Principal Grid Engineer

Desired Skills: Leadership,Analysis,Compliance

Overview

Our client, a leading organisation within the energy and infrastructure sector, is seeking an experienced Principal Grid Engineer to provide technical leadership across a portfolio of large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. This senior role will be responsible for overseeing transmission and distribution grid connection activities, supporting strategic network planning, and ensuring technically robust and commercially viable project outcomes.

The successful candidate will act as a subject matter expert, providing technical assurance, mentoring engineering teams, and engaging with key industry stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level electrical and grid engineering expertise across a portfolio of major infrastructure and energy projects.

• Lead the development and implementation of grid connection strategies, identifying network opportunities, constraints, reinforcement requirements, and emerging industry developments.

• Oversee grid connection agreements, technical compliance obligations, and engineering standards to ensure alignment with regulatory and industry requirements.

• Maintain a detailed understanding of grid connection policy, transmission planning processes, and evolving industry standards.

• Represent the organisation at industry forums, technical working groups, and stakeholder engagements.

• Provide leadership, mentoring, and technical direction to engineering teams, promoting best practice, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Support organisational capability development through technical guidance, independent reviews, and specialist engineering expertise.

• Lead engagement with regulators, system operators, contractors, consultants, and equipment suppliers to support successful project delivery.

• Conduct and oversee engineering studies, power system analysis, and optioneering activities to identify technically sound and commercially effective solutions.

• Provide technical oversight for assessments relating to network capacity, power flows, fault levels, electrical constraints, reactive power requirements, and compliance matters.

• Support business planning, investment decisions, and strategic project development through expert technical input.

• Provide technical and commercial leadership across all project phases, including feasibility, planning, procurement, construction, commissioning, energisation, and operational handover.

• Manage engineering and construction contracts, ensuring compliance with technical specifications, contractual obligations, project schedules, and commercial objectives.

• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams and oversee design, manufacturing, construction, testing, and commissioning activities.

• Monitor project risks, programme performance, and stakeholder interfaces, implementing mitigation measures where required.

• Contribute to the ongoing development of engineering standards, procedures, and best-practice methodologies.

• Promote a strong culture of health, safety, quality, and environmental compliance.

Requirements

• Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field would be advantageous.

• Minimum 15 years’ experience in electrical engineering, grid infrastructure, transmission, distribution, or related sectors.

• Extensive experience working with high-voltage electrical infrastructure and transmission networks.

• Strong technical knowledge of substation design, underground cable systems, and overhead line infrastructure.

• Proven experience undertaking power system studies and technical assessments, including power flow analysis, fault level studies, earthing studies, and network modelling.

• Experience using industry-standard engineering software packages such as PSS®E, CYMCAP, CDEGS, ELEK, or equivalent.

• Strong stakeholder management, leadership, communication, and commercial awareness skills.

• Ability to provide technical leadership on complex engineering projects and influence strategic decision-making.

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to lead the grid engineering aspects of major infrastructure and energy projects.

• Strategic role with significant influence on project and business outcomes.

• Exposure to complex, high-profile engineering programmes.

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Long-term career progression within a growing and innovative organisation.

If you’re an experienced Grid Engineer/Principal Grid Engineer looking to take the next step in your career we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today or contact declan@peglobal.net for a confidential discussion.

Our client is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.