A consulting engineering firm specialising in electrical infrastructure and substation design is seeking a Lead Electrical Substation Engineer (Primary Plant) to strengthen its engineering team.

This is a senior technical leadership role responsible for leading the design and delivery of HV power distribution and transmission substation projects, primarily within the Eskom Distribution environment, with projects typically ranging up to 132kV and occasionally extending to transmission-level substations up to 765kV.

The successful candidate will act as the technical lead on projects, coordinating engineering deliverables, leading design activities, and ensuring high-quality technical outputs that comply with applicable standards and client specifications.

The role requires an experienced engineer who can operate independently, take ownership of projects, lead junior engineers and designers, and engage directly with clients and stakeholders in a consulting engineering environment.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Design & Project Delivery

• Planning and design of HV power distribution and transmission substations and overhead lines (OHLs) ranging from 33kV up to 765kV.

• Lead the design and engineering development of electrical substation projects, including:

  • Primary plant layouts and drawings

  • Selection and specification of substation equipment

  • Equipment and construction specifications

  • Associated electrical calculations and studies

• Prepare concept and detailed designs and deliver complete design packages that comply with applicable local, international and client standards.

• Develop and approve project design documentation, Bills of Quantities (BOQs), technical specifications, and engineering reports.

• Prepare and present concept and detailed designs to client TEC/DRT forums for review and acceptance.

• Coordinate and integrate engineering deliverables across multiple disciplines.

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers, designers and draughtsmen.

• Lead engineering teams to deliver projects successfully within design schedules and project timelines.

• Provide regular technical status updates to Engineering Managers and Project Managers.

• Review and approve engineering deliverables and ensure quality control across design outputs.

Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Engage with project stakeholders including clients, contractors and internal engineering teams.

• Present technical solutions and designs to clients and technical forums.

• Coordinate and review technical contract documentation.

• Conduct contractor design reviews and ensure compliance with project specifications.

Construction & Commissioning Support

• Provide engineering support during the construction phase of projects.

• Respond to technical queries from contractors and project stakeholders.

• Participate in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) planning and execution.

• Support pre-commissioning and commissioning activities.

• Attend and contribute to project and site technical meetings.

• Prepare final engineering handover documentation including as-built drawings.

Project Development & Business Support

• Assist with the preparation of Expressions of Interest (EOIs), tenders and Requests for Quotations.

• Participate in business development and company marketing initiatives.

• Contribute to the development and improvement of engineering design tools, processes and standards.

Health, Safety & Quality

• Demonstrate a personal commitment to Health, Safety and Environmental policies.

• Apply relevant Safety Management Systems in all engineering activities.

• Participate in internal knowledge sharing and continuous improvement initiatives.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• BSc Eng / BEng in Electrical Engineering

Professional Registration

• Registered with ECSA as a Professional Engineer (Pr Eng)

Experience

• Approximately 7 – 10+ years of experience in the design and execution of distribution substations and overhead lines up to 132kV

• Eskom design experience is essential

• Experience designing transmission substations would be highly advantageous

• Strong experience in detailed substation design, including development of complete engineering design packages

Technical Knowledge

• Solid understanding of primary plant equipment technology, specification, sizing and selection

• Experience designing substation earthing systems using:

  • CDEGS

  • Autogrid Pro

• Strong knowledge of Eskom design standards and requirements

• Experience within a consulting, EPC, or Eskom environment

• Design experience on overhead lines would be advantageous

• Exposure to renewable energy technologies, including:

  • Solar PV

  • Wind

  • Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Project & Engineering Management

• Strong experience managing engineering design deliverables across multiple projects

• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams

• Ability to manage stakeholders and technical project interfaces

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent technical report writing and presentation skills

• Strong verbal communication and client engagement skills

• Ability to operate effectively in a consulting engineering environment with strict project deadlines

• Strong time management and organisational skills

• Ability to lead and mentor junior engineers and technical staff

• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including:

  • Excel

  • Word

  • PowerPoint

  • MS Project

Personal Attributes

• Self-motivated and able to work independently

• Assertive and confident in technical decision-making

• Strong team player

• Able to take ownership of technical deliverables and drive project progress

Additional Requirements

• Willing and able to travel within South Africa and internationally when required.

Benefits / Incentives

• Opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects across:

  • Renewable energy

  • Distribution infrastructure

  • Transmission infrastructure

• Exciting career growth prospects within a growing engineering environment

• Youthful, dynamic and knowledge-sharing company culture

• Professional development and training support

• Annual performance bonus based on KPIs

• Lean reporting structure enabling direct technical influence

A growing consulting engineering firm specialising in substation and electrical infrastructure design is seeking an experienced Senior Substation Draughtsman to join its engineering team.

This role will support the delivery of Eskom distribution substation design projects, with a strong focus on outdoor MV and HV substations up to 132kV. The successful candidate will play a key role in producing detailed engineering drawings and supporting the engineering team in the development of high-quality substation designs.

The position requires a draughtsman with extensive Eskom-related substation drafting experience, strong technical understanding of primary plant systems, and proficiency in Bentley MicroStation.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce detailed substation design drawings for Eskom distribution projects (up to 132kV).

• Develop drafting outputs including:

  • Primary plant layouts

  • Single Line Diagrams (SLDs)

  • General Arrangement (GA) drawings

  • Earthing layouts

  • Sections and elevations

• Ensure all drawings comply with Eskom Distribution standards and standard drawings.

• Interpret and work with different drawing language standards including:

  • IEC

  • Eskom standards

• Translate engineering drawings into Bills of Quantities (BOQs).

• Support engineers with technical drawing development and documentation.

• Maintain drawing quality and ensure consistency across project deliverables.

• Assist in managing drafting documentation and drawing registers.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• BTech or equivalent qualification in Electrical Engineering

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience as a draughtsman

• Strong experience with Eskom Distribution outdoor substations up to 132kV

• Extensive experience drafting:

  • MV and HV substation infrastructure

  • Outdoor substation primary plant systems

Software

• Bentley MicroStation (preferred and highly advantageous)

• AutoCAD experience beneficial

Technical Knowledge

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong practical understanding of Eskom Distribution design standards

• Knowledge of substation primary plant equipment

• Ability to interpret and work with multiple drawing standards

Advantageous knowledge includes:

• LV and MV reticulation systems

• Small power and lighting systems

• Draughting of secondary plant schematics and protection drawings

• Exposure to renewable energy technologies, including:

  • Solar PV

  • Wind

  • Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Key Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and drafting accuracy

• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and standards

• Strong understanding of substation design documentation

• Ability to work within a consulting engineering environment with strict project deadlines

Working Environment

• Office-based role in Johannesburg

• Full-time position within a consulting engineering design team

• Opportunity to work on major electrical infrastructure and energy projects

About the Company

Our client is a growing consulting engineering firm specialising in electrical infrastructure and substation design. The team operates within a professional services consulting environment and delivers substation design solutions for utilities and Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

As the company continues to expand its substation engineering capabilities, they are seeking a Senior Secondary / Protection Engineer to strengthen their design team and support the delivery of complex grid infrastructure projects.

Role Overview

The Senior Secondary / Protection Engineer will be responsible for the design and delivery of secondary plant systems for substations, supporting projects ranging from distribution through to transmission networks.

This is a senior technical role within the organisation, requiring a candidate who can operate independently, take responsibility for design deliverables, and ensure compliance with Eskom and local utility standards.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the detailed engineering design of substation protection, control and telecommunications systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design secondary plant systems for electrical substations
• Develop engineering designs covering:
  • Protection systems
  • Metering systems
  • Control systems
  • Telecommunications systems
• Prepare and review secondary plant design documentation
• Ensure designs comply with Eskom standards and requirements
• Deliver detailed engineering designs for substation projects
• Support the integration of secondary systems with primary plant infrastructure
• Produce clear technical documentation and reports
• Interface with internal engineering teams and clients when required
• Support engineering delivery within a consulting environment where deadlines and deliverables are critical

Minimum Requirements

Education & Professional Registration

• Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Professional registration preferred:
  • Pr Eng, or
  • Pr Tech Eng

Experience

• Senior-level experience in substation secondary plant design ( 8 – 10 years)
• Experience designing substations for:
  • Eskom, and/or
  • Independent Power Producers (IPPs)
• Strong knowledge of Eskom standards and requirements
• Experience within a consulting engineering environment is strongly preferred

Key Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong technical expertise in protection and control systems
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of design deliverables
• High level of accountability and attention to detail
• Strong technical communication and documentation skills
• Ability to perform in a deadline-driven consulting environment

Working Environment

• Office-based role in Johannesburg
• 5 days per week in-office
• Occasional travel to project sites or clients