Mechanical Project Engineer

Unify Recruitment; Sydney; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Unify Recruitment is seeking a Design Engineer–Protection & Control for a leading EPC in the energy sector, based in Sydney. You will work on HV and renewable infrastructure projects with a focus on secondary systems design and integration with protection relays, SCADA, and communications.

You will develop concept and detailed designs, lead design reviews, respond to RFIs, participate in FAT/SCAT, and collaborate with clients and vendors.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years experience on HV and renewable infrastructure projects in Australia.
• Experience in NSP or contractor environment is essential.
• Strong knowledge of Protection & Control systems design, including relay configurations, protection studies.
• Knowledge of SCADA, FDS, signal lists, mapping and HMI is desirable.
• Willingness to travel for site visits; full working rights in Australia.

Responsibilities

• Develop concept and detailed designs for secondary systems, including drafting and studies.
• Lead and contribute to design reviews for Protection & Control systems, automation, and communication.
• Respond to RFIs related to secondary systems.
• Attend FAT, SCAT, and bench testing when required.
• Contribute to tender submissions and feasibility studies for Protection & Control designs.
• Collaborate with project teams, clients and stakeholders to deliver tailored solutions.
• Prepare and review technical specifications and supporting documentation for Protection & Control systems.
• Engage with external vendors and suppliers to ensure smooth procurement of equipment and materials.
• Conduct site inspections and join project meetings to ensure compliance and provide input.
• Enhance design processes through continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Protection & Control

HV infrastructure

AutoCAD

SCADA design

Relay configurations

Protection studies

DNP3 IEC 60870-5

Cybersecurity basics

Stakeholder communication

Field commissioning

Tools

AutoCAD

Protection software

SCADA tools

HV design software

Job description

Design Engineer – Protection & Control

We are supporting our client—a leading EPC organisation in the energy sector—to recruit a talented and experienced Design Engineer specializing in Protection & Control. This is a full‑time role based in Sydney, offering you the chance to work on high‑voltage (HV) and renewable infrastructure projects. If you have a strong background in secondary systems design and are passionate about delivering innovative engineering solutions, we’d love to hear from you.

• Develop both concept and detailed designs for secondary systems, including drafting and studies.
• Lead and contribute to design reviews for Protection & Control systems, automation, and communication.
• Participate in cross‑functional design reviews addressing safety in design, HAZID, HAZCON, and HAZOP processes.
• Respond to project‑related Requests for Information (RFIs) pertaining to secondary systems.
• Attend Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Commissioning Acceptance Tests (SCAT), and bench testing when required.
• Contribute to tender submissions and feasibility studies for Protection & Control designs.
• Collaborate with project teams, clients, and stakeholders to deliver tailored and high‑quality solutions.
• Perform technical investigations and feasibility assessments for proposed designs.
• Prepare and review technical specifications and supporting documentation for Protection & Control systems.
• Engage with external vendors and suppliers to ensure smooth procurement of equipment and materials.
• Conduct site inspections and join project meetings to ensure compliance and provide expert input.
• Enhance design processes through continuous improvement initiatives and adoption of best practices.

About You

To excel in this position, you should have:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience working on HV and renewable infrastructure projects within Australia.
• Experience working within a Network Service Provider (NSP) or contractor environment is essential.
• Strong expertise in Protection & Control systems design, including relay configurations, load flow, protection studies, insulation coordination, earthing, lightning, metering, and Quality of Supply Monitoring (QoSM).
• Knowledge of automation systems, including SCADA Functional Design Specification (FDS), SCADA signal lists, SCADA mapping, and Human‑Machine Interface (HMI).
• Proficiency in communication systems design, such as comms architecture, fiber, network design, remote end access, IT, and VPN setup.
• Familiarity with auxiliary systems, including load calculations, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), cabling, lighting, and security.
• Advanced skills in AutoCAD.
• Hands‑on experience with commissioning and testing of secondary systems is highly regarded.
• Understanding of regulatory permits and approvals related to secondary systems design is advantageous.
• Experience conducting fault studies and developing protection coordination schemes for HV systems.
• Knowledge of SCADA integration and communication protocols like DNP3 and IEC 60870‑5.
• An understanding of cybersecurity best practices for critical infrastructure is an asset.
• Excellent communication skills to clearly present complex technical information.
• A proven ability to successfully deliver challenging Protection & Control engineering projects.
• Availability to travel for site visits prior to and during construction.
• Full working rights in Australia.

What to Expect Day‑to‑Day

• Collaborate within multidisciplinary teams to craft Protection & Control system designs.
• Review designs and provide technical insights to align with project specifications.
• Offering technical support by responding to RFIs from the project team.
• Participating in testing and commissioning activities to ensure functionality and compliance.
• Liaising with clients, stakeholders, and suppliers to meet project milestones.
• Conducting feasibility checks and analyses to guide critical decisions.
• Updating and reviewing design documentation and technical reports.
• Contributing to initiatives that improve design methodologies and processes.

We look forward to hearing from you.