Lead Electrical Engineer – Cape Town

Kirby Group Engineering; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in Cape Town seeks a Lead HV Substation Design Engineer to oversee high-voltage substation projects in Europe. You will lead design efforts, ensuring compliance with international standards and mentor junior engineers. Candidates should have 8+ years of substation design experience and strong skills in AutoCAD. The role offers visibility in a collaborative environment and excellent compensation with negotiation flexibility.

Benefits

Career Development Programs

Excellent salary package

Dynamic team environment

Qualifications

• 8+ years in substation design from 110kV to 400kV.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work autonomously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full substation design scope including layouts and schematics.
• Oversee production and review of engineering drawings.
• Mentor junior engineers and support local engineering capacity.

Skills

Substation design leadership

Electrical studies (load flow, short-circuit)

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Mentorship experience

AutoCAD and Revit proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering or equivalent

Tools

AutoCAD

Revit

Bentley Substation

Job description

Lead HV Substation Design Engineer – Cape Town

• Permanent position available with a considerable portfolio of works for the next 5+ years
• To build your career by assisting in the delivery of ‘leading edge’ engineering projects.
• To work with a vibrant, agile and multi-functional team in delivering projects on time, safely, to budget and to the required quality standards.
• To benefit from Kirby’s Career Development Programmes that will enhance your leadership capability.
• To work with the best.
• Excellent package on offer with room for negotiations

About Kirby Group Engineering
Kirby Group Engineering is an international multi-disciplinary engineering services contractor and leading provider of high-value engineering services to a number of ‘blue chip’ companies. Operating across Ireland, the UK and Europe, Kirby has become the engineering service provider of choice in growth segments such as pharmaceuticals, data centres and power transmission and distribution. Our culture is innovative, collaborative and performance focused. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to grow and develop in a company committed to developing talent and rewarding performance.

Role overview:

We are seeking a highly experienced Lead HV Substation Design Engineer to join our Cape Town-based engineering team, supporting the delivery of high-voltage substation projects in Europe, including the UK and Ireland. This is a senior technical role responsible for leading multidisciplinary design efforts, ensuring engineering excellence, and aligning with international standards and European utility requirements.

About the position – Lead HV Substation Design Engineer (South Africa)
As the Lead HV Substation Design Engineer, you’ll spearhead the conceptual and detailed design of high-voltage substations (HV/MV), ensuring technical excellence, compliance with international standards, and mentorship of a growing team of local engineers.

Design Leadership:

• Lead the full substation design scope (110kV-400kV), including layouts, SLDs, protection and control schematics, busbar configurations (AIS/GIS), grounding, and cable routing.
• Oversee production and review of detailed engineering drawings, including GA, wiring diagrams, control panels, schematics, and cable schedules.
• Coordinate civil/electrical interface design for site layouts, foundations, ducts and trenches.

Project Support (European Market)

• Interpret and apply European utility specifications (e.g. National Grid UK, EirGrid, ESB Networks).
• Ensure all designs comply with international (IEC, EN) and project-specific standards.
• Collaborate with project stakeholders in Europe via remote coordination and periodic site visits.

Technical Excellence:

• Lead design reviews, HAZID/HAZOP sessions, and technical risk assessments.
• Conduct electrical studies such as load flow, short-circuit, protection coordination, and insulation coordination (using ETAP, DIgSILENT, or equivalent).
• Support substation automation, SCADA integration and protection system designs.

Compliance, QA, and Documentation:

• Maintain QA records, design documentation, and revision control aligned with ISO 9001 and project-specific requirements.
• Ensure CDM compliance and safety-by-design principles are applied throughout.

Mentorship & Team Collaboration:

• Mentor junior engineers and support the development of local engineering capacity.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams across Cape Town office and Europe to deliver high-quality, on-time engineering packages.

Necessary requirement of the Lead HV Substation Design Engineer:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical Engineering / Electrical Power Engineering or equivalent.
• 8+ years in substation design from 110kV to 400kV (AIS & GIS Substations).
• Proven leadership or mentorship experience
• Advantageous to be familiar with European utility standards and tender requirements (UK & Ireland)
• Strong familiarity with AutoCAD, Revit, Bentley Substation, or similar
• Experience working with utilities, EPCs, or large infrastructure firms within South Africa
• Understanding of EN, IEC, IEEE and applicable international standards
• Ability to manage multiple design deliverables and cross-border coordination.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work autonomously.
• High attention to detail with a commitment to safety and quality.

For more information on this Lead Substation Design Engineer/ Lead HV Electrical Engineer position or other Lead Substation Design Engineer / Lead HV Electrical Engineer opportunities based in South Africa, Ireland the UK or Europe contact theTalent Acquisition Team in Kirby Group confidentially on+353 (0)1 454 0411 or apply in confidence.