Principal Designer

Responsibilities: Lead all engineering activities throughout the project lifecycle, from initial planning through to final documentation and handover. Serve as the engineering authority on large-scale high-voltage substation projects, including both Air-Insulated (AIS) and Gas-Insulated (GIS) installations. Coordinate and oversee multidisciplinary engineering teams, working with both internal departments and external stakeholders to ensure aligned execution. Provide key inputs into civil engineering requirements and manage technical interfaces between various disciplines such as structural design, protection and control systems, auxiliary power systems, and equipment vendors. Support project leadership with technical risk and claim assessments, offering practical solutions to resolve complex engineering challenges. Deliver technical packages including conceptual designs, system schematics, detailed drawings, and documentation in accordance with applicable codes, industry practices, and client-specific criteria. Develop and refine specifications for substation systems, selecting appropriate materials and components while balancing performance, cost, and compliance with international standards. Produce and validate technical calculations, specifications, and procurement schedules across all equipment categories involved in the project or tender phase. Evaluate supplier engineering documentation, review factory acceptance test procedures, and attend both factory and site-based testing as required.

Qualifications: Degree-qualified in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline (Bachelor's or Master's level)

Skills and Expertise: Certified as a Principal Designer (PD) and/or (LCDAE) Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, or actively working toward professional registration. Extensive experience in substation engineering including site layout design, primary plant engineering, earthing and lightning protection, steel structure integration, and high/medium voltage equipment selection. Proficient in network analysis techniques such as load flow and fault level studies, as well as developing single-line diagrams, current and voltage transformer specifications, auxiliary systems, and cable routing. Solid background in secondary systems design and protection/control engineering. Exposure to site-based work including installation and commissioning is beneficial. Strong command of standard office software, with working knowledge of CAD tools such as AutoCAD and MicroStation.

Desired Skills and Experience Principal Design Engineer will lead and work in a skilled team on a wide range of National Grid, SSEN & SPEN substation projects. The position will focus on the project and tender engineering and its interfaces and scope of work involved in HV - substation design and construction projects, within the Our client EPC and technical lead of the electro-mechanical design of substation to meet customer needs, legislative demands and standards.

What will you do? Key Areas of Responsibility (KARs): * Overall responsible for managing & leading all engineering activities from project start till the As-Built stage with strict adherence to Project Specifications & Our client standards including QA/QC, HSSE & Integrity. * Technical lead of large and complex EHV/HV Air & Gas Insulated Substation (AIS & GIS) projects in UK. * Instruct, supervise & coordinate engineering teams within Our client (local & remote), internal & external partners, sub-suppliers, secondary engineers & civil engineers. * Provide information for civil designs and coordination of interfaces between construction planning, steel structure engineering, protection and control system, auxiliary power system and all equipment suppliers for the project. * Participate in technical discussions with customers and suppliers, handle site queries and take necessary actions up to as-built documentation * Engineering budget, schedule, forecast, risk & change management activities. * Technical claim management & supporting PM/Contracting/Operation management team. Technical solutions * Provide technical solution for substations comprising Single line diagram, technical information, layouts and associated detail drawings and documents by established applicable standards, processes and customer specifications through allocated resources locally and in other business units. * Develop technical concepts, technical specifications, selection of equipment and connection material considering costs, quality, international standards, and material. * Provide technical calculations, technical purchasing specification and schedules for all equipment for projects or tenders. * Prepare bill of quantities & cost estimation, deviations & clarifications for technical solutions. * Review of Suppliers design, Factory acceptance test plans, attend factory & site tests. * Provide technical support and to develop tender scheme options and related project scope documents.

Experience Required: * Bachelor or master's in electrical engineering or equivalent * Extensive years substation engineering experience in utilities. Knowledge of required NG, SSEN & SPEN requirements and standards.

Competencies/ Skills Required: * Principal designer (PD) / LCDAE certification from National Grid. * Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or working towards it * Result orientated team player with a proactive approach. * Excellent in communication, to interact with external and internal parties at all levels in a multi-cultural environment. * Expert knowledge in Substation design and engineering, Layouts, Primary design & calculations, Grounding & Lightning design, Steel design inputs, transformers, HV & MV Switchgear systems, * Knowledge of system studies like load flow, short circuit calculation; Single Line Diagrams, CT/VT calculations, Auxiliary Power Systems, power cables. * Knowledge of secondary engineering, protection and control system. * Experience in Installation & Commissioning is a plus. * Strong in MS Office, knowledge in MicroStation and AutoCAD is required. * Fluency in English - both written and spoken * Availability to travel 25 % of the time (domestic/international travel ersg are an equal opportunities employer; we are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all job applicants. We do not discriminate against applicants on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religious background; all decisions are based on merit.