Underground Cable Engineer

United Infrastructure Group; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Career development toward Senior Cable

Professional membership and charterhip

Company pension scheme

25 days annual leave

Job summary

United Infrastructure Power T&D Limited is seeking an Underground Cable Designer to join the growing cable engineering team. You will support the design and delivery of 66kV–400kV underground cable projects from feasibility through to detailed design and construction support, working in a multidisciplinary environment for major UK operators.

You will contribute to cable system design, circuit calculations, and route studies, while developing further within a major EPC context.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical, Electronic, Civil or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• Around 3+ years’ underground cable design experience.
• Exposure to HV/EHV cable systems at 33kV and above.
• Knowledge of cable rating, thermal analysis and sheath bonding arrangements.
• Familiarity with ENA TS 09-09, ENA TS 41‑24, BS EN 50443 and IEC 60287.
• Ability to produce and check engineering drawings and calculations.
• Good communication skills and ability to work within a multidisciplinary team.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and check cable route drawings, installation details, joint bay layouts.
• Carry out cable rating and thermal analysis using CYMCAP, ETAP or equivalent.
• Support cable system calculations including short‑circuit ratings and sheath bonding design.
• Assist with impressed voltage and interference studies for third‑party assets.
• Produce and check cable schedules, drum schedules and jointing schedules.
• Support feasibility studies and option assessments for new-build, replacement and refurbishment schemes.
• Support the preparation of trench cross‑sections, duct arrangement drawings and reinstatement drawings.
• Assist with review of ground investigation and geotechnical information.
• Prepare route survey information for incorporation into design drawings.
• Support HDD and trenchless crossing design packages for roads and watercourses.
• Work within multidisciplinary teams to deliver designs to programme and budget.
• Attend and contribute to client design reviews.
• Maintain design deliverables in document control systems.
• Support construction teams during installation and commissioning with site visits and RFIs.

Skills

Communication skills

Engineering drawings

Teamwork

Driving licence

Design calculations

Education

Engineering degree (Electrical/Electronic/Civil/Mechanical)

Tools

CYMCAP

ETAP

Oracle/ProjectWise

Job description

United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects, across the utility and social infrastructure sectors. Our team of highly skilled and hardworking specialists deliver innovative solutions to the complex challenges our clients face. Our company is split into two business areas: Utility Infrastructure – Our team of Utility Infrastructure specialists design, build and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power and telecoms infrastructure, for the UK’s largest network owners and operators. Social Infrastructure - Our team of Social Infrastructure specialists revitalise homes and communities by carrying out a wide range of work, from retrofit to refurbishment, and maintenance.

Equal Opportunities Statement - At United Infrastructure, we are committed to making every interaction a positive and inclusive experience. If there is anything we can do to support you, remove barriers, or make the process more accessible, please let us know — we want this to be the best possible experience for you.

Location: UK Wide; Contract type: Permanent, Full Time; Experience level: Intermediate Designer, 3–5 years’ experience; Voltage Range: 66kV–400kV; Reporting To: Senior / Lead Cable Designer; Business: United Infrastructure Power T&D Limited

Role Overview

United Infrastructure Power T&D is looking for an Underground Cable Designer to join our growing cable engineering team, supporting the design and delivery of 66kV–400kV underground cable projects from feasibility through to detailed design and construction support. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team delivering projects for major UK transmission and distribution network operators, including SSE, SPEN, NGED and National Grid. This role would suit a designer with a few years of HV/EHV cable experience who is looking to develop further within a major EPC environment.

Key Responsibilities

Cable System Design

• Prepare and check cable route drawings, installation details, joint bay arrangements and sealing end compound layouts
• Carry out cable rating and thermal analysis using software such as CYMCAP, ETAP or equivalent
• Support cable system calculations including short‑circuit ratings, sheath voltage limiter sizing and cross‑bonding design
• Assist with impressed voltage and interference studies for third‑party assets
• Produce and check cable schedules, drum schedules and jointing schedules
• Support feasibility studies and option assessments for new‑build, replacement and refurbishment schemes

Civil & Installation Design

• Support the preparation of trench cross‑sections, duct arrangement drawings, joint bay details and reinstatement drawings
• Assist with the review of ground investigation and geotechnical information
• Prepare route survey information for incorporation into design drawings
• Support HDD and other trenchless crossing design packages for roads and watercourses

Project Delivery

• Work within multidisciplinary teams to deliver designs to programme and budget
• Attend and contribute to client design reviews
• Maintain design deliverables within relevant document control systems
• Support construction teams during installation and commissioning, including site visits and RFI responses
• Assist with method statements, Inspection and Test Plans and construction risk assessments

Quality & Safety

• Work in accordance with the company Quality Management System and project‑specific Design Quality Plans
• Apply safe‑by‑design principles in line with CDM 2015
• Support the preparation and maintenance of Designers Risk Assessments
• Ensure design outputs comply with relevant ENA specifications and client standards

What We’re Looking For

• Essential Degree in Electrical, Electronic, Civil or Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent
• Around 3+ years’ underground cable design experience
• Exposure to HV/EHV cable systems at 33kV and above
• Working knowledge of cable rating, thermal analysis and sheath bonding arrangements
• Familiarity with relevant standards including ENA TS 09-09, ENA TS 41‑24, BS EN 50443 and IEC 60287
• Ability to produce and check engineering drawings and calculations
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team
• Full UK driving licence
• Desirable Experience working on underground cable projects for UK DNOs or National Grid
• Desirable Exposure to 132kV or 400kV cable schemes
• Desirable Experience using CYMCAP or equivalent cable rating software
• Desirable Familiarity with HDD and trenchless technology design
• Desirable Experience with impressed voltage or electromagnetic interference studies
• Desirable Familiarity with Oracle or ProjectWise document management systems
• Desirable Working towards IEng or CEng registration with a relevant professional body such as the IET or ICE

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Hybrid working
• Structured career development towards Senior Cable Designer level
• Professional membership and chartership support
• Company pension scheme
• 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays