Join to apply for the Principal Primary Plant Design Engineer role at Balfour Beatty plc.

About the Role

Balfour Beatty is recruiting a Principal Primary Design Engineer to join the Power T&D team UK Wide. The role is open to full time or part time (including job share) candidates and offers a flexible working policy.

The main function is to lead HV primary engineering design delivery for electrical substation projects up to 400 kV with assistance of the Design Engineers. The Principal Engineer will also assist Design Delivery Managers in day‑to‑day running of the engineers and technicians teams and lead the team in planning and procurement for substation projects.

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 such as single line diagram, layout/elevation drawings, MEWP access layouts, SC force calculations, earthing design/calculations, etc.
• Lead design work with due regard to health & safety procedures and the company’s obligations in compliance with current CDM regulations. Report perceived risks and mitigation measures to the Engineering Manager for action.
• Ensure all required models and drawings have an adequate level of review and approval including the supplier and subcontractor supply chains. Incorporate BIM best practice.
• Lead the technical direction of the engineering team, applying best practice and industry developments into engineering methodology.

Key Responsibilities

General Responsibilities

• Ensure duties are carried out in accordance with the company’s quality, health & safety and environmental procedures and business process manuals.
• Deliver engineering design on programme, quality and budget, and embed safety and sustainability by design into the engineering delivery.
• Act as the authorised approver of designs (and associated settings) on contracts in accordance with published design/check/approve authorisation levels.
• Identify and contribute to the development and training needs of the design team as appropriate to skill level and experience.

Design Responsibilities

• Identify all relevant standards and customer requirements, ensuring compliance with all applicable national / international standards, legislation and contract specification.
• Execute design work with due regard to health, safety & environmental procedures, producing designer risk assessments as required by CDM regulations.
• Design AIS and GIS substations up to 400 kV.
• Check and approve substation design deliverables such as single line diagram, layout/elevation drawings, MEWP access layouts, SC force calculations, earthing design/calculations, etc.
• Carry out Contractor Design Approval Engineer (CDAE) responsibilities as defined by National Grid’s procedures or equivalent for other clients.
• Perform Principal Designer representative (PD Rep) role as per CDM 2015 regulation.
• Check and review equipment technical specifications and engage with suppliers for validation.
• Examine contract documentation and establish the company’s scope of work, highlighting any differences to the Project/Engineering Manager with solutions for resolution.

Planning Responsibilities

• Input into work package allocation, 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 works in accordance with GMEE (Group Minimum Engineering Expectations).
• Upon contract award liaise and coordinate contract requirements with design engineers, project and engineering managers and other Balfour Beatty PT&D departments at the earliest opportunity.
• Establish design content of work package and design resources to achieve required timescales, aligned with the 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.
• Over 10 years in a design office environment.
• Liaising with customers and suppliers.
• Computational calculations demonstrating design integrity.
• Overall design and specification of electrical power systems and associated 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 such as HV plant, transformers etc.
• 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 – flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, up to 40 % remote working where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata).
• Family‑friendly policies: 28 weeks full pay maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay paternity/partners leave.
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and 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 vary from 50,000 schemes to multi‑billion 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 across overhead lines, cable tunnels, distribution networks and substations, we support clients from scoping and feasibility through design, construction and ongoing maintenance.

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive culture. Our UK Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan outlines targeted, proactive, measurable steps to make this a reality. We are members of WISE, ENEI, Business Disability Forum and Women into Construction, and we sign commitments such as the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter. As a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively encourage applications from armed forces personnel, veterans and reservists. We are a Disability Confident Employer and offer interview opportunities for disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements.

Further information on Disability Confident can be found at https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

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