Design Manager – Substations and Transmission

Turnbull Engineering; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Turnbull Engineering Pty Ltd is seeking a Design Manager to lead the HV design team for substations and transmission assets from 33 kV up to 500 kV. You will own design delivery, quality, program and budget, acting as the senior design contact for clients, TNSPs and partners.

This leadership role requires extensive HV/EHV substation experience, strong multi-disciplinary oversight, and the ability to manage complex interfaces with contractors and regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Degree in electrical engineering (power).
• 12+ years in HV/EHV substation and/or transmission design, including management.
• Strong understanding of both primary and secondary design.
• Track record managing design on D&C, EPC or alliance projects with TNSPs.
• Commercial capability: managing design budgets, scope change and risk.
• Knowledge of TNSP design standards and Australian Standards.
• Australian working rights and a current driver's licence.
• Transmission line or underground cable design experience.
• Experience growing a team or establishing a design capability.
• CPEng / NER registration; RPEQ preferred for Queensland work.

Responsibilities

• Lead design across primary, secondary, earthing, civil and structural disciplines and manage engineers and drafters.
• Own the design program, budget and resourcing across multiple projects.
• Manage design interfaces with contractors, TNSPs, OEMs and clients and support connection processes.
• Run design management: reviews, verification, approval, change control and document control.
• Lead safety in design, constructability reviews and risk registers.
• Manage design scope, variations and commercial risk with project managers.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Client management

Design reviews

Education

Degree in electrical engineering (power)

Job description

Design Manager - Substations and Transmission

Turnbull Engineering is one of Australia's fastest-growing engineering firms. We deliver multidisciplinary design and consultancy services for Transport, Renewable Energy and Water infrastructure, with teams in NSW, QLD, SA and the United Arab Emirates. Our clients are governments, construction contractors and private developers who rely on us to design their complex infrastructure.

The role

You will lead the HV design team and own design delivery across our substation and transmission portfolio, from 33 kV up to and including 500 kV, for large electronic coupled fast ramping load infrastructure, renewable generation, battery storage and transmission projects. You are accountable for design quality, program and budget, and you are the senior design contact for clients, TNSPs and construction partners. This is a leadership role first, with enough technical depth to make and defend design calls. We will consider Senior and Principal level candidates.

What you will do

Join a team that's delivering major infrastructure design and advisory, and help decide where we go next. You'll own your clients, your pipeline and how you win work. We'll back your judgement, give you room to try things, and celebrate the wins together. If you'd rather build something than maintain it, this role is yours to shape.

Lead design across primary, secondary, earthing, civil and structural disciplines, and manage and grow the team of engineers and drafters.

Own the design program, budget and resourcing across multiple concurrent projects.

Manage design interfaces with the D&C contractor, TNSPs, OEMs and clients, and support the AEMO connection process, including design reviews and acceptance.

Run the design management process: deliverables registers, design reviews, verification and approval, document control and change management.

Lead safety in design, constructability reviews and risk registers across design packages.

Manage design scope, variations and commercial risk, working with project managers on claims and cost reporting.

Make sure designs comply with Australian Standards, TNSP standards, the NER and client requirements.

Drive design standardisation, templates and continuous improvement.

Lead technical input to tenders: methodology, scope, program and fee estimates.

Recruit, mentor and develop engineers and drafters, and build succession in key disciplines.

What you will bring

Degree in electrical engineering (power).

12+ years in HV/EHV substation and/or transmission design, including several years managing multidisciplinary HV substation or transmission design, and 3-5+ years on Australian transmission projects at 330 kV and above.

Strong understanding of both primary and secondary design, enough to review and challenge the work of discipline leads.

Track record managing design on D&C, EPC or alliance projects with TNSPs (e.g. Transgrid, Powerlink, AusNet, ElectraNet), renewable generation or battery storage developers.

Commercial capability: managing design budgets, scope change and design-related risk.

Knowledge of TNSP design standards, the NER connection process and relevant Australian Standards.

Australian working rights and a current driver's licence.

Transmission line or underground cable design experience.

Experience growing a team or setting up a new design capability.

CPEng / NER registration. RPEQ preferred for Queensland work.