WHAT DOES A JUNIOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEER DO?

Published: Jan 13, 2026 - The Junior Electrical Engineer develops project scopes and produces detailed electrical designs, including relay one-lines, AC/DC schematics, grounding systems, panel layouts, and high-voltage equipment plans in alignment with client standards and the National Electrical Safety Code. This position creates material specifications, bills of materials, conduit and cable routing plans, and collaborates with designers or drafters to generate complete drawing packages that support the full project lifecycle. The individual also provides construction support by resolving field design issues and ensuring safe, accurate, and compliant implementation.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Junior Electrical Engineer

1. Junior Electrical Engineer Overview

  • Client Delivery: Work for local clients to deliver project requirements per client standards.
  • Stakeholder Communication: Coordinate and communicate with other disciplines and the client.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work collaboratively and effectively with engineers and designers in the department to support project requirements.
  • Schedule Management: Follow the project schedule and prioritize work to reach the project’s end goal on time.
  • Continuous Learning: Learn independently as well as through department mentoring.
  • Quality Assurance: Ensure quality assurance by working within the provisions and guidelines of the quality assurance system.
  • Problem Solving: Identify issues and problems, develop appropriate solutions, and request assistance.
  • Technical Awareness: Keep up to date with the latest developments and technical innovations in instrumentation and controls engineering.
  • Project Support: Provide assistance and advice during procurement, construction, and commissioning activities.

2. Junior Electrical Engineer Functions

  • Design Oversight: Oversee design and planning tasks for electric substation facilities.
  • Layout Development: Develop physical layout drawings that support construction and engineering needs.
  • Single-Line Diagrams: Create single-line diagrams that illustrate electrical system configurations.
  • Schematic Design: Produce detailed schematics that define equipment relationships and control logic.
  • Wiring Design: Prepare wiring designs to guide installation and ensure proper connectivity.
  • System Modeling: Build system models used for evaluating load performance.
  • Fault Analysis: Analyze fault conditions within the electrical network using these models.
  • Protection Studies: Support protection studies that determine appropriate system safeguards.

3. Junior Electrical Engineer Accountabilities

  • Prototype Development: Participate in the development and design of test prototypes for products.
  • Circuit Implementation: Implement electrical circuits and algorithms to process data from various sensors.
  • Performance Evaluation: Evaluate the performance and accuracy of these circuits and algorithms.
  • Hardware Debugging: Support the team in debugging electrical hardware issues.
  • Mechanical Troubleshooting: Assist in identifying and resolving mechanical hardware problems.
  • Component Testing: Perform component-level tests to verify functionality.
  • Electrical Testing: Conduct electrical tests to assess system behavior.
  • Firmware Testing: Execute firmware tests to ensure correct software–hardware interaction.
  • Integration Testing: Carry out integration tests to validate complete system performance.
  • Technical Documentation: Document detailed technical test results for verification and future reference.

4. Junior Electrical Engineer Responsibilities

  • Condition Assessment: Perform existing condition assessments for electrical systems.
  • Systems Design: Design power, lighting, and signal systems for various projects.
  • Technical Studies: Prepare technical studies that support engineering and design decisions.
  • Drawing Production: Create drawings that document system layouts and requirements.
  • Specification Development: Develop specifications that define materials and performance standards.
  • Cost Estimation: Estimate construction costs based on project scope and design details.
  • Energy Audits: Perform field energy audits under the direction of a senior engineer.
  • Lightning Protection: Conduct lightning protection studies to ensure system safety.
  • Grounding Analysis: Complete grounding studies to verify proper fault-current paths.
  • Load Analysis: Perform load analysis to evaluate electrical demand.
  • System Coordination: Execute short-circuit and coordination studies to ensure system reliability.
  • Team Coordination: Coordinate with team members and disciplines while supporting electrical and mechanical design tasks.

5. Junior Electrical Engineer Details

  • Systems Development: Develop electrical and instrumentation systems.
  • Design Review: Verify and challenge project designs as part of cross-functional teams.
  • Commissioning Support: Assist with commissioning activities for installed systems.
  • Performance Testing: Support testing procedures to confirm system performance.
  • Technical Innovation: Identify new technical developments that improve project outcomes.
  • Method Evaluation: Evaluate innovative methods that enhance design efficiency.
  • Engineering Insight: Contribute insights that strengthen engineering decision-making.
  • Continuous Improvement: Promote continuous improvement across electrical and instrumentation practices.

6. Junior Electrical Engineer Duties

  • Control System Design: Design electrical control systems for new and existing industrial automation equipment.
  • Automation Optimization: Design and evaluate alternative components and automation strategies for new and existing equipment to improve efficiency, product quality, and performance, and reduce cost.
  • Control Programming: Perform programming by creating new and modifying existing control devices, including PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, vision cameras, and servos.
  • Technical Documentation: Work with drafting to create and maintain all necessary electrical documentation.
  • Electrical Troubleshooting: Assist maintenance in all aspects of electrical troubleshooting.
  • Cost Estimation: Create detailed project cost estimates.
  • Capital Projects: Develop, manage, and support capital projects.
  • Equipment Specifications: Create electrical specifications for new equipment.
  • Vendor Coordination: Ensure new equipment conforms to specifications by working closely with vendors throughout quotation, design, and build.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
  • Installation Coordination: Direct and coordinate internal and external personnel on the installation of new equipment and equipment improvements.

7. Junior Electrical Engineer Details and Accountabilities

  • Utility Services: Assist in providing services for multi-utility connections.
  • Client Communication: Provide clients with technical updates on project progress.
  • Requirements Compliance: Ensure the company adheres to client requirements.
  • Standards Compliance: Follow applicable industry standards throughout project activities.
  • Health and Safety: Comply with health and safety legislation in all related work.
  • Internal Coordination: Liaise with internal departments to coordinate project tasks.
  • External Liaison: Communicate with outside organisations to support project delivery.
  • Proposal Support: Assist in preparing fee proposals for upcoming work.
  • Meeting Participation: Attend meetings to discuss project status and requirements.
  • Drawing Review: Review engineering drawings to verify accuracy and completeness.

8. Junior Electrical Engineer Tasks

  • Requirements Collaboration: Collaborate with project managers, customers, and team members to determine hardware and software requirements.
  • Technical Communication: Communicate with stakeholders to develop clear technical specifications.
  • Prototype Design: Contribute to hardware design cycles for quick-turn prototypes.
  • Design Validation: Review prototype hardware to validate functionality and design intent.
  • Prototype Assembly: Build prototype units to support rapid development efforts.
  • Electrical Architecture: Design electrical architecture for real-time, mission-critical systems.
  • System Integration: Integrate systems used in flight platforms, sensors, ground vehicles, and space hardware.
  • Architecture Decisions: Contribute to hardware and software architecture decisions based on performance requirements.
  • Cost Evaluation: Evaluate schedule and cost factors when making build-or-buy recommendations.
  • UAS Systems: Support electrical system design efforts, including UAS and Counter-UAS applications.
  • Payload Integration: Integrate UAS payloads to ensure proper system operation.
  • Test Support: Use HWIL simulations and electrical lab equipment to support testing and validation activities.

9. Junior Electrical Engineer Roles

  • Engineering Management: Manage engineering services to produce conceptual layouts for shaft designs, pumping systems, hoisting systems, conveyor systems, and mine ventilation systems.
  • Engineering Calculations: Assist in generating detailed engineering calculations for these systems.
  • Specification Preparation: Prepare specifications that define design requirements and performance criteria.
  • Technical Solutions: Develop technical solutions that support contracting activities and align with client needs.
  • Design Coordination: Coordinate with technical services to maintain accurate design communication.
  • Operations Coordination: Work with the operations group to ensure design information is delivered efficiently.
  • External Collaboration: Collaborate with external engineering houses to support timely project execution.
  • Standards Compliance: Maintain company and client standards throughout all design activities.
  • Document Preparation: Assist in preparing engineering documents such as datasheets and technical specifications.
  • Bid Evaluation: Support the creation of technical bid evaluations for procurement decisions.
  • Quality Control: Contribute to quality control documents and requisitions.
  • Drawing Review: Review general arrangement drawings to confirm alignment with design intent.
  • Compliance Review: Evaluate detailed drawings, as-built drawings, and installation work for engineering compliance.
  • Trade-Off Analysis: Prepare trade-off studies and reports to support decision-making.
  • Field Engineering: Manage field engineering tasks and assist the estimating group in project cost estimating.

10. Junior Electrical Engineer Additional Details

  • Inspection Review: Review visual inspection reports to assess equipment and system conditions.
  • Repair Recommendations: Provide recommendations for minor repair or remediation.
  • Inspection Planning: Determine when a full PIR inspection is required based on identified issues.
  • Risk Mitigation: Offer interim measure recommendations when immediate risk reduction is necessary.
  • Work Validation: Validate on-site a selected percentage of repair, remediation, and upgrade works.
  • Standards Verification: Confirm that completed work aligns with required technical and safety standards.
  • Technical Advisory: Provide technical electrical expertise to support Asset Planning activities.
  • Asset Advisory: Advise on asset performance, reliability, and long-term maintenance needs.
  • Compliance Support: Support overall compliance with operational and contractual obligations.

11. Junior Electrical Engineer Essential Functions

  • Engineering Support: Assist the Lead Electrical Engineer in preparing engineering calculations, such as load flow analysis.
  • Short-Circuit Analysis: Perform short-circuit analysis to support power system design.
  • Technical Specifications: Prepare technical specifications for equipment procurement and construction contracts.
  • Technical Reporting: Write reports for power system studies, including arc flash analysis.
  • Protection Coordination: Prepare protective device coordination studies to ensure proper system operation.
  • Stability Analysis: Develop transient stability studies to evaluate dynamic system performance.
  • Commissioning Support: Assist on-site during commissioning activities for large capital industrial projects.
  • System Verification: Participate in commissioning tasks to verify system functionality and compliance.
  • Field Support: Support field teams by providing technical input throughout the commissioning process.

12. Junior Electrical Engineer Role Purpose

  • System Maintenance: Test, maintain, and modify existing systems.
  • Data Analysis: Analyse data and present findings in written reports.
  • Team Collaboration: Work collaboratively with design engineers, operations team, purchasers, and other internal staff.
  • Project Management: Manage projects within cost- and time-constrained environments.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Understand and ensure compliance with relevant health and safety regulations and quality standards.
  • Technical Consulting: Provide advice and consultancy support.
  • Procurement Support: Provide technical support for purchasing equipment.
  • Business Development: Develop new business proposals for new projects.
  • Equipment Calibration: Perform calibration for transmitters and other control equipment.

13. Junior Electrical Engineer General Responsibilities

  • Electronic Development: Specify and design all aspects of electronic development.
  • Circuit Design: Design analog, digital, and programmable logic circuits.
  • Schematic Capture: Perform schematic capture.
  • Power Distribution: Design AC and DC power distribution systems.
  • Cable Design: Design interconnect cables and harnesses.
  • Enclosure Design: Design electronic racks, cabinets, boxes, and control consoles.
  • Signal Integrity: Ensure PCB signal and power integrity for printed circuit boards.
  • System Troubleshooting: Test and troubleshoot electronic systems to the component level.
  • Requirements Verification: Conduct testing, validation, and verification of requirements.
  • Technical Documentation: Write technical documents, including specifications, designs, test procedures, and test reports.

14. Junior Electrical Engineer Key Accountabilities

  • Prototype Evaluation: Test and evaluate functional prototypes from initial engineering samples to mass production.
  • Validation Testing: Work with software, firmware, electrical, marketing, and suppliers to develop a wide range of validation tests to ensure products launch into the market bug-free.
  • Problem Solving: Understand and apply knowledge of problem-solving techniques capable of producing comprehensive reports.
  • Requirements Assurance: Ensure the product meets marketing feature requirements and industrial design goals.
  • Audio Architecture: Collaborate with internal acoustic and firmware experts in defining audio architecture systems and subsystems from early concepts through prototypes to products.
  • Technology Research: Research new technologies, techniques, and processes to meet product goals.
  • PCB Prototyping: Populate and modify PCB prototypes using soldering irons and microscopes.
  • Technical Interpretation: Work from schematics, diagrams, written instructions, and verbal guidance.
  • Team Collaboration: Collaborate with local and remote engineering teams.

15. Junior Electrical Engineer Roles and Details

  • Design Support: Provide support to supervisors throughout the design and development phase.
  • Engineering Calculations: Make calculations and prepare plans for projects.
  • Project Monitoring: Oversee and provide reports on progress and issues that arise during the project lifecycle.
  • Technical Drafting: Under the direct supervision of a senior engineer, draw blueprints and structural diagrams.
  • Site Measurement: Visit sites to take measurements.
  • Contractor Liaison: Answer contractor questions on behalf of the supervising engineer.
  • Construction Coordination: Serve as a liaison between engineering and construction personnel.
  • Regulatory Support: Gather data for permit applications and submit documentation to officials.
  • Power System Assessment: Help determine the proper requirements of a power system through comprehensive facility assessments.

16. Junior Electrical Engineer Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Material Procurement: Procure materials and ensure compliance with the specified design.
  • Site Monitoring: Help monitor on-site works against the project programme.
  • Progress Reporting: Complete progress reports to document project status.
  • Technical Meetings: Attend technical meetings and workshops to support project coordination.
  • Cost Control: Check costs against orders to maintain budget control.
  • Design Approval: Support design approval activities.
  • Design Coordination: Coordinate design information among relevant project stakeholders.
  • Project Documentation: Assist in completing paperwork such as work package plans.
  • Test Planning: Help prepare inspection and test plans for project activities.
  • Technical Queries: Raise technical queries when clarification is required.
  • Standards Compliance: Apply knowledge of Network Rail Group Standards to support project execution.

17. Junior Electrical Engineer Duties and Roles

  • Requirements Definition: Define system requirements based on standards, customer specifications, and integration needs.
  • Requirements Management: Manage those requirements throughout the system development process.
  • Safety Assurance: Ensure safety aspects are incorporated into the system design.
  • Reliability Engineering: Ensure reliability considerations are addressed in all design decisions.
  • Maintainability Planning: Ensure maintainability requirements are included in the system architecture.
  • Mechanical Interfaces: Align with other engineering divisions to manage mechanical interfaces.
  • Electrical Interfaces: Coordinate electrical interfaces to ensure proper system integration.
  • Functional Integration: Oversee functional interfaces to maintain overall system coherence.
  • Hardware Change Management: Manage system modifications related to hardware changes.
  • Software Change Management: Manage system modifications related to software updates.
  • System Validation: Produce test specifications and test reports to validate system performance and integration.
  • Technical Authorisation: Support the authorisation process and manage technical documentation required for project development and final approval.

18. Junior Electrical Engineer Roles and Responsibilities

  • Product Re-Engineering: Re-engineer medium-voltage, high-voltage, and transformer accessory products.
  • Process Optimization: Optimize product care processes to improve efficiency and reliability.
  • Engineering Projects: Manage engineering-to-order technical projects.
  • Configuration Projects: Manage configuration-to-order technical projects.
  • Product Testing: Supervise product testing to validate performance and compliance.
  • Test Room Operations: Manage operations in the high-voltage testing room.
  • Sales Support: Support the Sales Team by analyzing customer specifications.
  • Technical Evaluation: Evaluate special technical requirements and propose special solutions.
  • Quality Support: Provide technical support to the Quality Department for after-sales activities.
  • Technical Collaboration: Collaborate with other units in the group to resolve technical issues.

19. Junior Electrical Engineer Overview

  • Project Scoping: Develop project scope to establish design objectives and technical requirements.
  • Relay Diagrams: Design relay one-line diagrams to define protection and control arrangements.
  • Control House Design: Create control house layout designs for equipment placement and accessibility.
  • AC Schematics: Design three-line AC schematics to show system connections and protective elements.
  • DC Schematics: Prepare DC protection schematics to document control and tripping circuits.
  • Panel Design: Design panel layouts and wiring to support proper assembly and operation.
  • HV Layouts: Produce high-voltage electrical plan views and elevations to illustrate equipment locations.
  • Cable Routing: Design conduit and cable routing with detailed installation requirements.
  • Grounding Design: Perform grounding and bonding design and analysis for equipment safety.
  • LV Power Design: Complete low-voltage power design and analysis for auxiliary systems.
  • Material Specifications: Prepare material specifications for equipment and components.
  • Bills of Materials: Develop bills of materials in alignment with design criteria.
  • Lifecycle Support: Support the full project lifecycle from scoping through final design and implementation.
  • Construction Support: Provide construction support to resolve design-related issues in the field.
  • Code Compliance: Apply the minimum requirements of the National Electrical Safety Code to all design processes.
  • Client Standards: Work with client standards to implement compliant and consistent designs.
  • Design Collaboration: Collaborate with a designer or drafter to generate the required drawings for each project.
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