Principal Engineer - HV Substations

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World. At AECOM, we’re delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

About our Team

Our T&D team delivers HV design for electrical power projects at transmission and distribution voltage levels. The focus of this role is primary plant design for large‑scale infrastructure, grid connections, and private networks at voltage levels normally between 132 kV to 400 kV. Typical projects include feasibility, optioneering, FEED, detailed design, and design assurance on existing or new substations and other infrastructure.

Due to continued growth across a breadth of projects and clients, we are looking for an experienced Principal Engineer – HV Substations (UK) to join the Transmission & Distribution business. This is a fantastic time to join us and apply your skills across a multi‑disciplinary, innovative team and work within a varied portfolio of groundbreaking projects. One such project you will have the opportunity to work on is the UK National Grid’s Great Grid Partnership – part of a £9bn Enterprise partnership that will connect clean energy to homes and businesses across England and Wales by 2030.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Lead substation technical discussions with the client and internal multi‑disciplinary teams to establish scopes, define interfacing and ensure delivery.
• Lead the technical delivery with engineering teams by agreeing approach, supporting scope understanding, monitoring progress and quality checking of deliverables prior to issue to client.
• Utilise knowledge of substation project/asset life‑cycle from a design perspective to successfully deliver client projects.
• Liaise with the project management team to produce resourcing forecasts and programmes.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness to carry out proposal development, monitor/ manage project costs and enable opportunity identification.
• Build client relationships, understanding client requirements and perspectives, building trust and adopting a client orientated project delivery mindset.
• Drive the safety in design ethos within projects.
• Mentor and develop more junior staff to build team capability and capacity over the medium and long term.

• Previous experience with consultancy, contractor, or utility in the energy sector. Client experience with National Grid, SHET, SSE, SPT or any other transmission utility or developer in UK or Ireland.
• Experience designing HV infrastructure at concept and FEED and detailed design stages.
• Understanding of electrical AC HV Plant infrastructure and equipment both AIS and GIS.
• Working knowledge of National Grid standards and specifications.
• Proposal/Bid development experience, including leading multi‑discipline proposals to completion.
• Experience of site construction review, the role is primary plant focused, but knowledge and understanding of secondary system design will be advantageous.
• Experience with Control systems, transformers, HVDC systems, interconnectors, HV Protection & Control knowledge and experience would be advantageous.
• Ideally CDAE / LCDAE approval.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at Reaso At AECOM, we value everyone’s unique contributions and perspectives.

If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

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For further information about the role, reach out to the…