Principal HV Design Engineer

COWI; Derby; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading team as a Principal HV Design Engineer, where you will oversee high voltage system design and collaborate on diverse projects across the UK. You will play a vital role in shaping sustainable solutions for energy distribution, requiring a mix of engineering expertise and collaborative skills. Ideal candidates will have a degree in electrical engineering, Chartered status, and hands-on HV design experience, making significant contributions to numerous infrastructure projects.

Qualifications

• Degree in electrical engineering or power systems engineering.
• Chartered Engineer status or similar qualification.
• Experience in high voltage electrical design for UK substations.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed electrical design calculations for HV substations.
• Conduct short circuit and load flow studies.
• Prepare technical reports and compliance documentation.

Skills

Electrical Design

High Voltage Systems

Project Coordination

Technical Reporting

Collaboration

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Chartered Engineer status

Job description

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Principal HV Design Engineer
London/Derby/York/Bristol/Glasgow
Permanent
Office/Home Hybrid Working

Do you want to be a part of a growing team delivering sustainable electricity supplies? Can you collaborate across diverse international project teams? Are you experienced in high voltage electrical design for UK substations and cabling? Then, join us to shape a sustainable and liveable world.

Create Solutions that will enable a better tomorrow
To enable faster grid connections and resilient energy systems, we are looking for a High Voltage Engineer to join us. Your primary task will be to supervise engineering work related to the design of electrical transmission systems including substations and high voltage cabling. Your role will be focused on the design environment, which, while based in the UK, will involve interacting day-to-day with colleagues across our global hubs. There may also be opportunities to broaden your contribution to other areas within the electrical discipline in a variety of major infrastructure and energy sector settings.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• System Design & Calculations:
  Lead and perform detailed electrical design calculations for Medium and High Voltage substations and power distribution systems. This includes, but is not limited to, cable sizing, voltage drop, power factor correction, thermal analysis, earthing/grounding, and insulation coordination.
• Short Circuit & Load Flow Studies:
  Conduct short circuit, load flow, and arc flash studies using industry-standard software tools such as ETAP, Power Factory, SKM Power Tools, or equivalent.
• Protection Coordination:
  Develop protection philosophies and perform relay coordination studies for MV/HV networks. Specify and select protective relays, current and voltage transformers, and design protection schemes for substations, feeders, transformers, and other critical assets.
• Documentation & Reporting:
  Prepare technical reports, calculation summaries, protection and control single line diagrams, and relay settings documentation in accordance with relevant codes and standards (e.g., IEEE, IEC, NEC, NESC).
• Compliance & Standards:
  Ensure all designs and studies align with applicable industry standards, utility requirements, and client specifications. Actively monitor developments in codes and best practices related to MV and HV electrical systems.
• Collaboration:
  Interface effectively with project managers, clients, vendors, and multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure that all technical aspects are thoroughly addressed throughout the project life cycle.
• Quality Assurance:
  Support peer reviews, design verifications, and the technical training and mentoring of junior engineers in protection and design principles.
• Contributing towards the design of projects for a wide range of clients
• Planning design work and deliverables together with the wider project team, including civil and MEP professionals
• Development and technical assurance of design including use of relevant software
• Ensuring compliance with standards relevant to the UK power transmission industry, including District Network Operators (DNOs) and National Grid
• Coordination of multi-disciplinary aspects of projects
• Mentoring junior team members in design
• Contributing to the building of relationships with clients and other stakeholders

Your skills. Our team. Together we can design the future.
The first step to success in this role is that you are eager to collaborate with the people around you, whether they are colleagues, partners, or customers. Developing ties with others is something you do by acting respectfully and delivering on your promises. And you never get set in your ways but keep exploring new insights and ways to improve.

On top of that, you will have:

• A relevant degree in electrical engineering, power systems engineering or similar
• Chartered Engineer status or similar
• Experience working to UK District Network Operator standards. National Grid experience and authorisations such as Senior Authorised Person would be an advantage.
• Hands-on experience in designing high voltage systems 33- kV, including Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS), Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS), Power transformers in the range up to MVA, Protection & Control systems, Aux. Systems, CT/VT sizing, Earthing, bonding and lightning protection and High voltage cable systems
• Experience with systems above kV including Extra High Voltage (EHV) installations for offshore substations would be an advantage.
• Experience coordinating designs with other disciplines to create successful project outcomes
• The ability to provide technically sound solutions alone and acting as a discipline lead
• Experience of applying CDM regulations to design tasks