Principal Protection & Control Design Engineer

Overview

In this role you will lead Protection & Control design for HV/EHV substations within a diverse project portfolio, including the National Grid Great Grid Upgrade. You will act as a trusted advisor to clients, shaping technical standards and digital delivery while collaborating across civil, telecom, and SCADA teams. Your work will drive design excellence, ensure compliance with standards, and deliver value-engineered solutions on high-profile programmes. This is a chance to influence energy infrastructure at scale and grow within a global, innovation-focused team.

Pay / Benefits

• hybrid working model
• career development opportunities
• AECOM University
• volunteering days
• flexible work options
• well-being programs

Responsibilities

• Prepare Protection & Control designs for HV/EHV substations (11kV–400kV+)
• Develop and review Protection SLDs, AC/DC Schematics, Wiring Diagrams, Terminal Plans, Cable Schedules, and Interconnection Diagrams
• Design Protection Relay Panels, Control Panels, Annunciation Panels, Metering Panels, and RTU/SCADA interfaces
• Prepare relay settings philosophy and coordinate with system studies as needed
• Perform protection coordination and review relay configurations
• Conduct engineering calculations including cable sizing, voltage drop, and battery sizing
• Coordinate with Civil, Primary, Telecom, and SCADA teams
• Review vendor drawings for conformity to project specs
• Engage with clients and stakeholders to provide technical assurance and value engineering
• Support FAT, SAT, commissioning, and issue resolution
• Drive project execution, manage technical risks and interfaces, support procurement, construction, and commissioning
• Ensure designs comply with IEC, IEEE, National Grid, and client standards
• Mentor and develop knowledge within the team on cable systems engineering
• Support business development through proposals, bid reviews, and client presentations

Key requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Strong knowledge of protection schemes for Transmission and Distribution substations
• Experience with protection relays from Siemens, GE, ABB/Hitachi Energy, Schneider Electric, or SEL
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Microsoft Office
• International utility project experience (UK, Middle East, Europe, or similar)
• Ability to deliver complete Protection & Control packages independently
• Knowledge of IEC 61850 and substation automation systems
• Excellent communication and coordination skills
• Familiarity with SCADA, RTU, SAS, and related communication protocols
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation abilities

• excellent communication
• coordination and teamwork
• client engagement
• Protection & Control engineering
• Protection relays (Siemens, GE, ABB/Hitachi Energy, Schneider Electric, SEL)
• Protection SLDs, wiring diagrams, terminal plans

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