Principal Primary Plant Design Engineer

Balfour; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction firm in the UK is recruiting for a Principal Primary Plant Design Engineer. This role involves leading the design delivery for high voltage electrical substations up to 400 kV. Candidates should have a graduate qualification in Electrical Engineering and at least 10 years of experience in a design office, along with strong leadership capabilities. This position offers flexible working options including remote work and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Smart working flexibility

25 days paid annual leave

Family friendly policies

Pension and share incentive plan

Qualifications

• Graduate in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered engineer or working towards.
• Member of IET (MIET).
• Minimum of 10 years experience in a Design Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Design team to deliver design to customer specification.
• Check and approve HV plant design deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety procedures.
• Identify development and training needs of the design team.

Skills

Autocad or similar

Microsoft Office packages

Design Office environment experience

Liaising with customers and suppliers

Calculations for design integrity

Senior HV Substation Design experience

BIM 360 experience

Education

Graduate in Electrical Engineering

Chartered engineer or working towards

Member of IET (MIET)

Tools

Autocad

Job description

Principal Primary Plant Design Engineer

Company: Balfour Beatty plc

About The Role

Balfour Beatty is recruiting a Principal Primary Design Engineer to join the Power T&D team UK‑wide. We are open to both full‑time and part‑time candidates (including job share), and offer a flexible working policy. The main function of the role is to lead the HV Primary Engineering design delivery for electrical substation projects up to 400 kV with the assistance of the Design Engineers. Additionally, the Principal Plant Engineer will assist the Design Delivery Managers in the day‑to‑day running of the engineers and technicians teams, and lead the team in planning and procurement responsibilities for substation project delivery.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the Design team to deliver design to the Customer specification requirements, ensuring compliance with relevant National / International Standards and legislation.
• Check and approve HV plant design deliverables (e.g., single line diagram, layout/elevation drawings, MEWP access layouts, SC force calculations, earthing design/calculations).
• Lead Design work with due regard to Health & Safety Procedures and the Company’s obligations in compliance with current CDM regulations. Any perceived risks and mitigation measures should be advised to Engineering Manager for effective action.
• Ensure all required models and drawings have an adequate level of review and approval including the supplier and subcontractor supply chains. Incorporate the best practice of BIM as established in the Engineering team.
• Lead the technical direction of the engineering team, taking best practice and industry developments into engineering methodology.

General Responsibilities

• Ensure duties are carried out in accordance with Standard Company Quality, Health & Safety and Environmental Procedures and Business Process Manuals.
• Delivery of engineering design to programme, quality and budgets, and lead safety and sustainability by Design into the engineering delivery.
• Functionally the authorised approver of designs (and associated settings) on contracts in accordance with the published design/check/approve authorisation levels.
• Identify (and contribute to) the development and training needs of the design team as appropriate to skill level / experience.

Design Responsibilities

• Identify all relevant standards and Customer requirements, ensuring compliance with relevant National / International Standards and legislation, and contract specification.
• Design work to be undertaken with due regard to Health, Safety & Environmental Procedures and production of Designer Risk Assessments, as necessary.
• AIS and GIS substation design up to 400 kV.
• Check and approve substation design deliverables.
• Carry out Contractor Design Approval Engineer (CDAE), as defined by National Grid’s procedures, or equivalent role as defined by other clients.
• Perform Principal Designer representative (PD Rep) role as per CDM 2015 regulations.
• Check and review equipment technical specifications and engage with supplier for their offer validation.
• Examine contract documentation and establish the Company’s scope of work including termination boundaries.

Planning Responsibilities

• Input into the allocation of work packages, coordinate workload and agree priorities within the Primary Plant Team.
• Prepare, contribute to, check and review DEMP (Design and Engineering Management Plans).
• Ensure the team understands and is working in accordance with the GMEE (Group Minimum Engineering Expectations).
• Upon contract award, liaise and co‑coordinate contract requirements with Design Engineers, Project and engineering managers and other Balfour Beatty PT&D Departments at earliest opportunity.
• Establish Design content of work package and the Design resource to achieve the required time scales, in line with Project Programme.

Education & Other Qualifications

• Graduate in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Charted engineer or working towards.
• Member of IET (MIET).

Experience

• Autocad or similar is preferred but not essential.
• Microsoft Office packages.
• Working in a Design Office environment over 10 years of experience.
• Liaising with customers and suppliers.
• Calculations to demonstrate integrity of designs.
• Overall design and specification of electrical power systems and associated power system components.
• Experience as a senior HV Substation Primary Plant Design Engineer.
• Basic understanding of P&C aspects preferable.
• TP141 HV Substation qualification is an advantage.
• Proven experience in a responsible position and knowledge in HV substation equipment (e.g., HV plant, transformers).
• BIM 360 experience and knowledge.

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Benefits

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40 % remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata).
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partner leave.
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more.

About Us

Our skilled and dedicated teams deliver a range of proactive and reactive services which support a reliable and safe supply of power flowing to millions of homes and businesses around the world. Our contracts range from 50,000 schemes to 100 million plus major projects. Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission & Distribution teams work with regional, national and international electricity network owners and operators to provide technical engineering solutions. With experience and expertise across the full spectrum of the electricity grid our teams have capability across overhead lines, cable tunnels, distribution networks and substations. From scoping and feasibility, to design, construction and on‑going maintenance, our in‑house experts, flexible resources and industry‑leading innovations support clients in the development of some of the world’s most ambitious power transmission and distribution projects. At Balfour Beatty we are committed to creating a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential, not only because this is the right thing to do, but because it makes us a better business. To ensure we deliver on this commitment, we have a UK Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the wide range of targeted, proactive, measurable steps we are taking to make this a reality. You can read our UK Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan in full at www.balfourbeatty.com/value_everyone. To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and Women into Construction. In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long-term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence ‘Employer Recognition Scheme’ and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long‑term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. Further information on Disability Confident can be found at: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/ #WeValueEveryone

Senior level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Engineering and Information Technology

Industries

Construction

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