OT Engineer - Controls & Automation

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving transformational change within our clients. We use proven technology, specialist teams and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications. We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help in achieving their goals.

As an OT Controls Engineer at Sword, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering standardised, secure and scalable control system solutions across electricity distribution environments.

This role sits within a specialist Technology Standards function responsible for defining engineering policy, approved equipment, and standard configurations for substation control systems. This includes protection, automation and telecontrol technologies that underpin the operation of critical national infrastructure.

You will work at the intersection of engineering design, product assurance and operational delivery – supporting the development of consistent, repeatable and cyber‑secure control system architectures. Alongside hands‑on technical work, you will contribute to the evaluation, testing and standardisation of substation control technologies, ensuring they meet both operational and regulatory requirements.

This is a unique opportunity to influence how control systems are deployed at scale, supporting the transition to a more digitised and resilient energy network.

• Develop, review and maintain engineering standards for substation control systems, including RTUs, telecontrol and automation equipment
• Produce detailed technical specifications for control system components and ensure alignment with operational and regulatory requirements
• Design and implement structured test plans to validate equipment against defined specifications
• Carry out technical evaluation and assurance of vendor solutions prior to approval for deployment
• Develop, configure and test standardised RTU builds and control system configurations to ensure repeatability across sites
• Produce engineering schematics, control cabinet layouts and wiring diagrams using AutoCAD
• Support the development of standardised substation control system designs and architectures
• Work with industrial communication protocols including DNP3 (essential) and IEC 61850 (desirable)
• Contribute to the implementation of secure‑by‑design principles within OT environments, including segmentation, access control and system hardening
• Collaborate with engineering, cyber security and operational teams to ensure solutions are practical, deployable and aligned to standards
• Support the wider digitisation of control systems, ensuring solutions are scalable, maintainable and future‑ready

• Experience working within operational technology or control system environments, ideally within utilities, energy or industrial infrastructure
• Strong experience designing, configuring or commissioning substation control systems, telecontrol or automation equipment
• Hands‑on experience configuring RTUs (e.g. Schneider, Hitachi/ABB, ZIV, SEL or equivalent platforms)
• Strong understanding of industrial communication protocols, particularly DNP3 (essential)
• Familiarity with IEC 61850 (desirable)
• Knowledge of electricity distribution networks and associated engineering standards, codes and regulatory frameworks (highly desirable)
• Experience producing engineering drawings and schematics using AutoCAD
• Understanding of substation protection and control schemes (desirable)
• Awareness of OT cyber security principles and the ability to apply secure configuration and network segmentation practices
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and documentation skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical specialists and wider stakeholders

• Degree or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or a related discipline
• Familiarity with OT cyber security frameworks such as IEC 62443
• Industry certifications such as CCNA, CompTIA Security+, or vendor‑specific RTU /…