Underground Circuit Design Coordinator

Role Overview

Are you an experienced cable design professional looking to lead the coordination of HV cable systems on critical energy infrastructure projects? We’re looking for a HV Cable System Design Coordinator to join our team and help deliver complex cable route designs across a major DNO framework.

In this role, you’ll lead the development and coordination of cable system designs from feasibility through detailed design and into construction support. Working across voltage ranges from 11kV to 132kV, you will manage both internal and external designers and surveyors to deliver technically robust and compliant cable designs. You will act as the key link between route designers, substation design teams, stakeholders, consents managers and environmental advisors, ensuring fully integrated cable design solutions that are safe, buildable, and approved by the DNO.

Responsibilities

• Design Coordination – Manage and coordinate internal and external cable system designers, ensuring HV cable route designs are technically sound, compliant, and well-integrated with wider project disciplines.
• Feasibility Reporting – Prepare route feasibility and route proving reports for early-stage optioneering and stakeholder consultation.
• Survey Management – Plan, coordinate, and manage cable route surveys including GPR, trial holes, topographical and utility surveys.
• Permits & Consents – Support applications for streetworks permits, BAPAs, environmental consents, and wayleave agreements with consents and stakeholder teams.
• HDD & Trenchless Design – Coordinate HDD and trenchless crossings in collaboration with specialist designers and environmental advisors.
• Substation Interface – Ensure cable terminations are designed and aligned with substation layouts and terminations.
• Stakeholder Engagement – Liaise with local authorities, DNOs, statutory bodies, and private landowners to support route design approval and access planning.
• Technical Assurance – Ensure all designs comply with DNO standards, safety regulations, and relevant national codes of practice.
• Cross-Discipline Collaboration – Work with civil, electrical, protection and control designers to ensure integration across the full design scope.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical, civil, or power systems engineering (or equivalent).
• Proven experience in HV cable system design or route coordination, ideally within a DNO, ICP, or TSO environment.
• Strong understanding of underground cable installation techniques, trenchless solutions (HDD), and cable rating factors.
• Familiarity with DNO standards, NRSWA processes, and permit systems for streetworks and highways.
• Experience coordinating site investigations, survey works, and route optioneering.

Skills

• Excellent coordination and communication skills – able to manage multiple interfaces across technical and non-technical teams.
• Technically literate with a good understanding of cable layouts and termination design.
• Organised and capable of managing multiple design inputs and survey deliverables simultaneously.
• Comfortable interpreting survey outputs and turning them into clear engineering recommendations.
• Problem solver with a proactive and solution-oriented mindset.

Company Information

OCU leads the way in end-to-end infrastructure engineering in the utilities, digital, and energy markets, specialising in safely and efficiently delivering complex client requirements. Our breadth of capabilities and depth of operational capacity, paired with our cutting-edge technology, ensure that we are not just part of the market; we are leading it. Working directly with many of the country’s leading power, energy transition, water, telecoms and digital clients, we are looking for the very best talent to join our growing team.

Job Details

• Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology
• Industries: Utilities