Principal Engineer - Overhead Lines (OHL)

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

Job summary

AECOM, a world-leading infrastructure firm, seeks a Principal OHL Engineer to lead and deliver overhead line projects up to 400 kV. You will work with the Transmission & Distribution team, guiding design and feasibility studies, producing robust reports, and ensuring high-quality deliverables for clients like National Grid and SSE.

We value Chartered Engineers with strong communication, collaboration, and technical skills to manage complex projects in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer with a recognized electrical engineering institution (e.g. IET).
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent technical discipline, electrical/power engineering.
• Experience delivering projects for transmission system operators (e.g., National Grid, SSE, SPT).
• Overhead line engineering experience (ideally up to 400kV).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and engage with clients to deliver technically challenging OHL design projects.
• Provide design activities for overhead lines, including PLS-CADD modelling and sag‑tension calculations.
• Support feasibility studies, conductor thermal ratings, and compliance with industry standards.
• Originate and check engineering deliverables such as complex designs, reports, and drawings.
• Perform internal quality checks of engineering drawings and calculations.

Skills

Communication skills

Overhead line engineering

Client engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

CEng Chartered Engineer

Job description

• Full-time
• State/Province: London, City of
• Business Group: DCS
• Legal Entity: AECOM Limited
• Business Line: Energy
• Work Location Model: Hybrid
• Operating Group: International
• Primary Location: UK - London - Aldgate Tower

Company Description

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.

Job Description

Start here. Grow here.

The Transmission & Distribution (T&D) Engineering team provides a range of services from the initial concept through Power Systems Analysis, Cabling, Substations, Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure, System Balancing and Compensation, Protection Systems, SCADA, Communications, Converter Station Design, HVDC Systems and Interconnectors including overseas links.

Here’s what you’ll do:

In this crucial role, you will be a key member of our Transmission & Distribution team dedicated to leading and engaging with our clients to deliver technically challenging OHL design projects.

Your primary focus in the role of Principal OHL Engineer is to provide project technical support and responsible for design of transmission projects. This team will work on various projects encompassing overhead transmission lines up to 400kV.

• Have the opportunity to be involved in large programmes of work like GGP projects.
• Support in writing proposals and outlining all project details, including the timeline, resources, budget, objectives, and goals.
• Provide technical support and input throughout the project implementation, statutory planning, and participation in public consultation events.
• Be responsible for design activities related to the overhead line. This encompasses PLS-CADD modelling, meticulous line routing, comprehensive structural analysis and loading trees, formulation of design criteria, precise sag‑tension calculations, insulator/conductor blowout, swing angle, damper system recommendations, strategic structural spotting, thorough clearance reports, and judicious conductor and insulator selection.
• Support in feasibility studies, performing conductor thermal ratings, and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations.
• Conduct studies to identify a technically preferred solution/layout to present to the client.
• Originate and check engineering deliverables such as complex designs, reports, proposals, presentations, and drawing packages.
• Perform internal quality checks of engineering drawings and calculations.

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Professionally qualified CEng Chartered Engineer with a recognized electrical engineering institution (e.g. the IET).
• A bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent technical discipline, electrical engineering or power engineering.
• Experience delivering projects for transmission system operators such as National Grid, SSE and SPT in line with each operator’s standards.
• Project experience in overhead line engineering (ideally up to 400kV).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional Information

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 the 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 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, 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.
• 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.

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 [emailprotected] if you would like to apply through theDisabilityConfidentInterview Scheme.

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