Equipment Engineer - HVDC System Design

Hitachi ABB Power Grids; Chennai District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 6,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Hitachi ABB Power Grids in Chennai, India, is seeking a senior electrical engineer with 10+ years of experience in high-voltage equipment, switchgear, HVDC, or power transmission to own main circuit equipment from specification through testing and commissioning.

You will assess supplier designs, develop technical specifications, and lead technical discussions with suppliers across worldwide projects. Strong IEC 62271/HVDC knowledge and travel readiness are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, High Voltage Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in high-voltage electrical equipment, switchgear, HVDC, or power transmission projects.

Responsibilities

• Take technical ownership of assigned main circuit equipment throughout the project lifecycle.
• Define equipment requirements and develop/review technical specifications.
• Evaluate supplier designs, deviations, calculations, and technical proposals.
• Lead technical discussions with suppliers and resolve engineering issues.
• Review and approve design documentation, test plans, test reports, and qualification evidence.
• Support type testing, routine testing, factory acceptance testing, and site-related technical activities.
• Identify technical risks and ensure appropriate mitigation actions.
• Support standardization, design optimization, and continuous improvement of equipment.

Skills

Electrical power systems

High-voltage equipment

Switchgear

HVDC

Power transmission

Education

Electrical Engineering (Bachelors or Masters)

Job description

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, High Voltage Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Strong academic and practical understanding of electrical power systems and high-voltage equipment.

Professional Experience

• 10+ years of experience in high-voltage electrical equipment, switchgear, HVDC, or power transmission projects.
• Hands-on experience with main circuit equipment, such as:
  • Disconnectors and earthing switches
  • High-speed switches
  • Commutating switches
  • Surge arresters
  • Current transformers and voltage transformers
  • Grading and insulation systems
• Experience in HVDC projects, equipment design, engineering, testing, qualification, or commissioning is preferred.
• Experience working with equipment suppliers and participating in technical reviews, design reviews, and resolution of technical issues.

Technical Knowledge

• Good knowledge of IEC and relevant international standards, particularly IEC 62271 series and applicable HVDC standards.
• Understanding of:
  • Short-circuit phenomena and breaker duties
  • TRV and recovery voltage
  • Making and breaking currents
  • DC time constant and DC component
  • Switching transients and point-on-wave switching
  • Insulation coordination
  • Dielectric and temperature-rise requirements
  • Mechanical and electrical endurance
  • Type, routine, and special tests
• Ability to understand and review electrical schematics, technical specifications, datasheets, type-test reports, and design calculations.
• Knowledge of HVDC converter stations and the interaction between main circuit equipment and the overall HVDC system.

Technical Responsibilities

• Take technical ownership of assigned main circuit equipment throughout the project lifecycle.
• Define equipment requirements and develop/review technical specifications.
• Evaluate supplier designs, deviations, calculations, and technical proposals.
• Lead technical discussions with suppliers and resolve engineering issues.
• Review and approve design documentation, test plans, test reports, and qualification evidence.
• Support type testing, routine testing, factory acceptance testing, and site-related technical activities.
• Identify technical risks and ensure appropriate mitigation actions.
• Support standardization, design optimization, and continuous improvement of equipment.

Commercial & Affordability Awareness

• Understand the relationship between equipment design, technical requirements, cost, quality, and reliability.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and design-to-cost/affordability improvements without compromising safety, performance, or reliability.
• Support supplier benchmarking, specification optimization, and value-engineering initiatives.
• Ability to challenge unnecessary technical requirements and propose technically sound alternatives.
• Ability to work effectively with system engineering, project engineering, procurement, quality, manufacturing, testing, and R&D teams.
• Strong supplier and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lead technical reviews and drive actions to closure.
• Good communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical subjects clearly.
• Ability to work in a global, multicultural engineering environment.

Desired Skills

• Strong problem-solving and analytical capability.
• Proactive approach to identifying technical risks and opportunities.
• Ability to work independently and make technically justified decisions.
• Good documentation and presentation skills.
• Experience with engineering tools, Excel, data analysis, and technical reporting.
• Willingness to travel internationally for supplier visits, testing, workshops, and project activities.

Preferred Profile

The ideal candidate should combine strong practical HV/high-voltage equipment experience with system-level understanding, and should be capable of independently challenging designs, validating supplier claims, identifying technical risks, and taking ownership of equipment performance from specification through testing and project delivery.

We are a global leader in electrification, powering the electricity era to meet the energy demands of today, and the next 25 years. As the energy arm of Hitachi Group, over three billion people depend on our pioneering, mission-critical technologies to power their daily lives.

With over a century of innovation, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time: driving the evolution of the world’s energy system to ensure abundant, secure, affordable, and sustainable power for today’s generation and the next.

With an unparalleled installed base in over 140 countries, we are the grid ecosystem partner across the utility, industry, data center, and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 56,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $20 billion USD.