OT Substation Controls Engineer — Automation & Cybersecurity

Sword Group; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development — personalised

Flexible working

Generous benefits package: pension, >/

Private health, well-being

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Sword Group in the United Kingdom is seeking an OT Controls Engineer to shape and deliver standardised, secure control system solutions for substations and RTU configurations across utility environments.

You will work in a Technology Standards function defining engineering policy, approved equipment, and configurations for substation control systems, including protection, automation and telecontrol technologies essential for critical national infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Experience in OT or control systems within utilities, energy or industrial infrastructure.
• Design, configure or commission substation control systems, telecontrol or automation equipment.
• Hands-on experience configuring RTUs (e.g. Schneider, Hitachi/ABB, ZIV, SEL or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of industrial communication protocols, particularly DNP3 (essential).
• Familiarity with IEC 61850 (desirable).
• Knowledge of electricity distribution networks and related standards/regulatory frameworks (desirable).
• Experience producing engineering drawings and schematics using AutoCAD.
• Understanding of substation protection and control schemes (desirable).
• Awareness of OT cyber security principles and secure configuration practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review and maintain engineering standards for substation control systems and RTUs.
• Produce technical specifications for control system components aligned with operations.
• Design and implement structured test plans to validate equipment against specs.
• Evaluate and assure vendor solutions prior to deployment.
• Develop, configure and test standardised RTU builds for repeatability across sites.
• Create engineering schematics, control cabinet layouts and wiring diagrams in AutoCAD.
• Support standardised substation designs and architectures across projects.
• Collaborate with engineering, cyber security and operations to ensure practical, standards-aligned solutions.
• Support digitisation of control systems to be scalable and future-ready.

Skills

OT/Control systems experience

RTU configuration/commissioning

DNP3 protocol

IEC 61850

Substation knowledge

OT cyber security awareness

Analytical/problem-solving

Effective communication

Documentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Sword Group in the United Kingdom is seeking an OT Controls Engineer to shape and deliver standardised, secure control system solutions for substations and RTU configurations across utility environments.

You will work in a Technology Standards function defining engineering policy, approved equipment, and configurations for substation control systems, including protection, automation and telecontrol technologies essential for critical national infrastructure.