Technical Specialist - Distribution Automation (APAC)

Hitachi Energy; Petaling Jaya; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Hitachi Energy is seeking a Technical Specialist – Distribution Automation in Malaysia to support technical qualification, product approvals, and customer engagement across APAC. The role requires collaboration with utilities, EPCs, and system integrators to design robust distribution automation solutions.

Based in Malaysia with travel across APAC, you will provide expertise in protection and control, substation automation, and communication protocols while aligning with global product

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in power systems, protection and control, distribution automation, substation automation, or related utility environments.
• Strong knowledge of protection relays is highly preferred.
• Experience working with utilities, EPCs, system integrators, or electrical network operators.
• Understanding of SCADA, RTU, IEC 61850, DNP3, IEC 60870-5, Modbus, or related communication protocols is advantageous.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese is required to support customers, business partners, and stakeholders across the APAC region.

Responsibilities

• Support technical qualification activities for Distribution Automation opportunities across APAC.
• Engage with utilities, consultants, end users, and engineering stakeholders to understand requirements and secure product approvals.
• Provide technical expertise on Distribution Automation, protection and control, substation automation, and related power system solutions.
• Collaborate with country sales teams to identify opportunities and develop solution recommendations.
• Conduct technical presentations, workshops, product demonstrations, and customer training sessions.
• Support bid/no-bid assessments, technical reviews, and customer-facing discussions.
• Build strong relationships with customers, channel partners, system integrators, utilities, and internal stakeholders across the region.

Skills

Protection relays

SCADA

IEC 61850

DNP3

Modbus

Stakeholder management

Pre-sales

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

IEC 61850

DNP3

IEC 60870-5

Modbus

Job description

Our Grid Automation business unit delivers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions across substation automation, communication networks, protection and control, grid edge technologies, and enterprise software. As part of the continued expansion of our Distribution Automation business across Asia Pacific, we are seeking a Technical Specialist – Distribution Automation to support the growth of our distribution portfolio and help utilities build more reliable, efficient, and secure power networks.

Reporting to the Distribution Automation Sales Manager, you will play a key role in the pre-sales process, working closely with customers, utilities, country sales teams, and engineering stakeholders across the region. You will support technical qualification activities, product approvals, and customer engagement to ensure Hitachi Energy solutions meet customer and utility requirements.

This position is based in Malaysia and supports multiple countries across the APAC region, including Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines. Flexibility to travel is therefore required.

How you'll make an impact

• Support technical pre-qualification activities for Distribution Automation opportunities across APAC.
• Engage with utilities, consultants, end users, and engineering stakeholders to understand technical requirements and secure product approvals.
• Provide technical expertise on Distribution Automation, protection and control, substation automation, communication networks, and related power system solutions.
• Collaborate with country sales teams to identify opportunities, evaluate technical requirements, and develop solution recommendations.
• Conduct technical presentations, workshops, product demonstrations, and customer training sessions.
• Support bid/no-bid assessments, technical reviews, and customer-facing technical discussions.
• Build strong relationships with customers, channel partners, system integrators, utilities, and internal stakeholders across the region.
• Maintain effective technical alignment with global product management and factory teams.
• Ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, integrity, and regulatory requirements.
• Live Hitachi Energy's core values of safety and integrity, taking responsibility for your actions while caring for your colleagues and the business.

Your background

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in power systems, protection and control, distribution automation, substation automation, or related utility environments.
• Strong knowledge of protection relays is highly preferred.
• Experience working with utilities, EPCs, system integrators, or electrical network operators.
• Understanding of SCADA, RTU, IEC 61850, DNP3, IEC 60870-5, Modbus, or related communication protocols is advantageous.
• Experience in pre-sales is beneficial but not essential. Candidates from application engineering, commissioning, service engineering, technical support, or power system engineering backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage technical and commercial audiences.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese is required to support customers, business partners, and stakeholders across the APAC region.
• Comfortable supporting customers across multiple countries within the APAC region.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25% across APAC.