Electrical & Instrumentation Field Lead

Job Description: Electrical & Instrumentation Field Lead

The E&I Field Lead is the tactical "boots-on-the-ground" commander for all electrical and instrumentation activities on the Athlone construction site. While other leads focus on design and procurement, your mission is to ensure that miles of cabling, thousands of instruments, and complex control panels are installed correctly, safely, and on schedule.

Role Overview

• Location: Athlone, Ireland
• Focus: LV/MV Electrical Distribution, Instrumentation, Control Loops, and Automation Hardware.
• Key Interface: Reports to the Senior Construction Lead (MEP) and coordinates daily with the Process Equipment Project Engineers.

Key Responsibilities

1. On-Site Installation Oversight

• Electrical Infrastructure: Supervise the installation of MV/LV switchgear, motor control centers (MCCs), cable containment, and site lighting.
• Instrumentation Precision: Oversee the mounting and wiring of critical process sensors (Pressure, Temp, Flow, pH, Conductivity) to ensure they are accessible for calibration and maintenance.
• ATEX Compliance: Rigorously inspect installations in "Ex" rated areas (hazardous zones) to ensure all glands, seals, and equipment meet explosive atmosphere safety standards.

2. Contractor & Coordination Management

• Work Front Management: Ensure E&I subcontractors have the access and materials needed to work efficiently without clashing with piping or HVAC teams.
• Technical Queries (RFIs): Resolve field-level technical discrepancies between the IFC (Issued for Construction) drawings and actual site conditions.
• Quality Inspections: Lead the "Walking the Lines" process to verify that every cable tag and instrument label matches the verified Loop Drawings.

3. Testing & Pre-Commissioning

• Loop Checking: Drive the completion of "Cold" and "Hot" loop checks, ensuring signals from the field arrive correctly at the Distributed Control System (DCS) or PLC.
• Safety Grounding: Verify all Earthing and Lightning Protection systems are tested and certified before energised equipment is signed off.
• Red-Lining: Ensure all field changes are accurately captured on master drawings for the final "As-Built" submittal.

Technical Scope

Area

Core Systems Managed

Power Distribution

Transformers, UPS Systems, Emergency Generators, and MCCs.

Process Control

Control Valves, Solenoids, and field instruments (HART/Foundation Fieldbus).

Data & Comms

Fiber optic backbones, Ethernet patching, and WiFi APs for the cleanroom.

Life Safety

Fire Alarm loops, Gas Detection sensors, and Emergency Stop (E-Stop) circuits.

Candidate Profile

• Background: 8+ years of field experience in E&I Construction, with at least 3 years in a Lead/Supervisory role in Pharma or Oil & Gas.
• Certifications: Must be a Qualified Electrician or hold a Degree in Electrical/Instrumentation Engineering. CompEx certification (for ATEX areas) is highly desirable.
• Skills: Expert ability to read P&IDs, Loop Sheets, and Single Line Diagrams (SLDs).
• Character: A detail-oriented problem solver who refuses to compromise on electrical safety or neatness of installation (cable management).