.
The facts
- Pay
- $70–85/hr
- Hours
- Hourly, 40 hours a week
- Where
- Remote
- Field
- Other Engineering
- Posted
- 8/29/2026
- Places left
- 15
We wrote this page from the public Mercor listing. It may be out of date, so read the full posting before you apply.