Regional Principal Engineer

Job Description SummaryThe global energy transition demands a massive expansion of the electrical transmission network to integrate renewable energy sources and strengthen interconnections between grids. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems, FACTS and Advanced AC Substations (ACS) are at the core of this transformation—enabling efficient, reliable, and flexible power transmission across regions and countries.

Within GE Vernova’s Grid Systems Integration business, the Principal Engineer acts as the regional technical authority for plant and primary design activities, supporting project execution, design optimization, and competence development across assigned geographies.

This role ensures the consistent application of design standards and best practices across HVDC converter stations, FACTS and ACS substations, covering the full plant engineering scope—from high-voltage yard layout and equipment specification to earthing, insulation coordination, and integration with civil and control disciplines.

The Principal Engineer connects global domain expertise with local project teams, ensuring technical excellence, safety, and quality in the delivery of HVDC and ACS projects.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the regional technical authority, providing expert guidance to design, project, and tendering teams.

• Review and validate the design to ensure compliance with design standards, safety, and operability requirements.

• Support interdisciplinary design coordination between primary, secondary, civil, and control teams to ensure consistency and correctness of interfaces.

• Lead or contribute to design and constructability reviews, root cause analyses, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Validate designs against grid code requirements, electrical clearances, EMC, and Safety-by-Design principles.

Regional Project & Tender Support

• Act as the primary regional interface between global domain leaders and local project teams for plant design topics.

• Support tenders and project execution by providing technical expertise, risk assessments, and optimized engineering solutions tailored to project needs.

• Collaborate with procurement and suppliers to ensure equipment compliance with specifications and interface requirements.

• Provide expert support during site installation, commissioning, and as-built validation phases.

• Drive alignment of engineering deliverables with customer specifications and project standards.

Competence Development

• Mentor and coach engineers on primary engineering, HVDC yard concepts, and ACS substation design practices.

• Support regional training programs and competence assessments.

• Facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions to capture and disseminate lessons learned and best practices across regional teams.

Design Optimization & Innovation

• Identify opportunities for design simplification, modularization, and cost optimization across projects.

• Provide structured feedback to global R&D and product development teams based on project experience and customer feedback.

• Contribute to standardization of engineering tools, templates, and calculation methodologies.

• Support the development and deployment of digital engineering workflows, such as 3D design, design automation, and integrated model-based design.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with Project Engineering Managers, System Design Leads, Civil and Control Engineers, and Product Managers to ensure design consistency and quality.

• Represent GE Vernova in technical discussions with customers, utilities, consultants, and partners during tenders, reviews, and clarifications.

• Support the Quality organization during audits, issue resolution, and improvement initiatives.

Qualifications / Requirements

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems, or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience).

• 10+ years of experience in HVDC, FACTS, or AC substation primary/plant design, including engineering, integration, or commissioning.

• Strong technical expertise in:

  • Primary plant layout for HVDC converter stations and high-voltage substations.

  • High-voltage equipment: circuit breakers, disconnectors, instrument transformers, bushings, surge arresters, etc.

  • Insulation coordination, clearance studies, and earthing system design.

  • Busbar configurations, HV connections, and interfaces to converter transformers.

  • Civil and mechanical interfaces, including coordination with foundations, cable trenches, and fire safety systems.

• Knowledge of standards and regulations such as IEC, IEEE, EN, and grid code requirements for HVDC, FACTS and AC systems.

• Experience in engineering tools and digital design platforms.

• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary technical reviews and resolve complex engineering issues.

• Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and contributing to technical training and competence development.

• Willingness to travel regionally and occasionally internationally.

Desired Characteristics

• Strong leadership and communication skills, capable of influencing across teams and functions

• Proactive and analytical approach to problem-solving under demanding project conditions.

• Demonstrated ability to drive standardization, simplification, and quality improvement.

• Experience in HVDC converter station, FACTS and AC substation project environments.

• Familiarity with 3D design integration, BIM workflows, and digital twin concepts.

• Continuous improvement mindset, fostering innovation and collaboration.

• Contributions to technical papers, working groups, or industry standards are an advantage.

Additional Information

Relocation Assistance Provided: No