Principal Protection & Control Engineer

Hunter Philips Executive Search; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Hunter Philips Executive Search is seeking a Principal Protection & Control Engineer to lead design assurance across UK HV transmission projects.

You will review protection schemes, relay settings and substation control interfaces, ensuring designs meet IEC 61850 standards and National Grid requirements.

The role includes mentoring teams, resolving design issues, and coordinating with clients and equipment suppliers across multiple projects.

Qualifications

• Experienced in protection and control engineering on UK HV transmission projects.
• Proven ability to perform design reviews, assurance, or technical approvals.
• Strong knowledge of protection schemes, numerical relays, substations, and IEC 61850 standards.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve protection and control designs for HV substations, including protection schemes, schematics, relay settings and interfaces.
• Provide technical assurance throughout the project lifecycle, resolving design issues and managing technical risks.
• Ensure compliance with UK transmission network requirements and IEC standards.
• Support design reviews, respond to technical queries, and liaise with clients, contractors and equipment suppliers.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance across project teams.

Skills

Protection & Control

Design review

Protection schemes

Numerical relays

IEC 61850

UK transmission standards

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer status desirable

Job description

Location: UK | Transmission Projects

We are seeking a Principal Protection & Control Engineer to lead design assurance across UK high-voltage transmission projects, ensuring designs are technically robust and meet client specifications and relevant standards.

Key responsibilities:

• Review and approve protection and control designs for HV substations, including protection schemes, schematics, relay settings and control interfaces.
• Provide technical assurance throughout the project lifecycle, resolving design issues and managing technical risks.
• Ensure compliance with UK transmission network requirements and IEC standards.
• Support design reviews, technical queries and interfaces with clients, contractors and equipment suppliers.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance across project teams.

Requirements:

• Strong protection and control engineering experience on UK transmission projects, ideally at 132–400 kV.
• Proven experience in design review, assurance or technical approval.
• Sound knowledge of protection schemes, numerical relays, substation control systems and IEC 61850.
• Familiarity with National Grid, SSEN Transmission or SP Energy Networks specifications.
• Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent; Chartered Engineer status desirable.