Associate Director- Protection & Control

Jacobs; Chennai District; Hybrid; INR 11,533,000 - 16,658,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Flexible working hours

Extended leave options

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Principal Engineer – Protection & Control to lead FEED and detailed design across HV projects (132–400 kV) for transmission and renewables. You will drive interface design, protection schemes, and control philosophies while guiding multidisciplinary teams toward compliant, high-quality deliverables.

You will influence technical strategy, support bids, and engage with clients, with a focus on safety, governance, and risk management within a flexible, hybrid working

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer through the IET.
• National Grid Contractor Design Approval Engineer (CDAE).
• TP141 Authorization (Protection & Control).

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on FEED and detailed design for Protection & Control systems across transmission/renewables.
• Lead interface design, protection schemes, control philosophies, and settings coordination.
• Oversee assurance, quality and timely delivery of design packages and bids.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of P&C engineers.
• Monitor and improve team billability, utilization, and performance metrics.
• Lead major bids and proposals, aiding technical strategy and client engagement.
• Undertake site visits and non-intrusive surveys as required for design/site support.
• Chair design reviews, hazard reviews, and technical governance meetings.

Skills

P&C leadership

HV design 132-400kV

Lifecycle management

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering

Chartered Engineer (IET)

TP141 Authorization (P&C)

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Jacobs is playing a leading role in the global energy transition. As our UK and Continental Europe team continues to expand, we are seeking a Senior Principal Engineer – Protection & Control to support a range of high-profile projects across our Power & Energy portfolio. This includes high voltage AIS and GIS Substations, transmission system assets, HVDC interconnectors, and energy storage systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership on FEED and detailed design workstreams for Protection & Control systems across transmission and renewable energy projects
• Lead interface design, protection schemes, control philosophies, and settings coordination
• Oversee technical assurance, quality control, and timely delivery of design packages and bids
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of engineering talent within the P&C discipline
• Monitor and improve team billability, utilisation, and performance metrics
• Lead major bids and proposals, contributing to technical strategy, resource planning, and client engagement
• Undertake site visits and non-intrusive surveys as required for design or site support
• Chair design reviews, hazard reviews, and technical governance meetings
• Identify and manage technical risks, ensuring compliance with CDM and safety standards
• Represent Jacobs in client meetings and industry forums, influencing standards and best practices
• Support succession planning and capability growth across the P&C team.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer through the IET.
• National Grid Contractor Design Approval Engineer (CDAE).
• TP141 Authorization (Protection & Control)

Skills & Experience

• Extensive experience in P&C FEED and detailed design for high-voltage installations (132kV–400kV)
• Strong knowledge of National Grid and SSE design processes and standards
• Experience across the full project lifecycle from feasibility to detailed design
• Familiarity with protection and control systems for DNOs, BESS, windfarms, and HVDC
• Proven leadership in managing multidisciplinary engineering teams and complex programmes
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and strategic thinking skills
• Commercial awareness and ability to contribute to business growth and client retention.

Work-life balance and flexibility is a key focus area for Jacobs. Our core Energy and Power team is based across Jacobs’ offices in London, Birmingham, Reading, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow or Exeter. However, with offices throughout the UK, we can be flexible about location and are happy to discuss hybrid, part-time and flexible working hours to suit you and our business.

AtJacobs we value people. Having the right balance of belonging, career and lifestyle enables us to consistently deliver and exceed clients’ expectations.

Working alongside industry leaders, you will have the opportunity to develop your career working on key projects in an environment which encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation. To support your professional growth, Jacobs flexible working arrangements, extended leave options and a host of social, health and wellbeing events and initiatives will underpin our commitment to you.

At Jacobs it’s all about what you do, not where you are, which counts!

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.