Primary Design Engineer

Equans; West of England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days leave

Company shares

Private health care

5% pension

Staff support programme

Job summary

Equans Group is seeking a Primary Design Engineer to lead HV plant design for solar, BESS and connection projects in the UK. You will oversee substation and switchgear design, direct CAD/BIM teams, and drive the design process through DNO/IDNO approvals.

Joining Equans means contributing to renewable energy EPC projects and supporting decarbonisation across the built environment with a strong emphasis on quality and compliance.

Qualifications

• Degree (or HND with strong experience) in Electrical/Power Engineering.
• Significant experience of HV substation/connection primary design with a DNO, IDNO, ICP or consultancy.
• Working knowledge of DNO specifications, ENA Engineering Recommendations and BS/IEC standards (e.g. IEC 61936, BS EN 50522).
• Experience taking connection designs through DNO/IDNO technical approval.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD; ability to direct CAD/BIM technicians.

Responsibilities

• Oversee primary plant designs for HV connections across solar, BESS and third-party projects.
• Manage the technical approval process with adopting network operators for its packages and direct CAD/BIM technicians.
• Contribute the design procedures and audit evidence supporting progression to Full NERS accreditation.
• Resolve day-to-day engineering challenges of substation and connection design: plant selection and specification trade-offs and standards compliance.

Skills

HV substation design

DNO/IDNO experience

AutoCAD

Electrical/Power Eng degree

Education

Electrical/Power Engineering degree

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Job: Engineering Electricity Contract type: Permanent Schedule: Full-Time Location: Bristol United Kingdom Offer ID: 92085Equans is a renowned energies & services contractor and a proud member of the Bouygues global industrial group. Our expertise spans the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings and critical infrastructure worldwide.We have a great opportunity for a Primary Design Engineer to join our highly successful Energy Solutions business within the ICP team; primarily supporting our renewable energy projects.Our Energy Solutions business oversee major renewable EPC projects across the UK. We design, install, commission and operate large scale solar PV farms for our clients. Supplying renewable energy from solar power plants enables local communities to reduce costs and reduce their carbon footprint.Alongside our solar farm projects we are involved in delivering a wide range of energy solutions to secure a more sustainable future.General overviewLeads the primary plant design of HV grid connections (11–33kV, extending to 66/132kV) for solar, BESS and third-party connection projects: substations, switchgear, transformers and general arrangements, from feasibility through DNO/IDNO design approval to as-built.Key activitiesOversee primary plant designs produced by this role form the backbone of every connection the ICP delivers.Manage the technical approval process with adopting network operators for its packages, directs CAD/BIM technicians, and contributes the design procedures and audit evidence supporting the company's progression to Full NERS accreditation.Will resolve the day-to-day engineering challenges of substation and connection design: plant selection and specification trade-offs, compliance with differing DNO specifications and G81 libraries.Create novel design approaches, derogations from DNO standards and cross-discipline disputes are escalated to the Principal Engineer - Design Assurance or the Head of Design & Engineering for independent checking and approval.Skills, qualifications & experienceDegree (or HND with strong experience) in Electrical/Power Engineering.Significant experience of HV substation/connection primary design with a DNO, IDNO, ICP or consultancy.Working knowledge of DNO specifications, ENA Engineering Recommendations and relevant BS/IEC standards (e.g. IEC 61936, BS EN 50522).Experience taking connection designs through DNO/IDNO technical approval.Proficiency with AutoCAD; ability to direct CAD/BIM technicians.We offer an excellent benefits package including:25 days leave5% bonusCompany sharesPrivate health care5% pensionEmployee assistance programme (Private GP Appointments, Legal support, Counselling)Who are we?In the UK & Ireland, Equans is a provider of sustainable facilities management and regeneration, and cutting-edge energy and digital services. Our 15,000 employees combine these activities to deliver decarbonisation across the built environment and help businesses, communities, public sector organisations and government to accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resilient world.Globally, Equans is a world leader in the energy and services sector with operations in 20 countries, 90,000 employees working on 5 continents and a turnover of 19.2 billion euros in 2024. Equans is a subsidiary of the Bouygues group.What's next?If this role is of interest to you, please click below to register, apply, and track your progress! A member of our Resourcing Team will review your application and be in touch.At Equans, we’re committed to building a diverse, respectful and inclusive workplace that truly reflects the communities and markets we serve.Joining Equans means being part of a culture where every voice is valued, supported by vibrant employee led networks championing inclusion and diversity across gender, ethnicity, disability, LGBTQ+, veterans, parents, and young professionals.Guided by our core values, we foster a culture of respect, integrity, collaboration, and excellence - empowering our people to deliver outstanding results and be their authentic selves every day. Our approach means we welcome candidates with transferable skills who may not meet every specific requirement, and where possible we support flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments to enable success.For this role, you must have evidence of the right to work in the UK. Certain roles may require applicants to undergo a Disclosure check or security vetting, as noted in the role requirements. A criminal record will not necessarily be a barrier to obtaining a position with us.As part of our recruitment process, EQUANS uses StaffVetting, our trusted third-party provider, to support the completion of employee background checks. StaffVetting delivers professional screening services in a friendly, efficient, and customer-focused way, helping us ensure the right checks are completed from the start of the application journey.\"