Lead IEC 61850 Test Engineer

GE Vernova; Stafford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

GE Vernova is seeking a testing professional with a strong foundation in IEC 61850 and SCADA to lead test strategy for IED communications and telecoms systems. You will integrate AI-driven automation and NLP-driven log analysis to enhance regression efficiency and defect identification.

We value candidates eager to grow expertise in IEC 61850 and substation automation, with opportunities to interact with customers, certification bodies, and standards organisations.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Power Systems, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• Familiarity with SCADA and IEC 61850 exposure.
• Strong software/communications testing background with analytical skills.
• Experience with AI-driven test automation concepts.
• Experience writing test scripts and debugging.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain test plans, test cases, and test reports aligned with product and customer requirements.
• Plan and execute new feature, regression, manual, and AI automated testing for software and communication systems.
• Validate software and system behavior against specifications and compliance requirements.
• Identify defects using AI-powered anomaly detection and track in bug-tracking tools.
• Collaborate with developers to troubleshoot issues and improve product quality.
• Build and maintain automated test scripts using AI-assisted coding tools (e.g., GitHub, Copilot).
• Set up and maintain testing tools and environments.
• Review logs and test outputs to spot issues and propose improvements using NLP for actionable summaries.
• Support testing of telecoms systems and liaise with customers and standards bodies.
• Represent the business at industry forums and contribute ideas to testing standards.

Skills

IEC 61850

SCADA

Software testing

AI-driven testing

AI-powered anomaly detection

Education

Electrical Engineering / Electronics / Computer Engineering / Power Systems degree

Tools

GitHub

Copilot

XML

Job description

Job Description Summary

This is a great opportunity for someone with a strong foundation inIEC 61850, utility communication protocols, or software/systems testing, who is looking to grow into a role with real technical ownership and industry influence. You'll lead the development and execution of test strategies for IED communications and telecoms systems, integrating AI-driven test automation and predictive analytics to enhance regression efficiency, accelerate defect identification, and ensure the highest standards of reliability in complex IEC 61850 environments. You will work alongside developers, stakeholders, and customers to ensure our solutions are reliable, compliant, and built to the highest standard.

We know great candidates come from a variety of backgrounds — if you have strong testing fundamentals and are excited to build deeper expertise in IEC 61850 and substation automation, we'd love to hear from you, even if you don't check every box below.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Develop and maintain test plans, test cases, and test reports aligned with product and customer requirements
• Plan and execute new feature, regression, manual, and AI automated testing for software and communication systems
• Validate software and system behavior against specifications and compliance requirements
• Identify using AI-powered anomaly detection, investigate, and track defects and inconsistencies using standard bug tracking tools
• Collaborate closely with developers to troubleshoot issues and improve overall product quality
• Build and maintain automated test scripts using AI-assisted coding tools like GitHub and Copilot to speed up the development of test scripts, contributing to the evolution of our regression test suites
• Set up and maintain testing tools and environments
• Review logs and test outputs to spot issues and recommend improvements using Natural Language Processing (NLP) or pattern recognition to aggregate thousands of log lines into actionable summaries, significantly reducing the time spent on root-cause analysis
• Help keep test tracking and reporting accurate and current
• Support testing of telecoms systems — a valuable part of the role we can help you grow into if it's new to you
• Liaise with customers, certification bodies, and standards organizations on validation and compliance activities
• Represent the business at relevant industry and standards forums, where opportunities arise
• Contribute ideas to improve our testing standards and processes

What We’re Looking For

• A degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Power Systems, or a related field — or equivalent hands‑on experience
• Familiarity with SCADA and communication protocols
• Some exposure to power system protection and/or IEC 61850 (deep expertise not required from day one — we support continued learning)
• A general understanding of networking concepts, such as TCP/IP
• Basic familiarity with XML
• Experience in client/server environments
• Any exposure to multi‑user, stress, or load testing is a plus, but not essential
• A solid grounding in software or communications testing, with good analytical and debugging instincts
• Comfort writing test scripts and applying structured testing approachesExperience with test automation tools, or a strong interest in developing these skills

Don't have direct IEC 61850 experience? If you have strong testing fundamentals and communication systems knowledge, we’re happy to support your development in this specialist area.

Who You Are

• Pays close attention to detail and takes pride in quality work
• Brings a proactive, can‑do attitude to problem‑solving
• Manages multiple priorities well and stays organised under pressure
• Is curious and enjoys continuously learning new tools, technologies, and standards
• Works well with others, both internally and with external partners
• Is comfortable balancing hands‑on technical work with a broader view of product quality

Why Join Us?

• Work on advanced, real‑world digital substation and communication technologies
• Take a lead role in shaping testing strategy and quality practices
• Build deep expertise in a specialist, in‑demand technical field
• Collaborate with experts across engineering, telecoms, and international standards bodies
• Grow your career in a role that offers real influence and technical depth
• Be supported in developing new skills — we don't expect you to know everything on day one

Our Culture

Every action shapes our future. That’s why our north star is a culture of impact, where everyone is empowered to thrive and achieve.

Addressing the urgent need to build a more sustainable electric power system while improving the trajectory of climate change emissions are global priorities, and we take our responsibility seriously. That is our mission at GE Vernova: continuing to electrify to thrive and decarbonize the world. We play a significant role in leading a new era of energy.

Our technology helps generate approximately twenty‑five percent of the world’s electricity today, and we are working to power the rest. If we want the future of energy to be different, then join us and be the difference. Together, we are the Energy of Change!

We’re determined to be the best place to grow

We believe that strong careers are built on a variety of experiences, strong connections, and continuous development. We’re committed to providing you the tools to navigate and shape a strong career journey that aligns with a healthy work‑life balance. No two careers are the same, and yours should reflect your personal and professional goals. Your people leader and trusted mentors will support you through navigating your journey.

We also prioritize fair pay, performance‑based rewards, and wellbeing programs for you and your family. With opportunities to move across teams and functions, your career can keep evolving while sustainability stays at the core of everything we do.

Inclusion & Diversity

We are passionate about creating an inclusive work environment. By valuing the ideas and contributions of a diverse workforce we help inspire others to grow, succeed, and raise the bar for everyone.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, GE Vernova is committed to support disadvantaged groups whilst providing equal opportunities for both GE Vernova associates and applicants alike.

Join us at GE Vernova where results can be achieved by embracing a community of belonging.

Additional Information

Relocation Assistance Provided: No