Job Description

⚡ Electrical Engineer SME (Data Center)

SME = Subject Matter Expert

This means you are the top technical authority in electrical systems for data centers within the company.

This is not a normal engineer job — it is a 20+ years senior expert leadership role.

🎯 Role Purpose

You will:

• Define electrical design strategy for global data center projects
• Guide complex power infrastructure decisions
• Support business development and client relationships
• Mentor engineers across the organization
• Represent the company as an industry expert

You are basically the technical brain + industry face of electrical engineering.

🏗️ Systems You Must Master

Core expertise expected:

Power Infrastructure

• Medium Voltage (MV) distribution
• Low Voltage (LV) distribution
• Switchgear and protection coordination
• Transformer sizing

Mission Critical Systems

• UPS systems
• Backup generators
• Redundancy architectures (N+1, 2N, 2N+1)
• Grounding and earthing

Analysis

• Short circuit studies
• Arc flash analysis
• Load flow modeling
• Reliability studies

Standards Knowledge

Codes you must know deeply:

• NEC
• IEEE
• NFPA
• IEC

🧠 Strategic Responsibilities

1️⃣ Technical Leadership

• Set electrical design standards across global projects
• Solve complex engineering problems
• Lead root cause analysis after failures

2️⃣ Client Advisory

• Work directly with hyperscale clients
• Shape infrastructure planning decisions
• Participate in sales pursuits

3️⃣ Innovation & Sustainability

• Improve energy efficiency
• Develop resilient power architectures
• Introduce new technologies

4️⃣ Mentorship

• Train younger engineers
• Build internal engineering capability
• Guide technical career paths

🌎 Business Impact

Unlike normal engineers, you also influence:

• Project wins (sales support)
• Company reputation
• Engineering standards globally
• Strategic direction of data center portfolio

🎓 Requirements Reality

Typical candidate profile:

• Electrical Engineering degree (Master’s preferred)
• 20+ years total experience
• 15+ years data center / mission critical
• PE license (very important in USA)
• Experience with hyperscale companies

This is Director-level technical authority, even without a director title.

💰 Salary Range (Real Market)

For USA:

• Base salary: $160k – $220k+
• Bonus: 15–25%
• Total compensation: $200k – $300k+

Top SMEs in hyperscale companies can exceed $350k.

🚀 Career Level Comparison

Hierarchy example:

1. Graduate Electrical Engineer
2. Electrical Engineer
3. Senior Electrical Engineer
4. Lead Electrical Engineer
5. Principal Engineer
6. SME / Technical Director ← This role
7. VP Engineering / Fellow

🔥 Why This Role Is Powerful

Few engineers reach SME level because it requires:

• Deep technical expertise
• Decades of experience
• Industry reputation
• Leadership ability
• Business understanding

This is considered elite tier engineering.

🇺🇸 H-1B Sponsorship Reality

Although the company has sponsored before:

SME roles rarely go to visa candidates because:

• Companies prefer local licensed experts
• PE license required
• Experience must be very specialized

Visa chances improve only if you:

• Already work in global data center firms
• Have unique expertise
• Have publications or patents

✅ If Your Goal Is This Role

Typical roadmap:

Electrical Engineer → Mission Critical Engineer → Senior → Lead → Principal → SME

Time needed: 15–25 years

👍 Good News

If you start in data center engineering now, this role is achievable long-term.

Data center industry is growing rapidly due to:

• AI
• Cloud computing
• Hyperscale expansion

👉 I Can Help You Plan Your Path

If you want, I can tell you:

• Step-by-step roadmap from India to USA data center career
• Best specialization (Electrical vs Mechanical)
• Certifications that matter
• Salary growth timeline (0–20 years)