Senior Protection and Control Design Engineer

Overview

In this role you will develop safe, compliant protection, control and substation automation solutions for 132kV networks to support renewable energy growth. You’ll influence design across feasibility to handover, collaborating with cross-functional teams and mentoring engineers. Your work drives safety by design and resilient, cyber-aware engineering for scalable grid projects. This is a mission-driven opportunity in a network shaping the UK’s Net Zero transition.

Pay / Benefits

• 36 days annual leave
• Pension scheme with up to 10% company contribution
• Healthcare options including Dental and Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance 4x salary
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Electric Vehicle schemes

Responsibilities

• Define protection, control and substation automation requirements across feasibility studies, specifications and construction strategies
• Prepare and check detailed designs including protection philosophies, diagrams, schematics, interlocking and tripping schemes
• Undertake and approve protection studies and calculations (fault levels, grading and coordination, relay burden)
• Develop and manage protection settings, relay schemes and inter-system communications
• Design IEC 61850-based substation automation solutions and integrate with SCADA and telecoms
• Ensure designs comply with legislation, CDM, safety rules and standards
• Identify risks via safety by design and consider life-cycle impacts
• Oversee procurement technical requirements, assess submissions and provide recommendations
• Review, comment on and close non-conformances from contractors and suppliers
• Provide technical assistance during manufacture, installation, commissioning and energisation
• Maintain control of actions, interfaces and documentation; escalate safety, quality, programme or cost threats
• Contribute to strategy, standardisation, lessons learned and innovation
• Coach and mentor engineers, designers and apprentices

Key requirements

• Degree, HNC/HND in Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience
• Extensive experience in high-voltage protection and control on UK 132kV networks
• Strong knowledge of protection schemes and interlocking/automation systems
• Experience performing protection studies, fault level calculations, grading and coordination
• Working knowledge of IEC 61850, SCADA integration and protection communications
• Experience producing protection philosophies, schematics, settings reports and testing documentation
• Awareness of CDM, health and safety legislation, utility standards and design risk management
• Ability to assess suppliers and contractors and provide engineering recommendations
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary interfaces and communicate with stakeholders
• Project delivery, stakeholder management and mentoring skills
• Professional registration (IEng/CEng) desirable; some commissioning experience desirable
• Full UK driving licence

• stakeholder management
• mentoring
• clear communication
• protection and control design
• fault level calculations
• grading and coordination

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