Job Description

THE COMPANY

Established in 1998, JSM Group is a leading specialist infrastructure engineering company. We design and install the complex power networks, digital infrastructure and specialist systems a future-focused worldwide marketplace needs.

From High-Power grid connections to Critical Utilities. Data Centres to Renewable Energy, our full turnkey solution teams manage the full scope to help advise and deliver complex infrastructure projects at speed, on time and with reduced legislation, technical and commercial risks.

THE TEAM

Join the Power Operations team at JSM Group Services Ltd., a leading provider of integrated utility infrastructure solutions. Our combination of end-to-end technical expertise, decades of industry experience, and unlimited fresh thinking makes us a trusted partner in delivering next-generation connectivity in energy and communications across the UK, Europe, and beyond.

Our Power team delivers high-value electrical infrastructure projects for some of the most demanding clients in the sector – from hyperscale data centre operators to major industrial and grid clients. We are building a team of exceptional project management professionals who can drive complex programmes from award through to energisation, and we want people who take real ownership of their projects

THE ROLE

The Principal` Design Engineer (Primary Substation) will be responsible for the end-to-end design and engineering of HV/EHV substations, ensuring compliance with relevant industry standards, client specifications, and project requirements. The role involves preparing and reviewing primary design deliverables, including substation layouts, equipment arrangements, busbar schemes, earthing layouts, and cable routing for projects up to 400kV and above.

The successful candidate will coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams, provide technical guidance to junior engineers, support design reviews, and liaise with clients and stakeholders to deliver safe, efficient, and cost-effective substation solutions. The role also requires ensuring design quality, project schedules, and adherence to applicable UK and international engineering standards.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related discipline (B.E., B.Tech, or equivalent qualification).
• Proven experience in the design, engineering, and delivery of electrical substations up to 400kV, covering concept, detailed design, and project execution phases.
• Strong expertise in LV system design, with a thorough understanding of BS 7671 and relevant UK and international electrical standards.
• Extensive technical knowledge and practical experience in:
• AIS (Air Insulated Substations) and GIS (Gas Insulated Substations)
• Substation Layout and Equipment Arrangement Design
• Earthing and Grounding System Design
• Cable Engineering and Routing
• Electrical Plant Selection and Specification
• Design Calculations and Technical Documentation
• Development of Technical Specifications and Design Reports
• Demonstrated experience in undertaking earthing studies and design assessments across multiple DNO, IDNO, and utility networks.
• Proven capability to conduct, review, and authorise design verification, technical reviews, and quality assurance checks in accordance with client, DNO, and industry requirements.
• Sound understanding of electrical engineering principles and their practical application within transmission, distribution, and private network infrastructure projects.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable industry standards, including ENA Engineering Recommendations, BS Standards, IEC Standards, G81 Requirements, and other relevant utility specifications.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively engage with clients, project managers, construction teams, and senior leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, mentoring junior engineers, and driving technical excellence across project delivery.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality, safety, compliance, and commercial awareness.
• Self-motivated and capable of independently progressing critical design activities to ensure project continuity and successful delivery.

Nice to have

• Working knowledge of and experience delivering projects across private electricity networks, data centres, solar farms, and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
• A self-aware and proactive approach to professional development, with the ability to identify and address gaps in both technical expertise and soft skills.
• A willingness to mentor, support, and share knowledge with junior engineers, contributing to the development of a high-performing engineering team.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, balance complex workloads, and adapt to the evolving needs of projects and the wider team.

You’ll thrive here if you

• Lead the delivery of primary substation designs from concept and tender stage through to detailed design and construction support.
• Undertake and manage complex, high-value design projects independently.
• Produce and review primary design deliverables including:
• Single Line Diagrams (SLDs)
• General Arrangement Drawings
• Equipment Layouts
• Earthing Designs
• Protection Interface Requirements
• Technical Specifications
• Design Calculations
• Ensure all designs comply with applicable client specifications, industry standards, and statutory regulations.
• Provide technical solutions that balance safety, constructability, customer requirements, and commercial considerations.
• Review, check, and approve design outputs prepared by Senior Design Engineers, Design Engineers, and CAD Technicians.
• Authorise design checks and maintain robust quality assurance processes.
• Resolve complex technical and design issues in collaboration with Project Managers and Design Managers.
• Lead design risk reviews and chair internal technical design meetings.
• Support feasibility studies and tender submissions through development of concept designs and technical solutions.