Innovation Engineer

National Grid; Connah's Quay; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days holiday

Pension scheme

Life insurance

Private Medical Insurance

Flexible benefits

Job summary

National Grid is seeking an Innovation Engineer to drive development, testing and deployment of new solutions at the Deeside Centre for Innovation. The role interfaces with internal teams, suppliers and academia to turn ideas into real benefits for the transmission network.

You will manage projects, assess technology trends and deliver measurable outcomes, while ensuring alignment with regulatory and commercial priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing complex innovation projects across technical and commercial domains.
• Ability to translate technical challenges into actionable opportunities.
• Experience with governance, budgeting and benefit tracking.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovation projects from concept to deployment in the Deeside Centre for Innovation.
• Analyse trends, assess supplier capability and commercial viability.
• Engage with internal teams, suppliers, universities and industry partners.
• Develop benefits cases and support business adoption of innovations.
• Ensure governance, reporting and financial controls for projects.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Project management

Technical awareness

Communication

Innovation mindset

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Research methods

Job description

About Us

At National Grid, we light up the world by harnessing the unique strengths of our people. Join us as a Innovation Engineer to be part of a team that’s driving forward the energy transition, creating a brighter, more sustainable future for all. Unleash your superpower and bring energy to life. National Grid is hiring a Innovation Engineer – This position is based from our Deeside North Wales office however we offer flexible hybrid working options.

Job Purpose

The Innovation Engineer plays a key role in supporting the development, delivery and deployment of innovation across National Grid Electricity Transmission. This role is responsible for developing and managing high profile innovation projects that will be proven for deployment onto the network at the Deeside Centre for Innovation. The role manages innovation activity within high profile projects at the ‘first of its kind’ in Europe HV testing facility, working with internal stakeholders, suppliers, academics, innovators and industry partners to develop solutions through trials, demonstrations and adoption into business‑as‑usual operations. This includes supporting innovation strategies, undertaking technical research, managing projects, and ensuring outputs are aligned to operational, commercial, customer and regulatory priorities. The Innovation Engineer acts as an important interface between the innovation function and the wider business, helping to translate technical challenges into well‑defined innovation opportunities and ensuring that projects are delivered with clear objectives, robust governance, and practical routes to implementation.

What You’ll Do

Innovation Project Delivery

• Manage strategic innovation projects to be tested at the Deeside Centre for Innovation demonstrating capabilities to the industry ahead of deployment.
• Support the delivery of innovation strategies across relevant technical and business areas, ensuring activity is aligned to NGET’s strategic priorities and future network needs.
• Track project progress, risks, issues, benefits and deliverables, escalating where appropriate and ensuring delivery remains aligned to scope, budget and timing expectations.

Technical Research, Development and Demonstration

• Analyse technology trends, network challenges, supplier capability and industry developments to identify opportunities for new innovation projects.
• Contribute to innovation activity across relevant disciplines, which may include overhead lines, underground and offshore cable technologies, substations and their assets, protection & control systems, power systems and power electronics, civils and construction methods, customer connections and related transmission technologies.
• Ensure learning from innovation projects is captured, shared and translated into practical recommendations for the business.

Stakeholder, Supplier and Partner Management

• Engage with suppliers, innovators, universities, industry bodies and external partners to develop and deliver innovation projects.
• Support the sourcing, assessment and development of external innovation opportunities, ensuring alignment with business needs and strategic priorities.
• Manage supplier and partner contributions to innovation projects, ensuring outputs are delivered to the required quality, scope and timescales.

Business Adoption and Value Delivery

• Support the development of benefits cases and value assessments for innovation projects, including technical, commercial, customer, environmental and operational benefits. Support business case and data requirements for innovation incentives.
• Identify barriers to adoption and work with stakeholders to develop practical implementation plans.
• Demonstrate the value of innovation through clear reporting, evidence gathering and communication of project outcomes.

Governance, Commercial and Financial Management

• Deliver projects in line with innovation governance requirements, internal processes and relevant funding requirements.
• Support effective project and portfolio reporting, including updates on progress, risks, milestones, benefits, budgets and outcomes.
• Manage project budgets and forecasts for assigned innovation activity, ensuring appropriate financial control and alignment with approved funding.
• Maintain accurate project records, documentation and evidence to support reporting, assurance and audit requirements.

Innovation Culture and Capability Development

• Champion innovation across NGET by promoting curiosity, creativity and continuous improvement.
• Support the development of an innovation culture by engaging with business teams, sharing learning and encouraging colleagues to identify new opportunities.
• Contribute to internal communications, briefings, showcases and engagement activity that promotes innovation outcomes and future opportunities.
• Support colleagues and junior team members by sharing technical knowl

About You

Interpersonal and Leadership

• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical, commercial, operational, and external partner environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly and concisely to a range of audiences.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, suppliers, academics, innovators and industry partners.
• Strong project management capability, including planning, delivery tracking, risk management and reporting.
• Ability to manage competing priorities across a varied portfolio of projects and maintain focus on outcomes and business value.
• Collaborative working style, with the ability to influence without direct authority and bring together multi-disciplinary teams.
• Curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm for identifying and developing new ideas that support the future needs of the transmission network.

Technical and Specialist

• Knowledge and experience of electricity transmission, high‑voltage environments or relevant infrastructure engineering disciplines.
• Experience of researching, developing, trialling or deploying technology‑based products, services or solutions.
• Understanding of the innovation lifecycle, including idea development, feasibility assessment, demonstration, trial delivery, benefits capture and business adoption.
• Experience working with internal stakeholders to implement new products, processes or services into operational environments.
• Ability to analyse the technological landscape, identify emerging trends and translate them into practical innovation opportunities.
• Experience of project, stakeholder and supplier management.
• Commercial awareness, including understanding of value delivery, supplier engagement, budgets and business case development.
• Understanding of regulated utility environments and innovation funding mechanisms would be beneficial.

What You’ll Get

A competitive salary between £54,000 – £63,000 dependent on capability

• 26 days holiday, plus eight statutory days, an option to buy extra holiday days, and the option to holiday swap up to 3 bank holiday days
• An annual performance incentive
• A generous pension scheme, double matched up to 6% of your salary each month. For every £1 you contribute we’ll put in another £2, so if you put in 6%, we’ll add 12% giving a total of 18% to your pension pot
• Life insurance at 10 times basic salary
• Employer funding towards a portion of your Private Medical Insurance.
• You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

More Information

The closing date for this vacancy is 10th September. However, we encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible and not to wait until the published closing date. National Grid’s recruitment periods can and may vary. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process.

In NGET we are passionate about both operating our network safely and providing highly reliable quality of supply for our customers. At the heart of achieving these outcomes is the effective control and operation of our network.

To find out more about us, please follow the link below: https://www.nationalgrid.com/electricity-transmission/

DE & I statement

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

Our goal is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, the innovation from diverse teams & perspectives and business need. We are committed to building a workforce so we can represent the communities we serve and have a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points‑based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points‑based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.