About us

National Grid is at the heart of the energy future, and our people are at the heart of National Grid. We’re 30,000 colleagues strong. In the UK, National Grid don’t generate or sell energy – we join the dots to get energy from A to B. From making a cup of tea in the morning, to keeping the lights on in hospitals, our electricity network puts power in the hands of people. Without it, the world as we know it would grind to a halt.

The world of energy is changing beyond recognition as we focus on building a cleaner, greener future. Working at National Grid, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in the UK – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

Our values and principles

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries and we are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that you require.

About the role

As owners of Wales and England’s electricity transmission network we’re at the vanguard of the energy transition. We’re looking for the brightest engineering graduates to help propel us forwards into a greener energy future.

We’re offering a highly unique, immersive experience, designed to give you an in-depth understanding of substation engineering while being paid.

You will experience a wide variety of projects and work with diverse teams from project to construction through to commissioning.

Key Accountabilities include:

• Testing equipment, safety, protection and control of the system, substation refurbishment maintenance, technical support, problem diagnosis and fault fixing
• Provide support and assistance to your Operations Manager and other team members whilst undertaking a project
• Develop in the role of Project Leader (PL) role to enable successful delivery of work packages, ensuring a commercial focus is given to delivery in line with standard job times and OMGS budgets
• Lead on the skills, knowledge and experience to ensure that staff are set to work in the correct manner, including provision of risk assessments and method statements, and that toolbox talks take place
• Work with the wider team to monitor, review and progress contracts for unlicensed customers and review and progress work undertaken by contractors
• Be responsible for site delivery activities of projects and the appointed Temporary Works Co-ordinator and Principal Contractor (Site Manager) as defined in CDM Regs
• Carry out training to enable you to undertake roles as defined in National Grid’s Safety Rules
• Drive continuous improvement through working with other industry bodies to constantly review/ensure best practice

About you

You will:

• Learn about and become an expert on testing equipment, safety, protection and control of the system, substation refurbishment maintenance, technical support, problem diagnosis and fault fixing
• Lead and be proactive in all aspects of the work programme communicating with the Project Leader or the line manager, as appropriate, to enable the work programme to stay on track and be updated to maintain target prioritisation as necessary
• Develop the skills to manage a range of duties on plant and equipment, as required, to a defined standard that include maintenance, site delivery of projects, major fault investigation and repair, safety implementation and monitoring
• Have responsibility for providing engineering and project leadership knowledge to operational HVDC/AC assets. This will include being an integral part of strategic projects, providing expertise into our present and future portfolios.

At the end of the two years’ you will begin a full-time job as a Substation Engineer.

This is a job where the decisions you make will impact the transmission of electricity in England and Wales for the next 40 or 50 years. A job where you’ll be delivering maintenance work, replacing and refurbishing assets, fixing mechanical and electrical issues, and connecting new customers. A job that helps connect energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar farms, to the transmission network.

Eventually some of you will even be commissioning new equipment onto the system and taking responsibility for the safety of your co-workers.

What you'll need

You'll need a minimum 2:2 in a degree based on electrical principles, such as electrical engineering, power systems engineering or electronics.

It's essential that you have a full valid UK driving license that allows you to drive in the UK.

Location

This role is based across substations located in our South West (Chiltern) region. This means you'll be travelling around this region as part of your role.

Due to the nature of this role, you'll need to live within a 30 minute drive of the following postcode: RG26 5BJ

Application Deadline

We recruit on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close our vacancies once we have enough applications. We encourage you to apply as early as possible to ensure you obtain the place you want in the application process.

Assessment centres will be held WC 30th September 2024 in Eakring, Nottinghamshire. Should your application be successful you will start your role in January 2025.

What you'll get

We are proud to offer a starting salary of £33,154 (Bachelor’s) or £34,360 (Master’s).

As a first step to your career in the energy industry, our Graduate Programmes are like no other! You’ll gain an insight into how we work at National Grid, understand what a career with us can offer, and receive some great rewards and benefits:

• £2,000 starting bonus, once joined and started on programme
• 26 days holiday
• £2,400 payment on successful completion of the programme
• Cost of living allowance (inner London, Metropolitan and Outer Metropolitan areas)
• Other benefits include pension and share-option schemes, Flexible Benefits, close mentorship and regular feedback, accreditation by the IMechE, IGEM and IET, and volunteering opportunities.

National Grid is committed to the personal development of our staff. Joining us, you’ll be supported as you develop a wide range of leadership, business, and technical skills through structured training and on the-job experience. You’ll work closely with your line manager to establish and navigate through a Personal Development Plan that is tailored to your needs.

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