Principal Electrical Engineer (Solar/Renewables)

AECOM; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM Limited is seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer (Renewable Energy) to lead electrical design for utility-scale Solar PV, BESS and hybrid projects across the UK. The role offers hybrid working with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London or Manchester, and involves technical leadership across feasibility through commissioning.

You will drive grid connection, safety and quality, mentoring teams and supporting bids and project delivery within a global energy practice.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Chartered Engineer status or working towards chartership.
• Significant experience in renewable energy and power infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical design for utility-scale Solar PV, BESS and hybrid renewables.
• Act as Technical Lead and Design Authority on major renewable schemes.
• Develop and review HV/LV electrical systems, substations and grid connections.
• Review EPC contractor and supplier designs for compliance and quality.
• Support grid connection and compliance activities (G99/G100).
• Mentor engineers and support bid preparation and project delivery.

Skills

Renewables design

HV/LV systems

Technical leadership

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer near

Job description

Principal Electrical Engineer (Solar/Renewables)

• Full-time
• Business Group: DCS
• Legal Entity: AECOM Limited
• Business Line: Energy
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Operating Group: International
• Primary Location: UK - Edinburgh - Tanfield

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Start here. Grow here.

Ready to take the next step in your renewable energy career? Want to further your career within one of the UK's leading consultancies?

Join Our Growing Energy Team.

We are seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer (Renewable Energy) to provide technical leadership across the development, design, construction and commissioning of renewable energy projects. This role is ideal for an experienced electrical engineer with a strong electrical and renewables background who can lead multidisciplinary teams, provide technical assurance and support projects through to successful energisation. The role offers the opportunity to be based in any of our offices across Edinburgh, Glasgow, London or Manchester while benefiting from our flexible hybrid working model.

Spanning utility-scale and distributed generation projects, our energy solutions are designed to maximise efficiency and minimise environmental impact. We help clients achieve their clean energy goals through innovative design, permitting, and construction services.

As a Principal Electrical Engineer, you will lead the electrical delivery of renewable energy projects from feasibility through to construction, commissioning and commercial operation. You will work predominantly on utility-scale and commercial-scale solar PV and BESS projects providing technical leadership across design, technical assurance, grid connection, construction support and commissioning activities while acting as a trusted advisor to clients and project stakeholders.

Project opportunities span some of the UK's largest NSIPs, together with major renewable energy developments across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Lead electrical design for utility-scale Solar PV, BESS and hybrid renewable energy projects.
• Act as Technical Lead and Design Authority on major renewable energy schemes.
• Lead the development and review of HV and LV electrical systems, including substations, transformers, switchgear, protection systems and cable infrastructure.
• Review and assure EPC contractor and supplier designs.
• Support grid connection and compliance activities, including G99 and G100 requirements.
• Support planning applications, NSIPs and environmental assessments with electrical engineering inputs.
• Provide technical leadership during procurement, construction and commissioning phases.
• Review FAT, SAT, commissioning and energisation documentation.
• Attend site and provide construction-phase technical support.
• Participate in witness testing, energisation activities and project handover.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor to clients, stakeholders and project teams.
• Support bid preparation, technical proposals and project delivery planning.
• Mentor and develop engineers across the renewable energy business.

Come grow with us.

This is a fantastic opportunity to build your career with a globally respected consultancy. At AECOM, you'll be supported by industry-leading experts, given access to cutting-edge tools and technologies, and encouraged to grow within a company that puts people first.

You'll work on some of the UK's most complex and high-profile renewable energy projects, alongside specialists in electrical engineering, planning, environmental services, advisory and project delivery teams.

This role offers the opportunity to influence projects from concept through commissioning while helping shape the future growth of AECOM's renewable energy business.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Degree in Electrical Engineering (or related discipline) and Chartered Engineer status (or working towards chartership).
• Significant experience delivering renewable energy and/or power infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience in the design and delivery of utility-scale Solar PV, BESS or other renewable energy infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience supporting projects during construction, commissioning and energisation phases, including contractor engagement, design review, site inspections or witness testing.
• Strong technical knowledge of:
  • HV and LV electrical systems
  • Substations and grid connections
  • Protection and control systems
  • Earthing systems
  • Power system studies
• Experience reviewing and assuring designs produced by consultants, suppliers and EPC contractors.
• Strong understanding of UK electrical standards and grid requirements, including BS 7671, G99, G100, ENA Engineering Recommendations and relevant IEC Standards.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and providing technical leadership.
• Strong client-facing, stakeholder management and communication skills.

Interested in the role or curious about life at AECOM? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are aDisabilityConfidentEmployer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [e-mail] if you would like to apply through theDisabilityConfidentInterview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.