Senior Hv Substations Protection & Control, Communications And Scada Specialist

Arup; Madrid; Remote; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Arup, based in Spain with a local Spanish contract, will support National Grid transmission projects in the United Kingdom. The Senior HV Substations Protection & Control, Communications and SCADA Engineer will work predominantly remotely from Spain while integrated into the UK project team, with local management support in Spain and travel up to 30% to the UK as needed.

We seek a proactive, technically strong professional with a degree in Electrical Engineering, Chartered Engineer status, and

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical/Control Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 10 years in protection and control for HV/EHV substations.
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent registration.
• Fluent English with clear technical documentation skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% (UK) for project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Design and review protection and control for HV/EHV substations from concept to commissioning.
• Develop protection philosophies, schematics, interlocking diagrams and I/O schedules.
• Coordinate interfaces with SCADA, telecoms, metering and auxiliary systems.
• Take ownership of P&C design packages and ensure quality, schedule and budget.
• Mentor junior engineers and support procurement, FAT/SAT, and energisation activities.
• Travel to the UK as required for team meetings and site support.

Skills

Protection & Control

SCADA

IEC 61850

Electrical Design

English Proficiency

Education

Bachelor/Master in Electrical Engineering

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

DIgSILent PowerFactory

ETAP

Job description

Shape a future with purpose at Arup

Supporting National Grid transmission substation projects in the United Kingdom

Arup’s purpose, shared values, and collaborative approach have set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

We have been present in Spain since 1993 and have a team of more than 300 engineers, consultants, and qualified technical personnel. This role will be based in Spain under a local Spanish employment contract while supporting major UK transmission infrastructure projects.

Arup undertakes transmission and distribution design projects across the globe. In the UK, we deliver projects from concept through detailed design for established asset owners and new market entrants. Arup is supporting the Great Grid Partnership, a major programme for the transformation of the National Grid transmission network.

The Opportunity

This is your chance to contribute your skills to the protection, control, communications and SCADA design of HV and EHV transmission substations for National Grid projects in the United Kingdom. You will work predominantly remotely from Spain and will be fully integrated into the relevant UK substation project team. The successful candidate will retain local people management support in Spain while working under the day-to-day technical and project direction of the relevant UK National Grid substation project team.

As a Senior HV Substations Protection & Control, Communications and SCADA Engineer at Arup, you will:

• Design and review protection and control systems for HV and EHV transmission substations, from concept and scheme development through detailed design, construction support, testing and commissioning.
• Develop and review protection philosophies, functional specifications, single-line diagrams, protection block diagrams, AC and DC schematics, tripping and intertripping schemes, control logic, interlocking diagrams, wiring diagrams, I/O schedules, cable schedules and interface documentation.
• Develop and review schemes for transmission lines, transformers, busbars, reactors, feeders and auxiliary systems, including main and backup protection, breaker-failure protection, autoreclose, synchrocheck, teleprotection and lockout functions as applicable.
• Undertake or review protection coordination and settings activities, including fault studies and justification of protection performance, using recognised power-system analysis tools where required.
• Design and review substation control, automation and communication architectures, including bay-level and station-level systems.
• Apply IEC 61850 engineering principles, including data modelling, GOOSE messaging, MMS, Sampled Values where applicable, SCL files and multi-vendor system integration.
• Develop and review resilient station-bus and process-bus architectures, time synchronisation, network redundancy and segregation in accordance with applicable National Grid requirements, British Standards, BS EN/IEC standards and project procedures.
• Coordinate protection and control interfaces with primary plant, SCADA, telecommunications, metering, auxiliary systems, cybersecurity requirements and other substation disciplines.
• Take technical ownership of allocated P&C design packages and deliver them to the agreed quality, programme and budget requirements.
• Carry out checking and technical reviews of P&C deliverables, identify design risks and resolve technical interfaces with multidisciplinary teams.
• Support technical queries during procurement, manufacture, installation, testing, commissioning and energisation.
• Prepare and review FAT, SAT, site testing and commissioning documentation for protection, control, SCADA and communication systems.
• Support relay configuration, secondary-injection testing, scheme testing, end-to-end testing, IEC 61850 system testing and energisation activities as required by the project.
• Participate in meetings with Arup project teams, National Grid, contractors, manufacturers and other stakeholders, providing clear technical input within the scope of the role.
• Mentor and support junior engineers and promote consistent, high-quality engineering practices across the project team.
• Travel to the UK when required for Arup team meetings, client meetings, design workshops, FAT/SAT activities, site support and commissioning. Willingness and availability to travel to the UK for up to 30% of working time and to undertake stays of up to two consecutive weeks, subject to project requirements.

Does this role inspire you?

We are looking for a proactive, collaborative and technically strong professional to join our Energy team as a senior specialist in transmission substation protection, control, communications and SCADA. Ideally, you’ll bring:

• A degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Control Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in protection and control engineering for HV/EHV substations.
• Chartered Engineer status is essential. Equivalent recognized professional registration may be considered subject to confirmation by Arup.
• Demonstrable experience in transmission substations. Experience limited primarily to distribution, industrial facilities or plants will not, by itself, meet this requirement.
• Strong experience delivering and reviewing P&C engineering for complex substation projects and coordinating with multidisciplinary design teams.
• Strong technical expertise in protection relays, substation control systems, SCADA, telecommunications interfaces, substation automation and both conventional and IEC 61850-based schemes.
• Working knowledge of applicable British Standards, BS EN/IEC standards and transmission utility requirements. Previous National Grid experience is preferred but is not essential.
• Experience with relevant OEM relay configuration and engineering tools, together with secondary-injection and scheme-testing equipment.
• Fluent professional English, written and spoken, with the ability to produce clear technical documentation and participate effectively in project and client meetings.
• Availability to travel up to 30% of working time, including stays in the UK of up to two weeks when required for project delivery, Arup team meetings and client meetings.

Bonus points if you have:

• Previous experience on National Grid, another UK transmission owner or a European transmission system operator project.
• Experience with AIS and GIS transmission substations at 132 kV, 275 kV and 400 kV.
• Experience with digital substation architectures, process bus, merging units and Sampled Values.
• Experience using DIgSILENT PowerFactory, ETAP or equivalent tools for fault analysis and protection coordination.
• Experience leading technical reviews, coordinating P&C work packages and mentoring engineers within distributed international project teams.

This is a Spain-based position under a local Spanish employment contract. The role will initially have full-time project priority within the GGP programme. Most activities are expected to be delivered remotely from Spain, but travel frequency will depend on project needs and may not follow a fixed schedule.

Why Arup?

At Arup, we offer a rewarding career with a global company committed to a better future. Our unique trust ownership structure allows us to prioritise meaningful work and invest in our people. We also offer a unique profit share programme, allowing our members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Benefits that work for you:

• Professional Growth & Development: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities, training programmes, and mentorship to enhance your skills and advance your career at Arup.
• Global Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues worldwide and explore potential short-term or long-term assignments at other Arup offices and project locations.
• Financial Well-being & Ownership: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package and share in Arup's success through our global profit-sharing programme.
• Work-Life Balance: We offer a hybrid working model and flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.
• Well-being and Culture: Access to a range of well-being programmes, including sports subsidies, social activities, and initiatives promoting a healthy work-life balance. We foster a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued.

At Arup, you belong to an extraordinary collective where individuality is encouraged. Our strength comes from how we respect, share, and connect our diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas. You'll have the opportunity to do socially useful work that has meaning, to Arup, to your career, and to the clients and communities we serve.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and are committed to building a workplace that reflects the rich diversity of the world around us. We actively promote a culture of inclusion where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued.

We welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible. If you need any assistance or adjustments, please visit our for contact information and assistance. We're happy to help.

Do you want to join us in shaping a better world?