R&D Electrical & Controls Design Engineer

R&D Electrical & Controls Design Engineer

Location: Cork
Full-time | Permanent

Our client, a global leader in innovative cooling technologies for data centres, AI/HPC environments and industrial applications, is seeking an experienced R&D Electrical & Controls Design Engineer to join their growing engineering team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of next‑generation cooling solutions and play a key role in bringing cutting‑edge designs from concept to production.

About the Role

As an integral part of the R&D function, you will be responsible for the design, specification and development of electrical systems, controls architecture and instrumentation for advanced cooling technologies. Working alongside mechanical, software and test engineers, you\’ll help shape system strategies from early-stage prototypes through to validation, ensuring designs meet safety and compliance requirements while supporting future production readiness.

Key Responsibilities

Electrical Design

• Develop electrical architectures for both R&D platforms and scalable production systems, including power distribution, safety circuits and control circuits.
• Produce detailed electrical schematics and wiring diagrams using AutoCAD Electrical or similar tools.
• Specify and select key electrical components such as relays, contactors, breakers, actuators, EC fans, VSDs, compressors and safety hardware.
• Ensure compliance with CE and relevant electrical safety standards.
• Contribute to design reviews, risk assessments (including FMEAs) and technical documentation such as BOMs.

Controls & Instrumentation

• Define and specify sensors and instrumentation across air, water and refrigerant circuits (including temperature, flow, humidity, pressure and other key parameters).
• Develop controls architecture documentation including I/O lists, cable schedules and system diagrams in collaboration with software engineers.
• Offer technical input into control sequencing, logic and system operation.
• Assess communication protocols including Modbus, BACnet, digital/analog I/O, PWM and 0–10V.
• Support panel manufacturers and software teams with clear signal specifications and documentation.
• Review R&D test data to validate sensor performance and control behaviour, recommending improvements as necessary.

Experience & Skills Required

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics or a related discipline.
• Minimum 3 years\’ experience in electrical design, controls development or instrumentation engineering.
• Strong ability to design, read and interpret electrical schematics and control circuits.
• Hands-on experience integrating sensors, instrumentation and transducers.
• Good understanding of control theory fundamentals.
• Familiarity with industrial wiring practices, EC motors, valves, actuators, VSDs and digital/analog signal interfaces.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills, with the ability to collaborate across multi‑disciplinary teams.

Desirable (Not Essential)

• Knowledge of UL standards (UL1995, UL508A, UL 60335-2-40).
• Background in HVAC/R, refrigeration or thermodynamic systems.
• Experience with PLC/FBD environments (e.g., Carel, WebCTRL).
• Understanding of data centre cooling architectures.
• Experience with data acquisition or instrumentation calibration.

Benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave
• Income Protection
• Death in Service
• Pension – matched up to 3%
• On-site Car Parking
• Canteen Facilities
• Annual Pay Review
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Bike to Work Scheme

If you\’re passionate about innovative technology and looking to influence the future of advanced cooling solutions, apply now. Please apply today to learn more about this exceptional opportunity with our client.