Utilities Operations Engineer - High Voltage AP (SAP)

Utilities Operations Engineer - High Voltage Authorised Person (SAP)

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: Basic Salary up to £55,000 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience) Overtime is not guaranteed but is frequently available.

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. Flexible working may be offered on a temporary basis. Requests will be considered where possible; however, all arrangements must meet business needs and cannot be guaranteed.

Let us introduce the role

As a Utilities Operations Engineer, you will play a key role in the safe operation, maintenance, and delivery of contractor works across your designated Electrical Network area.

Holding Authorised Person appointments, you will carry out switching operations, manage safety documentation, and ensure the ongoing reliability and safety of critical infrastructure. This is a hands-on role where your technical expertise and judgement directly support operational continuity.

Key Responsibilities as part of your day-to-day role:

Produce and review switching schedules and safety programmes for HV/LV network operations
Issue and receive safety documentation (e.g. Permits to Work, Certificates of Isolation, Sanctions for Test, Limitations of Access, outage requests)
Maintain accurate records of switching operations within EDOR (Electrical Distribution Operations Record)
Take responsibility for electrical safety within your appointed area
Safely operate, maintain, and manage electrical equipment under your control
Provide direction and oversight when managing works delivered by staff or contractors
Ensure timely communication of network failures to Operations/Network Managers and relevant stakeholders
Undertake Authorised Person duties within the limits of your appointment
Prepare, review, and implement Safe Systems of Work
Act as Work Supervisory Officer where required
Deputise for the Operations Manager when needed

We do need you to have the following:

Technician Apprenticeship or ONC/NVQ with suitable additional experience.
A background as an experienced electrician

It would be great if you also have experience in some of the following:

Operating high voltage switchgear
Engineering capability across relevant networks, comprising a range of infrastructure facilities and associated plant and equipment
Utilities or building services delivery across a large portfolio of buildings
Supporting engineering services throughout the asset lifecycle
Providing utilities engineering insight to support operational decision-making

Personal Development at AWE:

Experienced electricians without HV Training may be considered for an improver role - we will review your experience and align to the most appropriate role.

What you'll bring

You're calm under pressure, organised, and able to respond effectively in a changing priority environment. You take ownership of your work, apply sound judgement, and bring a proactive and flexible approach to your role.

Some reasons we think you'll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

9-day working fortnight - every other Friday off, plus 270 hours annual leave
Market-leading pension scheme - AWE contributes 9% to 13% of your pensionable pay
Family-friendly policies - including 39 weeks full pay for maternity and 4 weeks full pay for paternity leave
Professional development - including funding for professional memberships
Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
Life assurance - 4x annual salary, with the option to increase
Retail and lifestyle discounts
Special leave policy - including volunteering, public service, and caring responsibilities

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

Important things you need to know:

You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Due to the classified nature of the work involved, it is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend the majority of their time working on site at AWE Aldermaston / Burghfield.

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