Protection Technical Sourcing & Standards Engineer

This Protection Technical Sourcing and Standards Engineer will report to the Technical Sourcing and Standards Manager and will work within Asset Management based in our Energy House, Crawley office. You will be a permanent employee., The Technical Sourcing & Standards Team is a necessary part of the Asset Management Directorate, reporting to the Director of Asset Management. You will be involved in the development of protection and control technical standards and philosophies, plus the identification and introduction of new and innovative protection systems across the UKPN network at all voltage levels. Nature and Scope:

• You will manage the introduction of new technology for distribution assets and for failure investigations to identify continuous improvement opportunities or follow up actions, and for liaison and support to procurement and operational units for assets and asset populations.
• You will contribute to our knowledge of assets, providing regulatory and other returns and management reports, and will understand and interpret statistical information.
• You will need to build relationships with other partners in Asset Management and UK Power Networks. The role therefore requires an ability to organise and manage meetings, communicate clearly and confidently at all levels of the organisation. You will from time to time meet major customers or their professional representatives on matters relating to design standards and protection design.
• There will also be a requirement to undertake post fault analysis and to initiate corrective actions, which will require a confident approach when working with other Departments within the business.
• You will help develop design standards to provide in-house and external resources with a comprehensive suite of standards.
• You will undertake site visits as part of this role and this will include entry to operational substations where compliance with safety rules and procedures is mandatory. Training will be provided.
• You will visit manufacturers and suppliers to assess their ability to supply equipment compliant with our requirements
• You will help assess Protection relays as part of the ENA Protection assessment panel
Principal Accountabilities:
• Together with Capital Programme and Procurement, and other departments, manage the specifying, sourcing, and approving of new protection equipment onto the network ensuring the optimum solutions are utilised, including liaison with manufacturers and operational units within UK Power Networks.
• Identify and develop solutions that reduce the whole life costs for equipment with the emphasis on minimum or zero maintenance whilst ensuring they continue to meet our safety goals.
• Develop the standards necessary to ensure the technical requirements for protection and control equipment and associated systems are established and implemented, taking into account future requirements to guarantee a safe and reliable network.
• Produce technical reports for presentation to the business at all levels.
• Ensure that appropriate training materials and on-site training is provided for equipment new to the Company and where existing equipment is in service and insufficient documentation exists.
• Promptly manage failure investigation, including undertaking root-cause analysis and the writing of reports identifying causes and making recommendations to the resolution of a range of issues. This may include visits to operational substations where compliance with safety rules and procedures is mandatory, and visits to manufacturer's works.
• Assist our Innovation teams to specify and evaluate equipment to be installed onto the Networks.
• Attendance at meetings with manufacturers of equipment to ensure that the correct equipment is supplied.
• Create the requirements for assessment of manufacturers and plant new to the Company and arrange for appropriate testing.
• Contribute to the development and reviewing of price control period submissions to Ofgem for relevant asset categories.
• Support and mentor other members of the team to enhance their technical knowledge.
• Assist other asset engineers and designers within Asset Management with their management of asset types linked to this role.
• Comply with the requirements of the designer as determined by the CDM Regulations.
• Deliver the departmental HSS Action Plan to support our Incident and Injury Free culture and our Safe and Responsible Company ambition.
• Collaborate with important suppliers on both the development of new products and the escalation / resolution of faults on existing plant and equipment.
• Collaborate with other departments in the implementation of projects where protection and control expertise is requested.
  
  Degree qualified or equivalent in electrical engineering
• Experience in electrical engineering up to 132kV gained from academic study and work experience.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the power distribution protection systems, and their application at all voltage levels.
• Understanding of IEC60870-103, DNP3, MODBUS and IEC61850 communication protocols or standards where they apply to protection and control systems.
• Understanding, implementation and support of web-based applications
• Implement projects to time scales following a clearly defined life cycle
• Knowledge of Incident and Problem Management Processes
• Understand UK Power Networks needs and goals
• Competence in resolving a significant range of technical power engineering issues and in providing technical advice; a sound understanding of company standards and their application to this role.
• Awareness of current and technological developments in distribution plant and equipment.
• Understand physical asset management best practice and regulatory requirements.
• Articulate and numerate and able to interpret statistical information, understanding trends and able to match these to quantified asset risks.
• Work with external engineering organisations and customers/partners representing UK Power Networks to best effect.
• Work unsupervised, set and comply with own targets, and identify cost-saving solutions.
• Develop relationships and be competent in written and oral communications.
• Good team working skills - able to create agreement within teams and avoid conflict. Also able to allocate tasks to other team members and provide support through to successful task completion.
• A good level of business, environmental, safety, financial, and regulatory awareness; a general appreciation of financial reporting systems;
• Knowledge of the ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001 procedures relevant to the team's activities.
• Knowledge of national and international standards relevant to the specifying of plant and equipment.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft desktop applications, in particular: Word, Excel and PowerPoint..
• A good safety culture and sound understanding of Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations and their application in this role.
  
  You will attract a salary of £76,299 plus car and a bonus of 3%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote
Close Date: 19/01/2025 We also provide the following additional benefits
• 23 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays
• Personal Pension Plan - Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit scheme
• Tax efficient benefits: cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On - scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers products.
• Discounted access to sports and social clubs
• Employee Assistance Programme.