Associate Director - HV Substation Design - UK&I

Overview

As Associate Director, you will lead end-to-end HV substation design for grid-scale projects, shaping critical energy infrastructure from concept to energisation. You will work with cross-functional teams and key clients in the UK or Ireland, delivering high-impact substations for ambitious programs like the Great Grid upgrades and strategic data-centre initiatives. You’ll apply lifecycle design to meet density, availability, and safety requirements while mentoring engineers and driving project excellence. This role offers impactful work in transforming power networks and supporting the energy transition.

Pay / Benefits

• flexible hybrid working
• career development opportunities
• AECOM University
• volunteering days
• technical practice networks
• well-being programs

Responsibilities

• Lead HV substation technical discussions with clients and multidisciplinary teams to define scopes and interfaces
• Direct technical delivery of substation design across major projects, ensure progress and quality before client issue
• Apply lifecycle expertise from grid connection studies through FEED and detailed design
• Coordinate with project management to align resourcing and schedules with construction milestones
• Demonstrate commercial awareness via proposal development, cost monitoring, and identifying expansion opportunities
• Build trusted client relationships and understand grid connection strategies and availability needs
• Champion safety in design across HV deliverables and ensure compliance with standards
• Mentor and develop junior engineers to grow HV substation design capability

Key requirements

• Experience in consultancy, contractor, or utility within energy sector
• Proven HV infrastructure design delivery at concept, FEED, and detailed design stages
• Strong understanding of AIS and GIS switchgear, busbars, cabling, earthing, and civil interfaces
• Working knowledge of National Grid standards and specifications
• Proposal and bid development experience with multi-discipline submissions for HV, data centres, or grid connections
• Experience in design management and site construction reviews; primary plant focus essential; secondary systems knowledge advantageous
• Familiarity with control systems, transformers, HVDC, interconnectors; HV Protection & Control knowledge advantageous
• Ideally CDAE / LCDAE approval
• Commitment to diversity and accommodation

• Stakeholder engagement
• Mentoring and team leadership
• Commercial awareness
• HV substation design (AIS/GIS)
• Grid connection studies and FEED to detailed design
• Protection, control, SCADA systems

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