Design Lead Jobs in Michigan

Our excellent salary and benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability coverage, education reimbursement, 401(k), performance bonuses, and an employee stock program. Employee Resource Groups and Programs offered include the Young Professionals Group, Women at Wade Trim, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Professional Development, Leadership Development, Mentor Program, Sustainability Program, and Wellness Program.

We are seeking an Electrical Distribution Design Team Lead to join our ICE team and support the planning, design, and delivery of electric distribution infrastructure projects throughout Michigan. The ideal candidate will have direct experience in electrical distribution design within a utility environment, along with demonstrated leadership abilities and a strong understanding of electric distribution systems, design standards, and work management processes.

The Electrical Distribution Design Team Lead will provide supervision, technical leadership, and direction to dispersed groups of Designers responsible for the planning and design of low-voltage electric distribution projects. This role is responsible for coordinating workload, directing design activities, providing technical oversight, and ensuring projects are delivered safely, accurately, efficiently, and within established schedules and standards.

• Provide leadership and overall direction for electrical distribution design activities, including planning, prioritization, budgeting support, and coordination of distribution capital projects and construction/operations support.
• Lead the design and development of overhead and underground electrical distribution systems, ensuring compliance with industry standards, client specifications, utility requirements, safety standards, and applicable regulations.
• Direct and coordinate the work of Designers and technical staff, effectively assigning, prioritizing, and monitoring workload to support project schedules, budgets, customer commitments, system reliability, and overall delivery expectations.
• Coordinate with clients, project managers, planners, construction and operations personnel, and internal team members to establish project requirements, resolve technical issues, communicate progress, and ensure customer expectations are met.
• Review and oversee detailed design documentation, including drawings, specifications, work order packages, calculations, and supporting documentation, ensuring accuracy, completeness, consistency, and compliance with established design and quality standards.
• Perform and review engineering functions and calculations related to electric distribution design, including voltage drop, flicker, pole loading, guying, cable pulling, transformer sizing, and other system analyses.
• Complete field site assessments, asset assessments, and feasibility studies for overhead and underground electric distribution equipment and proposed projects when escalation is required.
• Provide technical leadership, subject matter expertise, and QA/QC oversight for team designs, analyses, and work order packages prior to client delivery.
• Develop, mentor, and retain a highly skilled and motivated design team by providing technical guidance, coaching, training, career development, and support through established skill-based programs and other training resources.
• Promote employee engagement, continuous learning, and development while establishing clear expectations for performance, quality, productivity, safety, and professional growth.
• Ensure effective and efficient utilization of design resources, with emphasis on safety, timeliness, cost containment, customer satisfaction, system reliability, quality, and optimal asset utilization.
• Establish team goals, objectives, and performance expectations that align with organizational strategies and initiatives, and provide ongoing feedback and direction to employees.
• Identify, develop, and implement process improvements, technical standards, and best practices that improve workflow efficiency, reduce waste and costs, strengthen quality, and improve overall project delivery.
• Maintain organized project files, design records, and supporting documentation to ensure information is accurate, accessible, and readily available for reference and audit purposes.
• Support client and public communication related to upcoming project work, helping minimize disruption, address concerns, and maintain positive customer and community relationships.
• Participate in organizational efforts to improve safety, streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance customer service. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other business units, departments, and stakeholders to ensure information is current, accurate, and effectively communicated.
• Share responsibility for after-hours on-call support and assist with storm restoration efforts, including troubleshooting and prioritizing outages, mobilizing design resources, supporting field crews, performing visual inspections, and helping ensure public and employee safety.
• Maintain a safe working environment and promote a strong safety culture by ensuring employees understand and follow applicable safety policies, procedures, and field requirements.

• High school diploma is required
• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or equivalent work experience is preferred

• 3+ years of experience in electrical distribution design, preferably with a utility company or utility-focused consulting environment.
• Advanced proficiency in electric distribution design software and tools, such as Bentley Open Utilities, AutoCAD, MicroStation, PoleForeman, GIS, and/or client work management systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and provide technical guidance to designers and project team members.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and QA/QC skills with a high attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal, and client-facing communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, coordinate competing priorities, and support team schedule and budget performance.
• Working knowledge of electric distribution construction standards, NESC requirements, utility design practices, and related permitting or Right-of-Way coordination processes.
• Ability to foster a collaborative team environment, support staff development, and promote consistent technical excellence.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for training and project requirements.

Wade Trim is committed to maximizing the value of infrastructure investments. We’ve been solving complex engineering challenges for a century. We customize our work approach to fit each project using a collaborative, friendly style to deliver solutions our clients can stand behind.

Our supportive culture recognizes and strives to fulfill collective client, company, and individual needs. Mentoring and building skills of Wade Trim staff is a priority. Frequent interaction among staff is encouraged, company leadership is easily accessible, and opportunities are provided for staff to help shape the firm’s future through strategic planning. Work/life balance is supported through a flexible, hybrid work schedule that brings team members together in the office at least three days a week and connects them virtually when working from home.

To solve our clients’ toughest challenges, we’ve devoted ourselves to delivering innovative solutions. Our Office of Applied Technology (OAT) is dedicated to seeking new technologies or ways to apply existing technologies to enhance value to our clients and positively impact communities. All staff are encouraged to share ideas and suggestions for innovative technologies or processes to adopt. This open-minded approach enables us to advance technology, foster innovation, and stay ahead of our clients’ needs.

Wade Trim’s success is shared by the employees that make it happen. Since our beginning, our firm has been 100% employee owned. This cultivates an ownership mindset that benefits our work approach, collaborative culture, and ability to deliver client solutions. We believe employee ownership drives the sustainability and growth of our firm and provides all our employees with opportunities for financial success.

If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding career in a friendly environment, please submit your resume by visiting the Careers section of our website at http://www.wadetrim.com/careers.

Wade Trim does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or CVs from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. Any submission made without a valid, signed agreement and an approved engagement request from Wade Trim’s People Services Team will be considered the property of Wade Trim. Wade Trim reserves the right to pursue and hire any candidate submitted through unsolicited means without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. A valid agreement can only be signed by the Director of People Services. Resumes or candidate profiles submitted at the request of a Wade Trim employee who is not authorized by the People Services team do not constitute a valid engagement. Recruiters and agencies must have a current, written agreement authorized by the Director of People Services to be considered an approved vendor.

Wade Trim is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.