Principal Electrical Engineer - Energy from Waste

ASTUTE Technical Recruitment Ltd; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Waste Management Company in the UK is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to join their centralized Engineering Team. The role involves providing technical leadership, ensuring the reliability of electrical systems, and supporting strategic maintenance methodologies. Candidates should have a background in Electrical Engineering, relevant certifications, and several years of experience in high and low voltage systems.

Benefits

Industry-competitive salary

Car Allowance

Pension scheme

Bonus opportunity

Full company benefits

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or relevant discipline; ONC / HND / HNC considered with experience.
• Working towards or holding Chartership Status.
• IET Membership and IOSH or NEBOSH certification desired.

Responsibilities

• Acting as technical authority for electrical engineering across UK power generation.
• Driving implementation of maintenance methodologies like RCM and CBM.
• Overseeing design, specification, installation, and commissioning of electrical systems.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Technical Leadership

Root Cause Analysis

Continuous Improvement

High Voltage Systems

Electrical Safety

Electrical Modeling Tools

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering or relevant discipline

Chartership Status (IEng / CEng)

IET Membership

IOSH or NEBOSH certification

Tools

ETAP

DIgSILENT PowerFactory

Job description

Astute People are working with a leading Waste Management Company that owns & operates several Waste to Energy facilities across the UK. With two plants in operation and two more under construction, now is a great time to join the business as it grows. As part of their expansion, they are seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to join their centralized Engineering Team.

The Principal Electrical Engineer will serve as the subject matter expert across existing and future assets. This pivotal role offers technical leadership to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and compliance of all electrical systems, aligning with strategic business objectives.

If you have the relevant experience (see below) and are seeking a rewarding role in the Power sector, please apply.

Responsibilities and duties

Reporting to the Head of Engineering & Maintenance, you will be responsible for:

1. Acting as the technical authority for all electrical engineering across UK power generation sites, including developing and implementing electrical standards, design criteria, and best practices.
2. Providing expert support to site engineering teams on complex technical challenges, including root cause analysis (RCA) and continuous improvement (CI) initiatives.
3. Driving the implementation of strategic maintenance methodologies such as Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) and Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM).
4. Overseeing and reviewing the design, specification, installation, and commissioning of new electrical systems and plant upgrades.
5. Supporting CAPEX project development, including feasibility studies, cost estimation, and risk assessments.
6. Monitoring asset performance and proposing targeted improvements to enhance system reliability and operational efficiency.
7. Contributing to and supporting electrical safety initiatives, including functional safety assessments, arc flash studies, switching schedules, and safety programs.
8. Leading and participating in HAZOPs, design reviews, and technical audits.
9. Assisting with High Voltage (HV) SAP authorization panels and electrical competence assessments.
10. Liaising with external stakeholders such as consultants, DNOs/TSOs, OEMs, and regulatory bodies.
11. Preparing and delivering technical reports and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and investors.

Professional qualifications

We are looking for candidates with:

1. A degree in Electrical Engineering or a relevant discipline; ONC / HND / HNC will be considered with suitable experience.
2. Working towards or holding Chartership Status (IEng / CEng).
3. IET Membership.
4. IOSH or NEBOSH certification in Health & Safety or similar.
5. Qualified High Voltage Senior Authorised Person.

Personal skills

The ideal candidate will have:

1. Experience with electrical assets in environments such as Waste to Energy, Biomass, CCGT, CHP, Refinery, COMAH, Utilities, etc.
2. At least several years of experience working with low voltage & high voltage systems.
3. Proven experience in maintenance, design, and upgrades of generators, LV/HV switchgear, protection systems, and control systems.
4. Experience with electrical modeling tools like ETAP and DIgSILENT PowerFactory.

Salary and benefits

The role offers:

• Industry-competitive salary
• Car Allowance
• Pension scheme
• Bonus opportunity
• Full company benefits
• Opportunity to join a growing organization in a new fleet-wide Engineering role

INDPOW

Astute People are acting as an employment agency for this vacancy. We do not discriminate based on age, race, gender, disability, creed, or sexual orientation, and comply with UK legislation. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds who can demonstrate the ability to work in the UK. We are also committed to the government's Disability Confident Employer initiative. We aim to respond to all applications within 7 days; if you do not hear back, please consider your application unsuccessful.