About The Role
At National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET), we're committed to operating our network safely and delivering a highly reliable and high‑quality electricity supply for our customers. Central to achieving this is the effective control and operation of our network.
As a Principal Network Engineer within our Operational Technology (OT) team, you will be the team's technical lead—providing guidance, mentoring colleagues, and ensuring consistent technical excellence. You'll drive alignment across projects, workstreams, and work packages, helping to define roles and shape the future growth of the OT Network Engineering team.
You will take ownership of network design, creation, and technical direction, ensuring all solutions meet project and programme requirements while following industry best practice and compliance standards. This includes enhancing existing infrastructure so it can meet future demands, all while maintaining robust network security controls.
Bringing a calm, measured approach to incident response—even in challenging situations—you'll provide clear technical direction grounded in integrity and aligned with National Grid's values. You'll work closely with technical architects and senior non-technical stakeholders to lead the development and delivery of OT infrastructure and network solutions.
You'll produce both High- and Low-Level design documentation, ensuring capacity, bandwidth, and risk considerations are proactively managed. You'll also ensure adherence to internal and external governance standards, including security and risk frameworks, helping safeguard the business and strengthen National Grid Electricity Transmission's reputation.
We're flexible on location, but you'll need to spend at least two days a week in our Warwick office, (and at our new Hams Hall site from Hybrid working from home can be combined with this.
What You'll Need
You'll bring a strong technical background, ideally gained within telecoms, engineering, or the utilities sector, along with proven experience delivering complex, mission‑critical projects at scale.
Experience in a similar position—such as Technical Design Authority, Solution Architect, or Principal Network Engineer—is essential, as is a track record of developing and implementing large‑scale, high‑availability network infrastructure throughout the full project lifecycle.
You'll be a subject‑matter expert in Network Security, Routing and Switching, associated protocols, capacity planning, and the delivery of technical solutions within an OT environment. Industry-recognised accreditations such as CCNP, CCIE, ISA/IEC or equivalent) will support your expertise.
With a strong interest in networks and cyber security, you'll have hands‑on experience maintaining existing infrastructure as well as leading on network design, implementation of new technologies, and delivery of innovative solutions across projects and initiatives.
Proactive and forward‑thinking, you'll be able to anticipate future challenges and shape appropriate technical solutions. You'll also have the presence and credibility to engage senior stakeholders, provide authoritative technical leadership, and communicate complex concepts in a clear and meaningful way aligned to project outcomes.
What's in it for you?
A competitive salary of £61,400 - £75,000
Annual Performance Based Bonus
37 hour working week. Flexible
26 days annual leave, plus eight statutory days
The option to buy additional or sell holiday days
Generous contributory pension scheme - we will double-match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%
Financial support to help cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, exam fees and time off for study leave – so long as it is relevant to your role
Access to several flexible benefits such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.
Family care benefits including a back-up care service for when your usual care arrangements fall through (six paid days each year as standard with the option to purchase further days)
Access to a numerous apps which support health, fitness and wellbeing.
More Information
This role closes at midnight on 4th March 2026 however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary.
In most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.