Established in 1994, OCU Group is one of the fastest growing utility engineering contractors in the UK, with a long successful track record in delivering engineering solutions.

Working directly with many of the country’s leading blue-chip power, water, telecoms, and rail clients, we are looking for the very best talent to join our growing team.

We pride ourselves on empowering our employees and offering opportunities for them to take control of their own personal development and career progression in a supportive environment.

We believe that being successful is a choice. We choose to be successful.

We are OCU, ‘One Company United’.

Throughout 2023, OCU Group has been experiencing a sustained period of growth and expansion.

About the job

The Plant, Protection and Control Engineer has a vital role within the design team. He / She is responsible for the design delivery of substation plant, equipment, and protection systems across a whole range of electrical infrastructures as well as new connection projects in both the distribution and transmission sectors. This also includes solar and battery energy storage related schemes.

They are responsible for the detailed design and procurement of substation plant including, switchgear, power transformers, voltage control equipment, protection systems, protective relays, connectors, busbars, SCADA based telemetry, as well as all the associated substation build activities throughout the lifecycle of the project.

Their primary role is to ensure substation infrastructure is correctly identified and procured, in a timely manner. They achieve this ensuring the detailed preparation and delivery of functional specifications, equipment schedules and associated scheme drawings. They provide ongoing technical support and advice on procurement of plant and equipment, by liaising directly with suppliers and manufacturers, to order plant and equipment, as per client specification and approved designs.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for assessing client project requirements and producing detailed plant and equipment and protection specifications. Creating appropriate system designs ensuring compliance with applicable specifications and tender documentation, coordination with manufactures and suppliers.
• Assists with tendering activities and provide regular technical guidance for any proposed schemes, as may be required.
• Prepare site layouts and schematics, for multi-staged substations construction build projects.
• Manage external plant and equipment manufacturers, design consultants, and oversee designs outputs to ensure compatibility with the electro-technical requirements.
• Liaise with internal and external design team, clients, manufacturers, and consultancies to produce accurate designs within timescales indicated and in line with deliverables.
• Produce detailed electrical control and protection schematic drawings for construction of large electrical infrastructure schemes.
• Produce electro-technical drawings, plant and material procurement lists, and wiring diagrams for control for protection and control systems.
• Preparation of functional specifications and providing advice on procurement of plant and equipment and liaising with manufacturers to order plants as per client specification.
• Be able to produce detailed specifications for high voltage plant, equipment and ancillary plant and equipment associated with high voltage substations.
• Review equipment manufacturers’ proposals and liaise with equipment manufacturers to ensure equipment suitability is in line with the proposed design.
• Production of equipment schedules in line with relevant IEC, DNO, ENA, IDNO and client-based specifications.
• Development and review of single line diagrams, P&C block diagrams, & connection diagrams.
• Production of AC and DC schematic drawings, control and protection, cable block diagrams, SCADA and multicore cable and termination schedules.
• To maintain an electro-technical and commercial dialogue with suppliers and customer.
• Take responsible for ensuring good technical documentation management and change control.
• As a strategic thinker, be able to research and simulate relevant technical and commercial information to provide timely technical support and advice on the status of the protection and control including plant designs being undertaken and where necessary, recommend improved plant and equipment procurement and or methods of working.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Possess a proficient understanding of electricity industry & regulatory standards, policies, and their application to the role.
• A good understanding of electrical plant, transformer, protection, relays and control and construction disciplines and current ENA, BS and IEC electrotechnical engineering standards, to ensure full application and compliance requirements can be achieved.
• Should possess a strong electrical knowledge within the contestable and non-contestable connections sides of the market and should be able to demonstrate a proven track record working within projects such as substation construction, cabling, overhead lines, while being fully conversant with working on switchgear, protection, control and major designs of electrical plant including transformers.
• Good knowledge of power systems, renewable energy and protection design at all voltages.
• Ability to take a brief scope of works and assist in producing a detailed design based on appropriate standards.
• Be able to prepare single-line diagrams for multi staged substations construction projects.
• Candidate will be educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Microsoft Office including Word, Excel.
• Full UK Driving licence.

As an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and do not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us.