Control and Protection Engineer

Deploy Recruitment Group; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid/remote work

Job summary

Northern Powergrid’s specialist power engineering arm is seeking an experienced Protection and Control Design Engineer to lead HV substation projects from concept through delivery, mentoring junior engineers and coordinating with project teams and clients.

You will deliver protection and control system designs for up to 132 kV networks, develop relay configurations, and ensure compliance with ENA/IEC/NPg standards, supporting commissioning and site activities as required.

Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• Proven experience in control and protection design within the UK electricity distribution or transmission sector (11kV, 33kV, 132kV, 400kV).
• Familiarity with protection relays, relay configuration, logic programming and IEC 61850 engineering.
• Strong understanding of DNO technical standards; NPg experience advantageous.
• Knowledge of ENA, IEC and NPg standards and policies.
• Proficiency in DIGSILENT, ETAP, AutoCAD.
• Ability to read schematics, settings schedules, and manufacturer specs.
• Excellent technical, analytical, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop protection application designs for feeders, transformers, and busbars (11 kV–132 kV).
• Configure relays, write setting files, and implement IEC 61850 and DNP3 schemes.
• Conduct protection coordination studies and produce settings calculations.
• Ensure designs comply with Northern Powergrid standards and regulations.
• Liaise with internal teams and clients to deliver on schedule and quality.
• Provide technical support during delivery, including factory acceptance testing and site commissioning.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Protection and control design

Schematic reading

Communication skills

Project collaboration

Driving licence

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Equivalent qualification

Tools

DIGSILENT

ETAP

AutoCAD

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Protection and Control Design Engineer to lead and deliver high-quality engineering designs for HV substations and power infrastructure projects. Working for the specialist power engineering arm of a FTSE 250 company, you will play a key role in technical delivery, mentoring junior engineers, and working closely with project managers, clients, and multidisciplinary teams.

This role is available on a hybrid or remote basis, offering flexibility while remaining closely connected to project teams and clients.

HV Protection Design Engineer Role Overview:

The successful candidate will be responsible for delivering protection and control system designs for high-voltage (HV) distribution networks, supporting a range of schemes, including BESS, up to and including 132kV. The engineer will develop, validate, and integrate protection, control, and SCADA designs, ensuring ongoing safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

You will work within a multi-disciplinary engineering team and contribute to projects from concept design through to detailed engineering and delivery support.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop detailed protection application designs for feeders, transformers, and busbars at 11 kV–132 kV, including customer interface schemes
• Develop connection and tripping logic diagrams, configure relays and generate setting files, implement IEC 61850 and DNP3 communication schemes, and prepare programmable logic documentation
• Specify CTs/VTs, relays, panels, and multicore wiring per manufacturer and NPg standards
• Provide technical review and feedback on designs submitted by ICPs and external teams
• Conduct protection coordination studies, produce settings calculations, and prepare associated drawings and schematics
• Ensure all designs comply with Northern Powergrid technical standards and relevant industry regulations
• Liaise with internal teams, clients, and stakeholders to deliver projects to schedule and to the required quality standards
• Provide technical support during project delivery, including factory acceptance testing and site commissioning as required.

Candidate Requirements:

• Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline
• Proven experience in control and protection design within the UK electricity distribution or transmission sector (11kV, 33kV, 132kV, 400kV)
• Familiarity with protection relays, relay configuration, logic programming and IEC 61850 engineering
• Strong understanding of DNO technical standards; prior experience with Northern Powergrid requirements is advantageous
• Knowledge of ENA, IEC and NPg standards and policies
• Proficiency in relevant design and analysis software (e.g., DIGSILENT, ETAP, AutoCAD)
• Skilled at reading and understanding schematics, settings schedules, and manufacturer specifications
• Excellent technical, analytical, and communication skills, with a commitment to high-quality engineering outputs
• Driving licence

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Protection and Control Design Engineer to join an organisation with a proud track record of providing HV design services to some of the largest organisations in the UK T&D sector.

• salary based on skills and experience required for the role