Principal Cable System Design Engineer (Transmission & Distribution)
AECOM · Bristol, England ·
Last confirmed by our partners on 20 Oct 2026.
Overview
As a Principal Cable System Design Engineer, you will lead the planning, design, and delivery of HV/EHV cable systems across UK and global projects. You will drive technical excellence, mentor teams, and engage senior stakeholders to shape high-profile infrastructure schemes like the Great Grid Upgrade.
You will work with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure safe, compliant, and innovative solutions across diverse environments. This role offers impact at scale within a global firm focused on energy transition and resilient infrastructure.
You’ll contribute to standards, digital delivery, and strategic client partnerships that advance foundational energy networks.
Pay / Benefits
- hybrid working model
- career development opportunities
- AECOM University
- volunteering days
Responsibilities
- Lead delivery of large HV/EHV cable system projects from concept to completion
- Develop HV cable system designs including routing, burial risk, and performance modelling
- Provide expert input on ratings, installation, jointing, cleating, and system integration
- Validate calculations for ampacity, short circuit forces, EMC, induced voltages, and thermomechanical forces per standards
- Engage clients and stakeholders with technical assurance and strategic direction
- Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs (civil, structural, OHL, substation, marine) for integrated designs
- Drive project execution, manage technical risk, interfaces, and quality reviews; support procurement and commissioning
- Perform 3rd-party inspections, FAT/SAT witnessing, and vendor oversight
- Mentor and develop capability within the cable systems team
- Support business development through proposals, bid reviews, and client presentations
Key requirements
- Demonstrated technical leadership in HV/EHV cable system design
- Experience with design, specification, and installation of complex cable systems in tunnel, urban, and constrained environments
- Strong knowledge of National Grid TPs, IEC, and CIGRÉ standards
- Experience in regulated, quality-assured environments; ideally with National Grid, SSE, EirGrid, or equivalent TSOs/DSOs
- Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and engage with senior stakeholders
- Excellent communication, client-facing, and leadership/mentorship skills
- Commitment to innovation, digital delivery, and sustainability in design
- leadership
- communication
- stakeholder engagement
- HV/EHV cable design
- routing and burial risk analysis
- thermomechanical and EMC modelling
Market data from EasyWorkClub, not from the employer
Typical pay for Design engineer in Bristol: £40,000 – £68,500, from 101 adverts
80 live adverts for Design engineer in Bristol
Remote or home office in 6% of 591 Design engineer adverts we list nationwide
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