Principal Protection Engineer

Worley; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global professional services company is seeking a Principal Protection Engineer in the UK to lead protection system designs for large-scale renewable energy projects. You will provide technical leadership, collaborate with teams, and conduct studies to enhance power systems. The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, experience in protection design, and strong analytical skills. This role includes flexible working options and a competitive employment package to support work-life balance.

Benefits

Competitive employment package

Flexible working conditions

Paid parental leave program

Opportunity for additional leave

Qualifications

• Experience in protection and primary design, from concept through construction.
• Ability to lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams.
• Strong understanding of power networks and regulatory environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to the engineering and design team.
• Design and implement protection and control systems for transmission and distribution.
• Conduct fault studies using various software.

Skills

Technical leadership

HV switchyard Secondary Design

Electrical Protection Design

Power System Analysis

Excellent communication skills

Education

Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PowerFactory

ETAP

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Description - Principal Protection Engineer (AUC0035)Management Level : Individual Contributor :

About the job

Worley has made significant gains in the renewable energy sector within New Zealand. Our recent projects include utility scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and solar. We are providing electrical design services to the distribution industry and industrial clients with large electrical loads.

We’re looking for a Lead Protection Engineer to join our team in Auckland although New Plymouth, Christchurch or Wellington could also be considered. As a Lead Protection Engineer, you will complete tasks associated with protection such as leading concept studies, preparing cost estimates, front-end design, detailed engineering design, developing subcontractor scopes, commissioning and reporting to clients on various brownfields and greenfield projects.

Protection engineers sit at the heart of New Zealand’s energy future. Every major transmission or grid-integrated power project relies on robust protection systems to ensure reliability, safety, and security of supply. Our expertise in this field directly shapes the nation’s most critical energy infrastructure—making our work not just valuable, but essential for progress.

Supporting grid infrastructure growth across New Zealand’s evolving energy sector, it is undergoing rapid transformation, with our Power Team delivering high-profile solutions in large-scale solar systems, battery storage, and advanced grid infrastructure across the country. As we connect new assets to the national grid, we remain committed to ensuring security of supply through robust protection engineering and accredited signatory sign-off.

Our team partners with major Electrical Distribution Businesses to maintain and upgrade their networks, supported by long-term contracts for substation upgrades and both primary and secondary design services.

To support this growth, we are establishing a dedicated protection and primary design team—bringing together technical experts passionate about shaping New Zealand’s power landscape.

When you work for us, you get the chance to join nearly 50,000 people all driven by a common purpose – delivering a more sustainable world. We’re excited about the challenges ahead. If you ask us, there’s never been a more rewarding time to work in the energy, chemical and resources sectors.

We offer a flexible approach to working, because our people are safer, healthier, and more productive when they can balance work with life. That’s why we offer flexible and hybrid working options, so you can choose when, where and how you work.

Who we are

Worley is a global professional services company. We deliver an exceptionally diverse range of services to a wide range of customers across the Energy, Resources and Chemicals sectors.

Our New Zealand team of approximately 250 professionals are backed up by a global team of nearly 50,000 people, all driven by a common purpose - delivering a more sustainable world.

We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value over the life of their portfolio of assets. We solve complex problems by finding integrated data-centric solutions from the first stages of engineering and consulting to the last stages of installation and commissioning.

Join us and help drive innovation and sustainability in our projects.

What you’ll do

• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to the engineering and design team.
• Help to drive a culture of ‘doing it right first time’ and delivering practical engineering solutions.
• Hands‑on design opportunities and the chance to utilise your business development and mentorship skills.
• Collaborate with other disciplines on a variety of projects and drive delivery excellence in the power sector.
• Design and implement protection and control systems for transmission and distribution systems across ANZ with voltages up to 500 kV.
• Conduct fault studies using software such as PowerFactory, PSSE and PSCAD.
• Deliver concept, FEED and detailed designs for protection schemes.
• Review of protection schemes inclusive of R & I diagrams, detailed schematics and protection settings.

What you’ll have

Our immediate priority is to appoint an experienced Protection Engineer who will serve as the technical anchor and team builder for our expanding portfolio. The ideal candidate will have :

• Worked in protection and primary design, from concept through construction.
• The ability to lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams.
• A strong understanding of power networks and regulatory environments.
• Professional presence to represent Worley with key customers.
• Bachelor of Engineering (BE or equivalent qualification) in Electrical Engineering.
• Progression towards CPEng registration in New Zealand, if not already registered.
• Extensive knowledge of the fundamental requirements of electrical engineering with a focus on protection schemes, power system analysis and secondary design.
• A sound knowledge of applicable local standards, statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Specific types of skills that would benefit our Worley team : HV switchyard Secondary DesignElectrical Protection DesignPower System AnalysisEarthing DesignHV / MV Switchboard Secondary Design
• Excellent communication, analytical and problem solving skills.
• Have experience with PowerFactory. Experience with ETAP, CYMCAP and CDEGS would be advantageous.
• Ideally, you will have experience with software such as Smart Plant Electrical (SPE), Autodesk Plant 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks or similar design packages.
• Ideally, have construction and commissioning experience.
• Highly effective technical and practical engineering skills and ability to consistently deliver quality, accurate and timely work to Worley and its customers.
• Experience in renewable energy (solar, wind and BESS) and High Voltage systems.
• A number of years’ experience in protection systems.

Why you should apply

• We offer a competitive employment package.
• Flexible working conditions.
• Paid parental leave program.
• Ability to purchase additional leave.
• Supported by both a local and globally connected team.
• Opportunity to work on a variety of diverse and exciting projects as we transition to a more sustainable world.

Moving forward together

At Worley we want our people to be energised and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values‑inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection, and innovation.

We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity and are committed to promoting fairness, equity and diversity in its workplace hence we encourage applications from people with a variety of experience and backgrounds. We’re building a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

Whatever your ambition, there’s a path for you here. And there’s no barrier to your potential career success. Apply today.