Forensic Electrical Engineer
Job Description
The work
We are a forensic engineering and machinery consulting firm headquartered in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Insurance carriers, independent adjusters, and their counsel retain us when equipment and machinery fail - fire, smoke, water, electrical events, mechanical breakdown - and someone has to establish what happened, what it will cost, and how to return the insured to pre-loss condition.
Our deliverable is an opinion that has to survive scrutiny. Adjusters set reserves and make coverage decisions on it. Opposing experts and attorneys challenge it. That standard shapes everything below.
You would be the electrical expertise on a bench that also includes mechanical engineers and equipment specialists. Assignments range across manufacturing, process, commercial, and institutional facilities - no two losses are alike, and you will not be doing the same inspection twice.
What you'll do
Technical investigation
Perform on-site inspections of damaged machinery and equipment nationwide, often on short notice
Determine root cause and extent of damage from an electrical standpoint, including electronic components internal to the equipment
Research the insured's operation, the equipment, its service history, and OEM documentation
Opine on repair versus replacement, restoration approach, and cost
Quantify or estimate repair and replacement costs, and validate contractor and vendor pricing
Identify betterment, upgrades, and scope discrepancies - saving the client time and money is a measured outcome, not a nice-to-have
Reporting and documentation
Write reports that explain technical findings to a lay audience while remaining defensible under legal challenge
Build a documentation file that supports every conclusion: photographs, OEM and industry references, equipment service history, vendor and contractor input, published standards
Work in ILC report and cost templates; maintain all project documentation in ILC's cloud system (Egnyte)
Project and client management
Act as the adjuster's eyes and ears on the loss - keep them ahead of developments, delays, and concerns rather than behind them
Source, coordinate, and manage vendors, OEMs, contractors, and other parties
Drive repair and replacement timelines and help mitigate business interruption
Own your assignment budgets: track against budget in ILC's systems, and secure client approval before exceeding
Recognize where additional ILC or external expertise genuinely adds value to a claim, and obtain client approval before expanding scope
Requirements
5+ years performing root cause analysis on equipment and machinery failures
Prior forensic experience as an electrical engineer
Exceptional written and verbal communication with non-technical audiences.
Strong foundational electrical engineering knowledge across commercial and industrial systems, including establishing cause of loss for an electrical event
Working knowledge of electrical components in production lines, compressors, motors, drives, elevators, building systems, and comparable equipment
Demonstrated ability to produce written work that withstands legal challenge - objectivity and accuracy over advocacy
Ability to quantify or estimate repair and replacement cost and conduct supporting research
Ability to navigate loss sites: climbing onto equipment, ladders, catwalks, and similar locations
Ability to travel nationwide as assignments require
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and to communicate proactively with clients and ILC management.
Strong computer proficiency, non-negotiable. Comfortable multitasking across dozens of open files, formatting cost spreadsheets, converting files for report composition, and rapidly uploading/organizing hundreds of site-visit photos and documents without delay
Exceptional attention to detail and strict confidentiality with all client and claim information
Preferred
Residence within 45 minutes of a major airport
Deposition, testimony, or litigation-support experience
Experience validating repair and replacement costs
PE licensure
Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and coordinating complex loss projects under deadline
Prior work with insurance carriers, independent adjusting firms, or TPAs
We’re proud of the investments we’ve made in our team, having grown from four to 1000 employees and evolving into one of the leading recruitment and staffing solution providers in the industry. Our recruiters and account managers are passionate about connecting qualified professionals with the right positions in small, medium, and large companies.
Our Services
W3Global understands the natural ups and downs of an organization’s staffing needs. We are continuously adapting to industry and economic changes to find the right candidates.
We specialize in placing permanent, direct, contract, and temporary positions for companies of any size. Our recruiting services include sourcing, recruiting, screening, interview management, salary negotiations, training, and onboarding.
We are committed to helping organizations redefine their recruitment process by delivering our SaaS-based proprietary application tracking system software.
Our Expertise
W3Global has been delivering staffing solutions for nearly two decades; we know which recruiting strategies work best. Our expert team is committed to developing a customized solution to fit your company’s unique needs.
As a W3Global client, you’ll also receive personalized assistance from a seasoned team of staffing specialists. We are committed to providing both technical support and industry expertise to simplify the hiring process. We know that your time matters. W3Global will help you streamline the hiring process, getting it done and getting it right.
