Senior Primary Substation Electrical Engineer

TLI Group; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

TLI Group in Dublin is seeking a Senior Primary Substation Electrical Engineer to design HV/MV substations and lead a small design team. The role offers hybrid working from the Dublin office with occasional travel to Waterford, Limerick or Cork.

You will own primary design activities, review deliverables, and ensure compliance with ESB/EirGrid and safety standards while mentoring junior engineers and contributing to tender submissions.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in HV/MV primary design.
• Proven experience delivering primary design on utility or large-scale infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of primary substation design for HV/MV projects, including SLDs, layouts, equipment specifications, and design calculations.
• Develop and review primary design deliverables, ensuring compliance with client requirements, industry standards, and best practice.
• Act as the technical authority for primary design, maintaining engineering standards, templates, and procedures.
• Perform design reviews, checking, and technical verification of internal and external engineering outputs.
• Provide technical support throughout project delivery, construction, testing, and commissioning phases.
• Identify value engineering opportunities and drive continuous improvement in design quality, standardisation, and efficiency.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineers within the team.
• Contribute technical expertise to tender submissions, estimates, and client engagements.
• Promote a strong safety-first culture and stay up to date with industry developments and emerging technologies.

Skills

Leadership & mentoring

Communication skills

Planning & organisation

Multitasking

Independent contributor

Education

Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Primtech

Job description

Job Introduction

As part of the continued growth of the Engineering Team at TLI Group, we are currently recruiting a Senior Primary Substation Electrical Engineer to join the team. The successful candidate will be based in our Dublin office, with flexibility to work from Waterford, Limerick or Cork. Travel to site may be required occasionally; however, this is primarily an office-based (hybrid) design role.

As a Senior Primary Substation Electrical Engineer, you will play a key role in the design and delivery of Primary Designs for HV/MV substations across major Power, Renewables and Utilities projects. You will take ownership of design activities, be involved in technical decision-making, and provide mentoring and technical guidance to junior engineers. You will ensure that designs comply with the required technical, quality, safety and regulatory standards.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of primary substation design for HV/MV projects, including SLDs, layouts, equipment specifications, and design calculations.
• Develop and review primary design deliverables, ensuring compliance with client requirements, industry standards, and best practice.
• Act as the technical authority for primary design, maintaining engineering standards, templates, and procedures.
• Perform design reviews, checking, and technical verification of internal and external engineering outputs.
• Provide technical support throughout project delivery, construction, testing, and commissioning phases.
• Identify value engineering opportunities and drive continuous improvement in design quality, standardisation, and efficiency.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineers within the team.
• Contribute technical expertise to tender submissions, estimates, and client engagements.
• Promote a strong safety-first culture and remain up to date with industry developments and emerging technologies.

Role Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Honours Degree (or higher) in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in Primary Design for HV/MV substations.
• Proven experience delivering Primary Design on utility or large-scale infrastructure projects.

Technical Knowledge

• Expert-level proficiency in AutoCAD (minimum 5 years) for substation design.
• Strong experience in design for HV/MV substations.
• Knowledge of:
• Substation specifications and Irish/International standards
• Substation primary design requirements and equipment
• AIS and GIS substation design.
• Earthing systems and lightning protection.
• Substation layouts and electrical clearances.
• ESB Networks and EirGrid design standards.
• Familiarity with ESB Networks and/or EirGrid specifications and standards is highly advantageous.
• Experience with Primtech and other substation design tools is beneficial.

Skills

• Strong understanding of design-to-construction interfaces.
• Ability to technically lead and mentor a small design team.
• Excellent communication, organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.
• Capable of working independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team.

Attitudes & Behaviours

• Strong alignment with TLI Group’s Mission, Vision and Values.
• Safety-first mindset with a right-first-time approach.
• Professional, customer-focused and collaborative.
• Honest, ethical and accountable.
• Open to innovation and continuous improvement.
• Proactive, forward-thinking and solution-oriented.