Electrical Infrastructure Specialist

**** This Role can be based in Spain or Portugal****

As a member of the Asset Excellence department, the Electrical Infrastructure Specialist (EIS) will be a technical expert for the specification of new electrical infrastructure for new Growth projects, and the integration of new generation plant with existing operational assets.

Acting as a key technical stakeholder between the Operations and Growth departments, the EIS will be responsible for the specification of new electrical infrastructure, developing Employer Requirements for future construction contracts that are aligned with Operational strategy and requirements.  The EIS will work closely with Growth execution teams to ensure design meets specification, monitor the progress of construction, commissioning and testing, and support Operational takeover of newly constructed assets.

For Growth projects which involve existing operational assets, such as co-location, overpowering, or repowering, the EIS will act as the critical liaison between the Electrical Reliability team, Construction, and EPC contractors to ensure that modifications to existing electrical infrastructure are designed and safely implemented to mitigate operational risk.

As a member of the Engineering Optimisation team the EIS will also have the opportunity to support the development of performance improvement initiatives and strategies to extend the lifetime of assets.

The initial focus for the newly appointed EIS is to support the design and construction of 240MWp of solar PV to be co-located on 5 existing wind farms in Northern Spain.  Expected to last 24 months, the delivery of the programme is under the accountability of Asset Excellence and the EIS will lead on all electrical engineering and grid compliance workstreams. 

Key Responsibilities

1.Growth Delivery Support

Employer Requirement Development

• Collaborate with the wider Operations organisation to define precise technical specifications for electrical infrastructure, ensuring alignment with long-term operational strategy
• Integrate emerging industry best practices into construction contract requirements to maximise future opportunities for operational efficiency
• Conduct due diligence to validate project viability and technology choices

Design Review and Validation

• Evaluate project designs from Growth execution teams to ensure they meet established specifications and performance expectations
• Ensure design flexibility to incorporate future technological advancements and operational enhancements
• Ensure that contractor detailed design has appropriately assessed the impact of integrating renewable generation technology to the grid and that risk to grid compliance has been fully mitigated
• Assess and recommend electrical infrastructure equipment suppliers and technology partners based on technical performance, reliability, and cost

Construction Monitoring and Operational Oversight

• Stay abreast of construction and commissioning progress, in particular gaining an in-depth understanding of any technical problems encountered and the solutions implemented
• Review testing and commission reports
• Manage grid compliance processes where required
• Support the Growth to Operations takeover process, ensure that the required technical documentation is delivered

2.Operational Asset Optimisation

Performance Optimisation

• Develop and maintain strong industry networks to stay current on the latest technology developments in electrical infrastructure
• Analyse operational performance to identify trends and opportunities for increased asset reliability
• Work closely with electrical reliability and data analytics teams to support the development of novel predictive maintenance systems and techniques

Lifetime Management

• In partnership with the electrical reliability team, develop and implement lifecycle management strategies for electrical infrastructure to extend asset life and improve return on investment

3.Operational Asset Technical Support

As required by the Asset Maintenance and Electrical Reliability Team:

Provision of Technical Expertise

• Provide troubleshooting support and technical resolution for complex issues that arise during the operational phase
• Support the completion of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations into large-scale defects and failures

Commercial and Procurement Support

• Support Procurement in the development of technical scope for O&M contracts
• Assist Asset Maintenance in the development of critical spares holding

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Strong understanding and demonstrable experience of working with renewable energy power plant design and operation, including LV and HV subcomponents, and balance of plant electrical infrastructure
• Knowledge of grid connection agreements and compliance 
• Understanding of SCADA systems used in power generation 
• Understanding of relevant quality and design regulations 
• Language Skills (Fluent in Spanish and English)

Relevant experience: 

Essential

• Experience in the design and construction of renewable energy projects
• Supporting the negotiation and/or execution of EPC or Balance of Plant agreements
• Multi-project and stakeholder management
• Contractor and resource management 
• Has worked across internal teams to ensure delivery
• Project management experience 
• Worked across several jurisdictions

Education and qualifications:

• Masters degree in Electrical Engineering
• Specialisation in Power Systems