Senior Engineer, Electrical Planning and Design

National Grid; Northborough (MA); On-site; USD 134,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

National Grid is seeking a Senior Engineer (Electrical Planning and Design) in Northborough, MA to drive digital substation standards and integration across protection, control, and communications systems. The role collaborates with IT/OT, operations, and project teams to modernize grid infrastructure and ensure regulatory compliance.

The position requires a strong background in IEC 61850, protection and control, and substation automation, with a proven ability to lead technical initiatives and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology from an ABET-accredited institution required.
• Five years of progressive engineering experience in electric utility, power systems, substation automation, or related environments; Master’s may substitute for one year.
• Knowledge of IEC 61850 standards and digital substation applications; familiarity with protection, control, SCADA, station bus and process bus networks.
• Working knowledge of IEEE, ANSI, NERC, NESC, NEC standards.
• EIT certification and/or PE licensure preferred.
• Experience with electric power transmission and distribution facilities and protection/control systems.
• Familiarity with protective relays and IEDs; relay settings, configuration, testing.
• Experience with digital substation technologies and networked protection/control systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio).
• Familiarity with MicroStation and electrical design tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical development and advancement of IEC 61850 standards across protection, control, SCADA, and substation communications.
• Provide technical leadership for IEC 61850-based digital substation initiatives within the capital portfolio.
• Develop, maintain, and govern digital substation reference architectures and engineering design guidance.
• Lead configuration development and testing in the digital substation lab, FAT, interoperability validation, and commissioning readiness.
• Represent the Company in industry forums and standards committees.
• Provide mentorship and knowledge-sharing to engineering teams.
• Support operational reliability during system events and coordinate with relevant orgs for timely restoration.

Skills

IEC 61850

Digital substation

Transmission & distribution

Protective relays

IEDs knowledge

IEEE/ANSI/NERC/NEC

Communication skills

Travel readiness

MS Office

MicroStation

Education

ABET-accredited Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

MicroStation

MS Office software

Job description

About Us

Superpowered. Meaningful work. Human impact. A story we're proud to tell. This is what matters to us at National Grid. In a world of complexity and unanswered questions, there is one thing we're certain about: The power of our people.

About Us

Superpowered. Meaningful work. Human impact. A story we're proud to tell. This is what matters to us at National Grid. In a world of complexity and unanswered questions, there is one thing we're certain about: The power of our people.

National Grid is hiring a Senior Engineer (Electrical Planning and Design), Electrical Engineering for Northboro, Massachusetts.

Job Purpose

Senior Engineers at National Grid play a pivotal role in ensuring the reliability, safety, and efficiency of our electric transmission and distribution systems. In Digital Substation roles, Senior Engineers develop standards, design and integrate protection, control, and communications systems, manage asset strategies, and support the deployment of advanced digital technologies. They collaborate across engineering, operations, IT/OT, and project teams to support the construction, maintenance, and operation of modern substations, advancing grid modernization objectives and regulatory compliance.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the technical development, application, and continuous advancement of IEC 61850 standards, ensuring consistent and reliable implementation across protection, control, SCADA, and substation communication systems in partnership with internal stakeholders.
• Provide technical leadership for IEC 61850-based digital substation initiatives within the capital portfolio, supporting engineering design, system integration, testing strategies, risk management, and issue resolution throughout all phases of project execution.
• Develop, maintain, and govern digital substation reference architectures, configuration standards, and engineering design guidance, including station bus and process bus architectures, time synchronization, interoperability, network performance, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Lead configuration development and testing activities within the digital substation laboratory environment, supporting Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), interoperability validation, proof-of-concept evaluations, commissioning readiness, and complex technical troubleshooting.
• Serve as the Company's subject matter expert and representative in industry forums, standards committees, and working groups, contributing to the evolution of industry standards, emerging technologies, and digital substation best practices.
• Provide technical mentorship, guidance, and knowledge-sharing support to engineering and technical teams, fostering organizational capability, technical excellence, and consistency in digital substation design, deployment, and maintenance.
• Support the operational reliability of digital substations by providing technical expertise during system events, emergency response activities, and incident investigations. Coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, Protection & Control, Telecommunications, and System Control organizations to analyze anomalies, support testing activities, and facilitate timely system restoration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Electrical Engineering Technology from an ABET-accredited institution required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive engineering experience in electric utility, power systems, asset management, substation automation, protection and control, or related equipment manufacturing environments. A Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline may be considered in lieu of one (1) year of experience.
• Knowledge of IEC 61850 standards and digital substation applications preferred, including familiarity with protection and control systems, SCADA integration, process bus, station bus, and substation communications networks.
• Working knowledge of applicable IEEE, ANSI, NERC, NESC, and National Electrical Code (NEC) standards and requirements.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification and/or Professional Engineer (PE) licensure preferred.
• Experience with electric power transmission and distribution facilities, with a strong understanding of protection systems, control systems, substation automation, and troubleshooting methodologies.
• Familiarity with protective relays and Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), including relay settings development, parameter configuration, logic programming, testing, and commissioning activities, preferred.
• Experience with digital substation technologies, communications protocols, networked protection and control systems, or related automation platforms preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Visio.
• Familiarity with engineering design tools such as MicroStation and experience supporting electrical panel, relay, communication cabinet, or control house design activities preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders through strong verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate across diverse teams while providing technical leadership and influencing engineering decisions.
• Valid driver's license with a driving record that meets company safe driving requirements and the ability to travel throughout the service territory and industry events as needed.

More Information

Salary - $134,000 - $157,000

This position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills. Candidates will be assessed and provided offers against the minimum qualifications of this role and their individual experience.

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience and expertise. We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve. National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.