Senior RTS Design Engineer

Department: OCU Design

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Ruislip

Reporting To: Gordon Learoyd

Location: Ruislip | Contract Type:
Permanent | Working Pattern:
Full-Time | Office & Site Based

Pay / Benefits: Remuneration for this role is benchmarked competitively within our sector.

The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced Senior RTS Design Engineer to lead the design and delivery of Real Time Systems (RTS), SCADA and operational communications infrastructure for HV and EHV substation projects across the UK. Working within our electrical design function, you will ensure that systems are robust, secure and compliant with DNO standards, supporting the safe and reliable operation of electricity networks.

As a senior technical specialist, you will take ownership of SCADA architectures, Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) systems, substation LANs and communications interfaces, working closely with primary electrical, protection, telecoms and IT/OT engineering teams. You will support projects from feasibility and detailed design through to installation, commissioning and handover, ensuring seamless integration across the wider network.

With projects spanning 11kV to 132kV substations, including new builds, refurbishments and extensions, this is an excellent opportunity to provide technical leadership, develop innovative digital substation solutions and contribute to the continued improvement of network communications and control systems.

• Lead the development and assurance of RTS and SCADA designs, including system architectures, RTU solutions, substation LANs and communications topologies.
• Produce and review technical deliverables, including architecture diagrams, LAN layouts, IED integration drawings, communications schematics and RTS design specifications.
• Ensure designs comply with DNO standards, operational requirements, cybersecurity principles and project specifications, coordinating submissions and approvals with DNO design authorities.
• Design and coordinate communications interfaces involving fibre, IP-based networks and Optical Transport Network (OTN) technologies, ensuring resilience, redundancy and secure end-to-end connectivity.
• Specify and integrate RTUs, control panels, communications equipment, DC supplies, I/O requirements and data mappings to support effective SCADA monitoring and control.
• Collaborate with primary electrical, protection, telecoms, civil and construction teams to deliver fully integrated substation designs.
• Provide technical support during installation, testing and commissioning, reviewing test results, as-built documentation and system integration to ensure successful handover.

Essential Skills

• Degree qualified, or equivalent, in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, Communications or a related discipline.
• Proven experience delivering RTS and SCADA designs for HV and EHV substations within a DNO or Independent Connection Provider (ICP) environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of substation communications, SCADA systems, RTUs, substation LANs, IP networking and communications interfaces, including OTN.
• Experience delivering projects across the full lifecycle, from feasibility and detailed design through to installation, testing, commissioning and handover, with a strong understanding of DNO RTS and telecommunications standards.
• Excellent communication, technical documentation and organisational skills, with the ability to work independently, coordinate multidisciplinary teams and manage competing project priorities.

Desirable Skills

• Experience designing digital substations and fibre-based operational communications networks.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity requirements and operational technology (OT)…