Electrical Design Engineer in Salford

SP Electricity North West manages and invests in the power network that supplies electricity to the 2.4m homes and businesses across the North West. Our 2,400 colleagues manage the 13,000km of overhead lines, 44,000km of underground cables and thousands of electricity substations to keep power flowing and supporting green growth. We’re one of six distribution network operators in the UK and are regulated by Ofgem. We’re proud that in December 2024 we were named Utility of the Year by Utility Week magazine who said we punched above our weight and used innovation to solve some of the industry’s most difficult challenges. Come and be part of our team and make a difference. Now part of the Iberdrola and ScottishPower group, we’re collectively building smarter, greener electricity networks that will get Britain growing by investing in a better future, quicker.

A Fantastic Opportunity: Electrical Design Engineer

We’re looking for an Electrical Design Engineer to play a key role in delivering our capital projects across high‑voltage networks (up to 132kV). In this role, you’ll be involved throughout the full project lifecycle—shaping designs from initial concept through to detailed delivery, construction, commissioning, and final handover. You’ll collaborate with a range of teams to help ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to a high standard.

What you’ll be doing:

• Develop and deliver design strategies that support safe, efficient, and cost‑effective delivery of major electricity projects.
• Lead substation design activities, ensuring clear, consistent, and high‑quality outputs across the capital programme.
• Work collaboratively with project managers, construction teams, and contractors throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Contribute to the evaluation and introduction of new equipment, technologies, and approaches within transmission and protection systems.
• Provide accurate forecasts and project information to support planning and delivery.
• Support factory acceptance testing, helping to ensure equipment meets required standards.
• Produce clear and robust technical specifications for plant and equipment.
• Work with colleagues across the business to develop and maintain effective design standards.
• Carry out protection settings calculations to support reliable network performance.

What you’ll need:

• Minimum of HNC in Electrical Engineering or equivalent, ideally degree qualified leading to chartered status.
• Understanding of high‑voltage systems (132kV, 33kV, 11kV/6.6kV) and substation equipment such as switchgear, transformers, and circuits.
• Experience or interest in electrical design practices within the electricity or utilities sector.
• Awareness of CDM regulations and their application in utility or infrastructure projects.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across a range of teams and stakeholders.
• A proactive and adaptable approach, with the ability to think creatively and respond to changing project needs.
• Familiarity with tools such as AutoCAD and Microsoft Office (particularly Excel).
• Exposure to power systems software or protection calculations is beneficial but not essential.
• Awareness of substation environments and access considerations.

What we offer:

• An annual bonus scheme.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme.
• 26 days annual leave increasing with length of service.
• An employee rewards portal offering discounts on several well‑known brands.
• A market‑leading contributory pension scheme.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Opportunity for professional development through our L&D function.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We’re proud to foster a workplace where everyone can thrive. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We believe that embracing our differences makes us stronger.