Primary Design Engineer

Access Talent Group; Lisboa; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Access Talent Group is seeking an experienced Primary Design Engineer to lead the primary electrical design and layout of AIS and GIS HV substations for data centre and industrial clients across Europe. Based in Lisbon or Porto, you will collaborate with civil, structural, and protection teams to deliver safe, constructible designs.

You will develop busbar layouts, verify equipment spacing, and produce general arrangements while ensuring IEC standards and project specs are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 5+ years’ experience in primary HV substation design.
• Experience with AIS and/or GIS substation design.
• Strong knowledge of HV equipment arrangements, physical layouts and clearance management.
• Knowledge of insulation coordination and IEC standards.

Responsibilities

• Design AIS and GIS HV substation layouts and primary equipment arrangements.
• Develop busbar configurations, equipment spacing and safety clearances.
• Produce general arrangements, layouts, sections and elevations.
• Design GIS interfaces including cable sealing ends, bushings and transformer connections.
• Support MV distribution and switchgear room layouts for data centre projects.
• Coordinate primary equipment with protection, automation and SCADA systems.
• Support specification and selection of transformers, switchgear, busbars and cable systems.
• Coordinate designs with civil and structural engineering teams.
• Participate in engineering reviews and support construction/as-built documentation.
• Ensure designs comply with IEC standards, project specifications, grid requirements and safety requirements.

Skills

HV substation design

AIS/GIS design

English communication

Insulation coordination

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Tools

PRIMTECH

Revit

ETAP

Job description

Primary Design Engineer – HV Substations

We are looking for an experienced Primary Design Engineer to join a growing engineering team delivering major HV/MV substation projects for data centre and industrial clients across Scandinavia.

Based in Lisbon or Porto, this is a strong long-term opportunity with significant potential for career progression and the opportunity to grow within a rapidly expanding company.

The Role

You will be responsible for the primary electrical design and physical layout of AIS and GIS high-voltage substations, working closely with civil, structural, secondary and protection teams to deliver safe, technically sound and constructable designs.

Key Responsibilities

• Design AIS and GIS HV substation layouts and primary equipment arrangements.
• Develop busbar configurations, equipment spacing and safety clearances.
• Produce general arrangements, layouts, sections and elevations.
• Design GIS interfaces including cable sealing ends, bushings and transformer connections.
• Support MV distribution and switchgear room layouts for data centre projects.
• Coordinate primary equipment with protection, automation and SCADA systems.
• Support specification and selection of transformers, switchgear, busbars and cable systems.
• Coordinate designs with civil and structural engineering teams.
• Participate in engineering reviews and support construction/as-built documentation.
• Ensure designs comply with IEC standards, project specifications, grid requirements and safety requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
• 5+ years’ experience in primary HV substation design.
• Experience with AIS and/or GIS substation design.
• Strong knowledge of HV equipment arrangements, physical layouts and clearance management.
• Experience with PRIMTECH and/or Revit.
• Good understanding of HV/MV equipment, transformers, switchgear and busbars.
• Knowledge of insulation coordination and IEC standards.
• ETAP experience is advantageous.
• Data centre or industrial electrical infrastructure experience is a plus.
• Strong English communication skills; Portuguese is advantageous.
• Based in or willing to work from Lisbon or Porto, Portugal.
• EU citizenship preferred due to occasional travel across Scandinavia.

Why Join?

• Work on major HV substation projects supporting the Scandinavian data centre market.
• Exposure to complex AIS/GIS and multidisciplinary engineering projects.
• Long-term opportunity within a growing business.
• Strong opportunities for career progression and increased responsibility.
• Based in Lisbon or Porto, with international project exposure.

Salary: Competitive Sector: Datacentre, Renewables Contract Type: Full time Town/City: Lisbon or Porto

Join a growing engineering team in Lisbon or Porto, managing project documentation for major HV substation developments powering hyperscale data centres across Europe.

Salary: Competitive Sector: Datacentre, Renewables Contract Type: Full time Town/City: Lisbon or Porto

Be part of a specialist team delivering cutting-edge HV substation projects for some of Europe's largest hyperscale data centres, offering exciting technical challenges, long-term career growth, and an excellent package in Lisbon or Porto.

Salary: Competitive Sector: Datacentre, Renewables Contract Type: Full time Town/City: Lisbon or Porto

Join a fast-growing team delivering cutting-edge HV substation projects for Europe's largest data centres, offering long-term career progression, exciting technical challenges, and an excellent package in Lisbon or Porto.

Salary: Competitive Sector: Datacentre, Renewables Contract Type: Full time Town/City: Lisbon/Porto

Shape the future of Europe's data centre infrastructure by designing next-generation HV substation automation systems, with long-term career growth and a pipeline of landmark projects ahead.