Chief Electrician – Electrical Operations Lead

About the role

The Chief Electrician will lead all electrical, electronic and instrumentation activities on rig sites and camp facilities. This senior position ensures reliable power supply, safe operations and effective maintenance across a wide range of equipment.

Key responsibilities

• Operate, troubleshoot, maintain and repair rig‑site and camp electrical systems including SCR, VFD, traction motors, power generation, AC motors, instrumentation, UPS, CCTV, HVAC, sewage and other utilities.
• Lead electrical work during rig moves – dismantling, rig‑up, testing and commissioning.
• Use a CMMS to track maintenance, monitor equipment history and improve asset uptime in coordination with PME.
• Plan and execute short‑term maintenance schedules, including 72‑hour look‑ahead plans aligned with drilling operations.
• Supervise and verify third‑party maintenance and certification work.
• Manage spare‑parts inventory to ensure critical components are available.
• Ensure all hazardous‑area electrical systems comply with Ex/ATEX standards.
• Enforce HSE procedures such as LOTO, electrical safety and permit‑to‑work systems.
• Lead, train and develop the electrical team, handling performance management and competency development.
• Collaborate with Mechanical, Drilling and HSE teams to maintain safe and efficient operations.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in industrial or rig‑site electrical maintenance.
• Proven leadership experience managing an electrical team.
• Strong understanding of hazardous‑area compliance (Ex/ATEX) and HSE safety protocols.

Required skills

• SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) technology
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
• Traction motor systems
• Power generation equipment
• AC motor maintenance
• Instrumentation and control systems
• Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
• CCTV and HVAC systems
• Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)
• Ex/ATEX compliance
• Lock‑out/Tag‑out (LOTO) procedures