Senior Overhead Line Design Engineer - Great Grid Upgrade

Arup; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits for health and wellbeing

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Profit Share

Job summary

Arup is seeking a Senior Overhead Line Design Engineer to join their transmission and distribution team. This role focuses on leading and delivering OHL design packages across various voltage levels, ensuring high-quality design outputs and mentoring junior engineers.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in a relevant engineering discipline and experience in overhead line design within transmission and distribution projects. Join Arup and contribute to modernizing the UK's electricity network.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in overhead line design.
• Strong understanding of transmission and distribution projects.
• Experience in consultancy or major infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation and checking of feasibility studies.
• Deliver detailed OHL design activities.
• Produce drawings and digital design outputs.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Support management of project deliverables.
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers.
• Contribute to continuous improvement and innovation.

Skills

Overhead line design

Transmission and distribution projects

PLS-CADD

Communication skills

Technical leadership

Education

Degree in engineering discipline

Chartered or working towards chartership

Tools

CAD

Industry-standard design software

Job description

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach have set us apart for over 80 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Arup delivers transmission and distribution design projects globally. In the UK, we work across the full project lifecycle, from initial concepts through to detailed design, supporting a wide range of clients including established asset owners and new market entrants such as interconnectors and private wire schemes.

As part of this, Arup has formed a joint venture with AECOM as a design and consenting partner for National Grid’s Great Grid Partnership. Over the coming decade, this programme will play a key role in modernising the UK’s electricity network, enabling the connection of renewable energy and supporting the transition to net zero.

These projects form part of the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment (ASTI) programme, helping to strengthen the UK’s energy infrastructure and deliver a more resilient, low‑carbon network for the future.

Roles are available across multiple UK office locations.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Overhead Line (OHL) Design Engineer to join our growing transmission and distribution team. This role is suited to engineers with proven experience in overhead line design who are ready to take on increased responsibility in project delivery and technical leadership.

You will lead and deliver OHL design packages across a range of voltage levels (typically 33kV–400kV+), working within multidisciplinary teams on major infrastructure projects including the Great Grid Partnership. You will play a key role in shaping technical solutions, supporting junior engineers, and ensuring high‑quality, compliant design outputs.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading the preparation and checking of feasibility studies, design reports, and technical documentation
• Delivering and overseeing detailed OHL design activities including routing, profiling, and design calculations
• Producing and reviewing drawings, models, and digital design outputs using relevant CAD and specialist tools
• Coordinating with multidisciplinary teams and external stakeholders to deliver integrated design solutions
• Supporting the management of project deliverables to programme, budget, and quality requirements
• Providing technical guidance and mentoring to junior engineers
• Contributing to continuous improvement, innovation, and digital design approaches within the team

Is this role right for you?

We are interested in candidates with demonstrated experience in overhead line design and a strong understanding of transmission and distribution projects.

You Are Likely To Have Experience In

• OHL design principles across EHV systems (33kV–400kV+)
• Tools such as PLS‑CADD and other industry‑standard design software
• Sag & tension calculations, line profiling, and routing optimisation
• Structural concepts relating to towers, foundations, and line components
• Engineering design delivery within consultancy or contractor environments
• Technical checking and assurance of design outputs

You Will Also Demonstrate

• The ability to take ownership of technical deliverables and contribute to project leadership
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage clients and stakeholders
• A collaborative approach and willingness to support team development

We Are Looking For

• A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant engineering discipline
• Chartered or working towards within 12 months
• Experience in overhead line design within transmission and distribution
• Progression towards professional qualification (e.g. working towards or recently achieved chartership)
• Strong technical, analytical, and problem‑solving skills
• The ability to work independently while contributing to a wider team
• Experience in consultancy or major infrastructure projects is highly desirable

What We Offer You

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together. Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success.

As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We also provide Private Medical Insurance, Life Assurance, Accident Insurance and Income Protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to support your wellbeing and individual needs.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application and for the duration of employment. Any offer made will be subject to satisfactory proof of immigration status.