Lead Protection & Control Substation Engineer

Overview

In this role you will provide technical leadership and strategic delivery of protection and control systems for transmission substations. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement advanced protection schemes, ensuring grid reliability and resilience. You will guide senior stakeholders, drive best practices, and support tendering and client interfaces within a major grid modernization program aimed at net-zero and renewable integration.

Pay / Benefits

• Profit Share
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Accident insurance
• Income protection
• Flexible benefits

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction for protection and control engineering across multiple projects
• Define best practices, standards, and methodologies for substation protection and automation systems
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders on grid protection strategies and emerging technologies
• Oversee design, configuration, and implementation of protection and control schemes for transmission substations
• Ensure compliance with IEC, IEEE, and national grid standards while driving system design innovation
• Manage project budgets, timelines, and resource allocation for engineering teams
• Mentor and develop junior engineers, leading technical reviews and providing guidance on complex challenges
• Serve as the main technical interface for clients, regulators, and contractors
• Support tendering processes with authoritative technical input and cost optimization strategies
• Represent the organization in industry forums and contribute to shaping future standards

Key requirements

• Chartered Engineer status essential
• Extensive experience in substation protection and control engineering (HV/EHV)
• Proven track record of leading engineering teams and delivering large-scale projects
• Expertise in protection relays, SCADA systems, and communication protocols (IEC 61850, DNP3)
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking, and stakeholder management skills
• Familiarity with power system analysis tools (ETAP, DIgSILENT)
• Previous National Grid experience (preferred but not essential)

• leadership
• stakeholder management
• mentoring
• protection relays
• SCADA systems
• IEC 61850

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