Lead and contribute to the design and engineering of protection and control systems for HV substations, including protection schemes, control systems, and substation automation.
Define protection philosophies, control architectures, and communication interfaces in accordance with project requirements and applicable standards.
Lead and review detailed secondary engineering deliverables, including:
o Protection and control schematics
o Interlocking and control logic diagrams
o Relay configuration and functional design specifications
o Protection coordination and relay settings philosophy
Perform or review protection coordination studies and relay settings, ensuring proper selectivity and fault clearance strategies.
Ensure proper integration of protection systems, SCADA interfaces, communication networks, and primary equipment.
Provide technical support during construction, testing, and commissioning, including review of relay settings, logic implementation, and functional testing procedures.
Team Leadership & Engineering Oversight
Lead and mentor protection and control engineering teams, supporting professional development and technical knowledge sharing.
Provide technical oversight of engineering deliverables, ensuring quality, consistency, and compliance with project specifications and standards.
Coordinate engineering activities across primary, civil, system studies, and commissioning teams to ensure effective multidisciplinary integration.
Interface with clients, project managers, contractors, and equipment vendors to ensure technical alignment and successful project delivery.
Support development of technical procedures, engineering standards, and best practices within the organization.
Education
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering
Requirements
Typically 12-15+ years of experience in protection and control engineering for HV substations[RL1.1]
Proven experience delivering secondary systems across multiple project phases (concept, design, commissioning)
Experience providing technical leadership and mentoring within engineering teams
Technical Skills
Strong expertise in:
Protection and control system design for HV substations (line, transformer, busbar and feeder protection schemes)
Substation automation and SCADA integration
Protection coordination and relay settings philosophy
Control logic, interlocking schemes, and communication networks
Integration of protection systems with primary equipment and system studies
Experience with engineering tools and platforms such as:
AutoCAD
Protection relay configuration and analysis tools
Soft Skills
Strong analytical and technical decision-making capabilities
Ability to combine hands-on engineering with team leadership
Excellent communication and stakeholder coordination skills
Experience working on UK transmission or distribution substation projects
Exposure to National Grid standards and protection philosophies
Experience with IEC 61850 substation automation systems
Experience configuring protection relays such as ABB, GE, Siemens, or SEL
Commissioning and field testing experience
Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent professional certification
About AECOM
AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients' complex challenges in water,
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Associate Director - T&D Protection & Control Substations to join our Transmission & Distribution team, supporting the delivery of high-voltage substation infrastructure projects.
In this role, you will combine hands-on technical expertise with engineering leadership, contributing directly to the design and review of protection and control systems while overseeing engineering teams delivering secondary systems for HV substations.
You will support projects from concept development through detailed design, testing, and construction support, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient substation operation while maintaining high engineering standards across the team.
Aecom2 · Madrid, Spain