OT Engineer - Controls & Automation

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving transformational change within our clients. We use proven technology, specialist teams and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data, and business applications. We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help in achieving their goals.

About the role

As an OT Controls Engineer at Sword, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering standardised, secure and scalable control system solutions across electricity distribution environments.

This role sits within a specialist Technology Standards function responsible for defining engineering policy, approved equipment, and standard configurations for substation control systems. This includes protection, automation and telecontrol technologies that underpin the operation of critical national infrastructure.

You will work at the intersection of engineering design, product assurance and operational delivery – supporting the development of consistent, repeatable and cyber-secure control system architectures. Alongside hands-on technical work, you will contribute to the evaluation, testing and standardisation of substation control technologies, ensuring they meet both operational and regulatory requirements.

This is a unique opportunity to influence how control systems are deployed at scale, supporting the transition to a more digitised and resilient energy network.

As an OT Controls Engineer, you will

• Develop, review and maintain engineering standards for substation control systems, including RTUs, telecontrol and automation equipment
• Produce detailed technical specifications for control system components and ensure alignment with operational and regulatory requirements
• Design and implement structured test plans to validate equipment against defined specifications
• Carry out technical evaluation and assurance of vendor solutions prior to approval for deployment
• Develop, configure and test standardised RTU builds and control system configurations to ensure repeatability across sites
• Produce engineering schematics, control cabinet layouts and wiring diagrams using AutoCAD
• Support the development of standardised substation control system designs and architectures
• Work with industrial communication protocols including DNP3 (essential) and IEC 61850 (desirable)
• Contribute to the implementation of secure-by-design principles within OT environments, including segmentation, access control and system hardening
• Collaborate with engineering, cyber security and operational teams to ensure solutions are practical, deployable and aligned to standards
• Support the wider digitisation of control systems, ensuring solutions are scalable, maintainable and future-ready

Requirements

• Experience working within operational technology or control system environments, ideally within utilities, energy or industrial infrastructure
• Strong experience designing, configuring or commissioning substation control systems, telecontrol or automation equipment
• Hands-on experience configuring RTUs (e.g. Schneider, Hitachi/ABB, ZIV, SEL or equivalent platforms)
• Strong understanding of industrial communication protocols, particularly DNP3 (essential)
• Familiarity with IEC 61850 (desirable)
• Knowledge of electricity distribution networks and associated engineering standards, codes and regulatory frameworks (highly desirable)
• Experience producing engineering drawings and schematics using AutoCAD
• Understanding of substation protection and control schemes (desirable)
• Awareness of OT cyber security principles and the ability to apply secure configuration and network segmentation practices
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and documentation skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical specialists and wider stakeholders

Desirable Certifications & Skills

• Degree or equivalent experience in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or a related discipline
• Familiarity with OT cyber security frameworks such as IEC 62443
• Industry certifications such as CCNA, CompTIA Security+, or vendor-specific RTU / SCADA certifications

Benefits

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success. We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here's what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work-life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well-being, and insurance schemes, an employee assistance programme, discounted cash plan and more….

At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.

If we can do anything to help make the hiring process more accessible, please let our talent acquisition team know when you apply so we can support any adjustments.

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