Associate Engineer, Electric Control and Instrumentation Engineering

National Grid • Regular • Ayer, US • £81k / year • 5m ago

About us

National Grid is seeking an Associate Electrical Engineer for its engineering team at the Sandy Pond HVDC Converter Station.

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry. To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

Job Purpose

This engineer will be responsible for providing engineering support for projects involving the operation, modification and maintenance of the HVDC control and protection system, with a heavy focus on digital substation control systems and data networks.

Key Accountabilities

Progress through job-based training to become proficient in the following:

ELECTRICAL HVDC CONVERTER STATION CONTROL:

· Review, approve and develop control software via block coding application (HiDraw). Interpret, troubleshoot and modify control system hardware using tools such as CAD (Microstation)

· Analyze and troubleshoot an operating HVDC converter station control system for proper continuous operation. Develop and implement solutions to correct problems, utilizing Microstation and HiDraw.

· Analyze control system for proper operation following system disturbances and determine causes of any improper operations. Develop and implement corrective actions.

· Develop design briefs for control system projects detailing various aspects of the project including the philosophy, design, equipment details, RTU/annunciator point lists etc.

· Investigate, evaluate, and propose new/replacement cubicle wiring and control equipment.

· Review, approve, and develop electrical schematics for control equipment including computers, breaker controls, protective relays, networks and equipment power.

· Participate in the review and development of control and protection specifications.

· Develop standard guidelines for control system.

· Document software and hardware modifications, utilizing vendor-specific specialized engineering change order procedures.

· Evaluate new control technologies.

ELECTRICAL HVDC CONVERTER STATION DATA INTEGRATION

· Design and configure communications systems within the HVDC converter station that transport digital data between intelligent electronic devices and entrance devices.

· Develop standards, guidelines and procedures for the selection, installation, configuring and commissioning of station network components.

· Support HVDC Converter station integration testing during project construction and commissioning.

· Evaluate new HVDC converter station network communications technologies, requirements, and procedures.

Qualifications

· Meet the qualifications for an Associate Engineer according to National Grid’s Technical Progression Series – Engineer standard including:

o Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from an ABET accredited engineering school with entry-level knowledge of high voltage power systems. (ABET accreditation may be waived should an individual have an ABET accredited master’s degree in Engineering)

· Entry-level understanding/knowledge of the following is desirable:

o Substation control system design (conventional and/or digital)

o Ability to read electrical schematics and a working knowledge of the devices represented on typical utility substation schematics with a focus on control systems.

o HVDC converter station control and protection systems.

o Substation automation, digital communications techniques, and protocols.

o Microstation and HiDraw tools.

o MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

· Demonstrate a high level of personal initiative and ability to interact with company personnel, contractors, and others in a positive, team building manner.

· Excellent interpersonal, organizational, oral, and written communication skills.

· Strong problem solving and analytical skills.

· Ability to develop and deliver technical presentations.

· Strong leadership skills.

· Ability to manage multiple tasks.

· Ability to physically navigate in and around an electrical substation.

· Valid driver's license

· Ability to report to work on site in Ayer, Ma, 5 days/week.

· Willingness to support occasional off-hours emergency work.

More Information

Salary

$81 - $95k a year

This position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills. Candidates will be assessed and provided offers against the minimum qualifications of this role and their individual experience.

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience and expertise.  We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve.  National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.