Digital Substations Lead Asset Lifecycle Engineer - P&C in England

At National Grid, we keep people connected and society moving. But it’s so much more than that. National Grid supplies us with the environment to make it happen. As we generate momentum in the energy transition for all, we don’t plan on leaving any of our customers in the dark. So, join us as a Lead Asset Lifecycle Engineer and find your superpower.

Job Purpose

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? We have an exciting permanent opportunity to join the AO Intelligent Substations team, where you will play a pivotal role in driving the development, implementation, and lifecycle management of cutting‑edge digital substations (IEC 61850). With a strong focus on protection and control, you will lead transformative change initiatives, develop innovative policies and standards, and collaborate with a diverse range of virtual teams and stakeholders.

What you'll do

• Be a Technical Leader: Provide expert technical and asset management knowledge in protection and control, shaping the future of our digital substations.
• Innovate and Create: Develop policies, procedures, technical specifications, and internal standards that set the benchmark for excellence in your area of expertise.
• Strategic Development: Lead the creation of the Technical Strategy for protection and control in digital substations, working alongside specialists and engaging with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Empower Virtual Teams: Take charge of leading and developing virtual teams, harnessing the latest technology and methodologies to enhance our protection and control systems.
• Ensure Compliance: Undertake Type Registration activities in accordance with NGET Business Procedures, ensuring our practices meet industry standards.
• Communicate Effectively: Articulate complex issues clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, to ensure understanding across all levels.
• Collaborate for Success: Work closely with the AO Asset Lifecycle Manager and other Asset Lifecycle Engineers to maintain consistency in asset management practices.
• Drive Integration Initiatives: Lead and support initiatives for the integration of digital substations, with a focus on innovative protection and control systems.
• Champion Technology Adoption: Advocate for the adoption and optimisation of digital substation technologies, ensuring compliance with IEC 61850 and related standards.
• Share Knowledge: Support the development and delivery of engaging training and knowledge-sharing sessions on digital substations and protection/control systems.
• Mentor and Inspire: Provide guidance and mentorship to fellow team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

About you

• Excellent technical knowledge of protection and control systems, with a detailed understanding of the IEC 61850 standard (Station bus and Process bus).
• Strong familiarity with ET Policies, Procedures, Technical Specifications, Work Specifications, and Technical Guidance Notes relevant to your area of expertise.
• Comprehensive understanding of regulatory regime and Type Registration Business Procedures.
• Experience in asset lifecycle management, including planning, risk assessment, and performance optimisation.
• Proven ability to develop processes that support business risk, cost, and performance decision‑making.
• Knowledge of network engineering (typically Software Defined Networking) and cyber security best practices (IEC62351 / IEC62443) is highly desirable.
• You thrive under pressure and can work effectively to meet challenging deadlines.
• Proven ability to quickly develop working relationships and communicate clearly and diplomatically with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Experience in influencing internal and external stakeholders, including regulators and managers, to drive initiatives forward.
• Track record of driving change in policies, procedures, standards, and specifications.

What you’ll get

• A starting salary up to £78,000pa + £3,000 pa Market Supplement + Benefits package (depending on experience)
• Training and Development.
• 37 hours Mon - Fri (Location - Variable/Flexible (Permanent/Full time with hybrid working)
• 26 days annual leave plus 8 statutory days.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Generous contributory pension scheme – we will double‑match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%, totaling 18%.
• Statutory Bank Holiday swapping – if you wish to change them for another day.
• The option to buy additional or sell holiday days.
• Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, exam fees and time off for study leave – relevant to your role.
• Access to flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
• Family care benefits including a back‑up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days).
• Access to numerous apps which support health, fitness and wellbeing.

More Information

The closing date for this vacancy is 6th February. However, we encourage candidates to submit their applications as early as possible and not to wait until the published closing date. National Grid’s recruitment periods can and may vary. We reserve the right to remove this advert or close it to further applications at any point during the recruitment process.

DE & I statement

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value, and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, offering flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office. Our goal is to drive, develop, and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, the innovation from diverse teams & perspectives, and business need. We are committed to building a workforce that can represent the communities we serve and have a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.