About us

Turnbull Engineering is one of Australia’s fastest-growing engineering firms. We deliver multidisciplinary design and consultancy services for Transport, Renewable Energy and Water infrastructure, with teams in NSW, QLD, SA and the United Arab Emirates. Our clients are governments, construction contractors and private developers who rely on us to design their complex infrastructure.

The role

You will lead primary design on substations, associated ancillary equipment and infrastructure from 33 kV up to and including 500 kV substation projects for renewable generation, battery storage and transmission, from concept to construction issue. You set the technical direction for the primary team, sign off on designs, and are the go-to engineer for clients and contractors on plant, layout and earthing questions. We welcome applications from Principal and Technical Director level engineers.

What you will do

• Join a team that’s delivering major infrastructure design and advisory, and help decide where we go next. You’ll own your clients, your pipeline and how you win work. We’ll back your judgement, give you room to try things, and celebrate the wins together. If you’d rather build something than maintain it, this role is yours to shape.  

• Lead primary designs up to and including 500 kV transmission substations, switching stations and grid connections for large electronic coupled fast ramping load infrastructure, renewable generation and battery storage (BESS) projects.

• Produce and verify single line diagrams, general arrangements, sections, and equipment layouts.

• Specify and select primary plant: power transformers, AIS and GIS switchgear, circuit breakers, disconnectors, CTs and VTs, surge arresters, capacitor banks, reactors and associated equipment.

• Design and review earthing systems to AS 2067, IEEE80 and ENA EG-0, including soil resistivity interpretation, EPR and step and touch analysis (CDEGS or similar).

• Carry out or review lightning protection, insulation coordination, busbar and conductor sizing, clearances, and short-circuit and mechanical force calculations.

• Coordinate with secondary, civil, structural and cable design to deliver an integrated design package.

• Review vendor drawings, FAT documentation and technical submissions.

• Act as technical authority in design reviews, HAZOPs and safety-in-design workshops.

• Mentor and develop graduate and intermediate engineers and drafters.

• Contribute to proposals, scope definition, fee estimates and design programs.

What you will bring

• Degree in electrical engineering (power).

• 15+ years in HV/EHV substation primary design (12 years minimum), including 3–5+ years on Australian transmission projects at 330 kV and above, and a strong record of leading designs to construction issue.

• Working knowledge of AS 2067, AS/NZS 3000, AS 1768, IEEE80 ENA EG-0, and relevant IEC standards, plus the design standards of  TNSPs (e.g. Transgrid, Powerlink, AusNet, ElectraNet).

• Hands-on experience with earthing studies software (CDEGS, SafeGrid, or similar) and CAD or 3D substation design tools.

• Australian working rights and a current driver's licence.

Desirable

• 500 kV experience, or work on Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) or interconnector projects, including GPS-related design inputs.

• Experience on D&C or EPC delivery, as well as consultancy or owner's engineer roles.

• Experience with 3D and other substation design platforms (e.g. AutoCAD, Bentley OpenUtilities Substation, Revit, or other BIM workflows).

• CPEng / NER registration, or eligibility. RPEQ preferred for Queensland work.