AECOM
Associate Director - Substation Design (UK)
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Join Our UK Transmission & Distribution Team – Senior Substation Design Engineer
At AECOM
Building a Better World
At AECOM, we’re shaping infrastructure that improves lives across electrical power grids, cities, substances and beyond. Whether it's designing high-voltage substations, network systems for utilities, or large-scale power projects, our global team of 50,000+ creates impactful change. With accelerated infrastructure investment worldwide, our UK Transmission & Distribution business is expanding, and we need bold engineers ready to grow alongside transformational projects.
"Start here, grow here." – your future in high-performance engineering begins now.
The Role: Senior Substation Design Engineer
About the Team
Based in Birmingham with hybrid working, you’ll join AECOM’s UK Transmission & Distribution team – specialists in high-voltage (HV) substation design and technical advisory across:
- UK national grid connections
- Private sector projects
- Offshore-onshore interconnections
- Utility developments (e.g. National Grid, Scottish Hydro-Electric [SHE], SSE, SP Energy Networks)
Your Key Objectives
(Where high voltage meets high-impact delivery)
Technical Leadership
- Lead substation technical engagements with clients and internal teams, defining scope and delivery requirements while ensuring mandatory compliance with National Grid specifications
- Scope ownership: Agree approach, monitor complexity, and quality-check multidisciplinary deliverables during feasibility, FEED, and detailed design phases
- Drive design assurance from initial concept to symbolic acceptance for 132–400kV HV projects (both AIS and GIS technologies)
Project Management & Commercial Awareness
- Collaborate with Project Management to forecast resources, produce realistic programmes, and manage progress against deliverables
- Develop proposals and bids, tracking/comparing costs, and championing value-engineering opportunities
- Actively build/strengthen long-standing client relationships, acting as a proactive project delivery partner
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Safety-By-Design & Team Culture
- Champion a zero-tolerance approach to design safety, ensuring designs meet UK/NI regulatory standards
- Develop junior talent: Mentor engineers through life-cycle phases, actively improving team quality
What You’ll Bring to the Team
Core Technical Skills
- Proven experience in HV infrastructure consulting for SUBSTATIONS, GRID CONNECTIONS, or INTERCONNECTORS
- Energy sector expertise: Client-side, contracting, or strategic contributor experience (useful experience includes working with National Grid, SHET, Scottish Power Transmission, or private utilities)
- Deep experience in conceptual design through to detailed design (FEED reports, drawings, business cases)
- Strong working knowledge of HV AC plant systems,
- AIS (Air Insulated Switchgear) and GIS (Gas-Insulated Switchgear) – familiar with specifications, standards, and comparator assessments
- Practical application of National Grid technical specs and/or UK grid standards
- Experience in proposal and tender response including technical component drafting and multi-disciplinary coordination
Bonus: Strategic Edge
- Verification of EICR (Electricity Electrical Installation Certificate of Review) approved Engineer (CDAE/LCDAE)
- Experience reviewing HVDC interconnectors, protection systems, or transformer automation assisting capability on projects
The AECOM Difference: Your Growth & Wellbeing
Flexible Career Pathway Invest in your career at one of the world’s Fortune 500 firms:
- Policies like utility intern point onsite rotary internship programmes placements provide long-term networking
- Technical certification and qualification programmes (e.g., GL certification).
- Hybrid options: Work from AECOM offices, client sites, or your home office with tools to maintain productive collaborations
Develop Your Expertise. Improve your Life. Take advantage of:
- AECOM University: Active skill-building resources on principles of excellence (design code-forces, software drills, nuisance safety modules)
- Peer-to-Peer Learning:
- From Sharing knowledge dialogues with brownfields teams to One AECOM presentations
- Flexible schedules: 7.5 days encouraged per 45-hour cycle per week (accommodated through either in-person or remote arrangements)
- Employee champions: Access to program directors on site (including global management guidance); act as resource champions in field-specific seminars
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Full Compensation Package Balance work and life proactively:
- Pension provision disparity advice, full payscrub monthly
- Competitive yearly remuneration band, including off-site benefits offers
- Level & range of personal advancement : Mobile devices, company perks & international health coverage. Regular “pay reviews” that align shareholder equity with personal growth.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Our success builds on everyone’s strengths. You belong here, and we respect all identities and experiences. That includes cognitive differences too:
Neurodiversity – Delivering Potential
- Specially designed assistive tools delivered through (CIAZ) Customized Infrastructure and Ability Zone for performance reviews
- Facilitates a Accommodating Reasoning approach, e.g., visual aesthetics for roles enabling full commitment to project targets
On-the-job adjustments:
- Anonymised application process available through our Disability Confident® initiative (let A&U Team know via [email protected])
- Free independent review options for candidates with long-term conditions, including mental health considerations
Next Steps
Are you ready to be part of the solution? To apply, please upload a CV (Full Name + Title on Contact / Info): [OEO URL]
Key Link
[AECOM Recruitment Team](mailto:[A link for role inquiries] ) – HR querías go here open post alternately are visible on UK-based panel
Security Note: All new hires must complete onboarding at AECOM’s UK HeadQuarters site. Regarding privacy, you ensure confidentiality concerning all employee record information.
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