With over 14,000 professionals globally, GHD is a leading multidisciplinary professional services company delivering engineering, design, and advisory solutions across water, energy, resources, environment, property & buildings, and transportation sectors.
About the Role
We are looking for a HV Electrical Engineer – Primary Substations to work under the Construction Phase Services Business Group in Qatar, providing project management, design review, construction supervision, technical assessment, testing and commissioning support for high-voltage primary substations, in addition to the required building electrical services and associated power infrastructure works.
The HV Electrical Engineer will assist the Project Manager, Resident Engineer and/or Engineering Manager in administering the technical and operational functions of the project. The role will be responsible for the HV primary substation scope apart from building electrical services, including review of design, review of contractor and vendor submissions, coordination with service lines and stakeholders, supervision of electrical works, and ensuring compliance with approved drawings, specifications, contract requirements, utility authority requirements, and relevant international standards.
The HV Electrical Engineer will provide technical leadership for HV primary substation systems, including GIS/AIS switchgear, power transformers, HV cables, protection and control, SCADA/SAS, earthing, lightning protection, power system studies, and interfaces with the building electrical services. The role will also support coordination with civil, structural, mechanical, telecom, utility, vendor and commissioning teams through design, construction, testing, energization and handover.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Take lead responsibility for HV primary substation works apart from building electrical services, ensuring proper technical review, site coordination, contractor management, testing, commissioning and authority/interface closeout.
- Assist the PM, RE and/or Engineering Manager in performing contractual and technical duties related to HV primary substations, building electrical services interfaces, and associated power infrastructure works.
- Lead and coordinate the technical review of electrical design submissions, calculations, drawings, specifications, method statements, ITPs, shop drawings, material submittals, RFIs and technical queries.
- Review and verify Single Line Diagrams, protection and control schematics, equipment layouts, cable routing, earthing layouts, lightning protection layouts, interlocking schemes and SCADA/SAS interface documents.
- Review and assess contractor and vendor submissions for GIS/AIS switchgear, power transformers, shunt reactors, HV cables, control and relay panels, numerical relays, RTU/SCADA systems and substation automation systems.
- Review, coordinate and provide technical comments on power system studies, including load flow, short circuit, insulation coordination, dynamic motor starting, transient/dynamic analysis, harmonic analysis, arc flash, EMC/EMI, lightning, earthing and protection coordination studies.
- Monitor construction activities at site and verify that electrical works are carried out in accordance with approved drawings, specifications, contract requirements, quality requirements and safety procedures.
- Coordinate electrical interfaces with civil/structural works, equipment foundations, trenches, cable ducts, building services, telecom systems, utility tie-ins, energization requirements and third-party/vendor packages.
- Witness and review Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), pre-commissioning tests, commissioning procedures, test reports and energization readiness documentation.
- Support protection relay testing, SCADA/SAS integration, IEC 61850 coordination, functional testing, interlocking verification and utility authority inspection requirements.
- Identify, document and follow up technical non-conformances, design gaps, construction issues, interface risks and quality observations until satisfactory closeout.
- Participate in technical meetings, design review workshops, progress meetings, risk reviews and coordination meetings with client, contractors, service lines, vendors and utility authorities.
- Provide technical input for project planning, resource estimation, delivery support, vendor partner engagement and assessment of required expertise based on the awarded proposal and project delivery requirements.
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, quality and authority requirements during design review, site supervision, testing, commissioning and energization activities.
- Perform other responsibilities associated with this position as may be appropriate.
- Over-Voltage and Insulation Coordination Study
- Load Flow Study
- Dynamic Motor Starting Study
- Shunt Reactor Sizing Study
- Short Circuit Study
- Transient and Dynamic Analysis Study
- Harmonic Analysis Study
- Arc Flash Study
- EMC and EMI Study
- Lightning Study
- Earthing System Study, including step and touch potential assessment
- Protection Coordination Study, including relay setting review and selectivity assessment
Power System Studies / Engineering Activities
Experience & Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent; Master’s Degree in Power Systems Engineering is preferred.
Minimum 14+ years of overall electrical engineering experience, with significant experience in HV primary substations and transmission/distribution infrastructure projects.
Proven experience in 132kV, 220kV and/or 400kV substations, including GIS/AIS systems, power transformers, HV cables, protection and control, SCADA/SAS, earthing and lightning protection systems.
Experience working with Consultants, PMC/CM teams, EPC Contractors, utility authorities and vendor partners on design review, construction supervision, testing, commissioning and energization activities.
Strong understanding of IEC, IEEE, BS EN and relevant local utility requirements, including experience with Kahramaa and/or other GCC utilities such as SEC, DEWA, TRANSCO, TAQA or OETC.
Demonstrated ability to review power system studies and technical calculations prepared using ETAP, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PSCAD, EMTP, CYME or equivalent software.
Good knowledge of IEC 61850, substation automation, numerical protection relays, relay coordination, RTU/SCADA interfaces and communication systems.
Experience in FAT/SAT witnessing, commissioning support, test report review, punch list closeout, energization readiness and handover documentation.
Ability to manage multiple contractors, coordinate multidisciplinary interfaces, resolve technical issues and provide clear recommendations in a PMC/CM environment.
Strong analytical, communication, report-writing and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively with client, contractor, service line, delivery and technical services teams.
Familiarity with BIM/Revit, ACC/Forma Construction, ProjectWise or other digital delivery and document control platforms is preferred.
Professional certifications such as PMP, Chartered/Professional Engineer status, IEC 61850 training, HV switching authorization, NEBOSH/IOSH or commissioning certifications are preferred.
Why Join Us?
- Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary, innovative environment where your input shapes both standardised and bespoke solutions.
- Join a team that values knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and professional excellence.
Our Pledge to You
At GHD, we don’t just believe in the power of commitment, we live and breathe it every day.
That’s why we pledge to empower our people to make a positive impact. Combining our deep technical expertise with the capabilities of our clients and partners, we respond to some of the most complex challenges facing our planet today.
See where your commitment could take you.
That’s the #PowerOfCommitment