Senior Earthing Design Engineer

Senior Earthing Design Engineer Role Description

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Earthing Design Engineer to join our electrical engineering team, supporting the design and delivery of safe, compliant, and cost-effective earthing systems across a range of energy infrastructure projects. This role is critical in ensuring the safety and reliability of electrical networks, particularly in high-voltage (HV), extra-high-voltage (EHV) and transmission environments.

As part of the wider electrical design team, the earthing design engineer is responsible for safety of personnel and all items of electrical equipment typically found within a HV, EHV or Transmission substations to ensure that all equipment is safely connected to earth.

The applicant should possess an excellent working knowledge of applicable British and International Standards such as, but not limited to,

• ENA TS 41-24,
• BS EN 50522,
• BS EN ,
• BS 7430
• NGTS RES)
• and application of UK DNO's G81 policies and procedures.

The earthing design engineer will Identify and ensure design compliance with all relevant standards, legislation, Customer requirements, DNO / TSO standards and contract specifications throughout the project lifecycle.

Individual Skills & Qualities

A Degree/HND/HNC in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems Electrical preferred).

Previous experience with consultancy, contractor or utility in the Power industry relating to earthing design.

Significant, demonstrable experience in earthing design in the UK for DNO and ideally National Grid projects

Be highly competent in the use of the CDEGS software analysis package.

Have an excellent working understanding of industry HV and EHV substation installation standards and specifications within the UK.

Can demonstrate a pro-active approach to activities and problems.

Coordinate with other design disciplines (i.e. electrical design, procurement, CAD technicians) efficiently and effectively to deliver complex designs solutions.

Has prior experience in writing and understanding technical documents relating to all aspects of earthing systems and specifications

Contribute to the production of a designers risk assessment for designs being developed and produced.

Has the ability to prioritise workloads in a proactive and organised fashion (using software tools as necessary) to ensure key deadlines are met and reliant parties are kept informed.

Detailed Role Requirements

• Design and analysis of earthing systems for substations, power plants, renewable energy sites (e.g., solar, wind, battery), and grid connections.
• Ensuring a consistent approach to design maintaining required levels of quality.
• Produce accurate technical reports, correspondence, documentation, calculations
• Accountable to provide design activities in accordance with applicable codes and standards, policies and procedures;
• Act as the named earthing design engineer for a particular project. This typically involves producing a suite of earthing design drawings and documents covering;
• Perform soil resistivity testing, earth potential rise (EPR) studies, and touch/step voltage assessments.
• Familiarity with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and lightning protection.
• Undertake lightning risk assessments to the requirements of BS
• Ensure compliance with UK and international standards
• Modelling of earthing systems within the CDEGS software package
• Production of clear and concise technical reports to convey the specific technical findings and requirements of the study
• Collaborate with civil, electrical, and protection engineers to integrate earthing designs into overall project layouts.
• Prepare technical reports, drawings, and specifications for internal and external stakeholders.
• Support site commissioning and testing activities, including earth impedance measurements and fall-of-potential tests.
• Managing interfaces with site teams regarding earthing queries / clarifications
• Producing drawings detailing routes for fall of potential testing
• Undertaking fall of potential testing where necessary
• Production of a final earthing fall of potential test report
• Undertaking impressed voltage studies and producing associated technical reports / risk assessments
• Undertaking lightning risk assessments and lightning studies (if the risk assessment process determines a requirement)
• Specification of earthing materials for above and below ground earthing and lightning protection systems
• Where necessary, manage external design suppliers who may be undertaking earthing design or similar activities.
• Contribute to risk assessments, method statements, and health & safety documentation.
• Possess a sound working understanding of DNO G81 standards relating to earthing design, installation and testing.
• Ensure all required designs, models and drawings undergo peer review, checking and approval, including suppliers and subcontractors, according to Quality Assurance processes and in line with a 'right first time' philosophy.
• Collaborate with designers from other disciplines under coordination of each projects
• Embed safety and sustainability by design on all projects, ensuring compliance with the latest CDM Regulations.
• Ensure document management procedures are always followed. This will include document numbering, naming and revision control.