Ops Telecoms Technician

80236 - Ops Telecoms Technician

This Ops Telecoms Technician will report to the Operational Telecoms Senior Project Engineer and will work within Network Operations based in our Nelson Street, London office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £51,245 per annum (depending on experience) and a bonus of 3%.

If you are successful, you will need to undertake a medical and DBS reference check

Close Date: 19th March 2025

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus bank holidays. 
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers’ products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

Job purpose:

The Operational Telecoms Team, situated in the Networks Operations Business, are responsible for all of the Networks business Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) projects, fault rectification and maintenance programmes and for the provision of Grid and Primary SCADA and comms connectivity to over 1,500 sites.

You will form part of a technical team of specialists that manage SCADA comms and control equipment across the three licence areas 24 hours a day, ensuring a 24x7x365 availability of this business-critical infrastructure. Technicians conduct installation, wiring, equipment modifications and repairs to ensure this infrastructure is available for efficient operation of the power network.

It will require the role holder to travel to other locations and regions of UK Power Networks where Ops Telecom staff and workshops are located. It will also include conducting work at Grid and Primary Substations assisting Engineers in the provision of UK Power Networks SCADA systems and the repair of legacy Networks SCADA and comms equipment.

Dimensions:

You are entrusted with the daily management of stock and procurement of spares and equipment to a value of circa £50k used to complete their responsibilities.

Operational Telecoms Technician will also make miscellaneous purchases through corporate credit card up to £2k per month.

Principal accountabilities:

Typical accountabilities for the Technician will include:

• Ensure that a high standard of safety management prevails throughout the responsibilities and that safety procedures are undertaken correctly.
• Technician conducts wiring and other SCADA related activities on site, usually on their own, implementing modifications or repairs of SCADA and comms equipment.
• Deliver upgrade and improvement work on the operational SCADA equipment within Grid, Primary and Secondary substations. Including the configuration, testing and integration of SMART Grid solutions and SCADA interfaces.
• Construction of Telecontrol Equipment Cubicles (TEC) and other SCADA equipment within the Ops Telecoms workshops located at Nelson Street, East Ham.
• Installation and repair of :
• Copper and fibre optic communication circuits
• Radio communication equipment and antennas
• VSAT & BGAN Satellite communication equipment
• Telecontrol equipment and associated wiring to substation plant & equipment
• Inter-tripping and protection comms equipment
• Help to deliver annual Ops Telecoms work programme following the network management plan.
• The Technician will operate Spectrum Analysers, Oscar – Signal generation equipment and portable tools and equipment which are used as part of the role. In each case you will maintain these items of equipment and ensure they are calibrated and tested periodically. The value of all of the equipment that the post holder has for exceeds £40k.
• The post holder has a responsibility to ensure that you carry the most common equipment to ensure quick and reliable system restoration. They also have to ensure that stock levels are maintained by accurate replenishment and repair.
• Support our Command Vehicle, located at Nelson Street, ensuring safe deployment and training of other staff on its operation during a deployment usually on to the site of a major network incident.

Nature and scope:

Role Holder is responsible to the Ops Telecoms Senior Project Engineer, forming part of a team of technical specialists, responsible for the design, management and repair of comms and SCADA equipment.

You will work relatively autonomously, utilising your depth of

Experience to ensure all SCADA, SMART Grid projects and faults are completed to a high standard.

Participate in the SCADA Standby Rotas, typically one week in every eight weeks.

The Technician, in your role in the provision of a fast initial response to a SCADA abnormality call and other comms abnormalities which occur on the system, has to go to the site and it is your responsibility to investigate that abnormality.

The Technician is required to deal with members of the public, emergency services and local authorities when representing UK Power Networks in emergency situations.

The Technician often gets issued with a minimum amount of information about the extent or nature of any SCADA problem and this information could come through control, emergency services or customers. The Technician would need to go on site, consider the nature of the work and evaluate what needs to be done and make sure whether you have the tools and experience to undertake the job or whether additional resources may be needed. We ask that you use your judgement and expertise in the assessment of a situation although you can seek advice from a Field or Project Engineer.

Whilst you will be focussed on a specific area of service delivery, you will take part in wider governance meetings, providing input and taking actions.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of Networks SCADA and its application in the provision of a real-time control systems connected to live switchgear, transformers and other substation equipment and apparatus.
• An awareness of the function of inter-tripping systems and basic protection systems.
• Technically / electrically competent - City and Guilds 2322 in Electronic and Electrical theory.
• Understanding of schematic and wiring diagrams to allow build or repair tasks to be carried out.
• PASMA, IPAF, VSAT understanding accreditation, GE T5000 RTU accreditation and NRSWA, Type A,B & C confined space access are all desirable.
• Proficient in the use of Lap Top computers running numerous software tools used for the configuration and testing of complex comms and SCADA equipment.
• Experience of the PowerOn network management system with Telecontrol Technician access privileges.
• Demonstrate the competent use of hand tools, power tools and test equipment and able to instal complex wiring within substation equipment.
• Can risk assess and put other individuals to work safely including guidance of other staff and contractors working in substations.
• Good understanding and awareness of relevant policies relating to network standards, Health & Safety and electricity regulations and know where a policy can be referenced.
• Experience working with CDM regulations and ISO9001 quality processes.
• Familiar with copper and fibre optic jointing and basic manual handling techniques.
• Substation access up to and including 132KV - will hold competency certificate under UK Power Networks safety rules, permitting entry into and work within substations unattended including operating and modifying SCADA equipment.
• Aware of cyber security precautions and why these are important for SCADA services.
• Knowledge of IP and other SCADA protocols including the use of diagnostic tools such as Wireshark.
• Experience with fault diagnostics and logical implementation of fault finding techniques. Modify approach as more information is assimilated during work on a complex fault.
• Full driving licence required.

Responsibility Matrix

• Put to work by an Engineer and able to complete work alone, consulting for help as and when needed.
• Work on your own on challenging wiring modification work or faults. Expected to coordinate own work to ensure efficient use of time.
• Negate the need for attending an Engineer on site.
• Trained to conduct specific responsibilities relating to the SCADA systems that you be tasked to maintain. Basic comms cable jointing, wiring and the installation of comms equipment.
• Have experience of a large variety of SCADA equipment and systems. Competent to review and understand wiring schematics and make decisions based on correct interpretation of all available information.
• Can refer to and Engineer but this would not be a regular event.
• Can follow complex instructions to complete rewire of TEC cubicles on site. Support other SCADA projects and maintenance responsibilities.
• Use experience to complete complex wiring modifications to TEC's and other SCADA equipment using own initiative and judgement.
• Negate the need for attending an Engineer on site.
• Understand SCADA wiring and RTU I/O schedules.
• Amend and add removing SCADA wiring and RTU I/O schedules.
• Assessed through work portfolio.
• Qualified to C&G 232 or have experience to complete tasks safely and to a high standard.
• Work towards ONC/HNC or possessing portfolio of experience to demonstrate knowledge of SCADA systems.
• Assessed with Technical Assessment Panel
• Installation of pre-configured equipment.
• Can the installation and then loading RTU databases and configuring comms equipment using custom software with a laptop.
• Negate the need for an Engineer to complete this work.
• Comfortable working within SCADA cubicles and marshalling boxes working with HV and LV network apparatus.
• Assessed through work portfolio.
• Can troubleshooting and fault finding on IP networks using tools such as Wireshark.
• Assessed with Technical Assessment Panel
• An Enhanced Technician will manage a Technician on site
• Negate the need for attending an Engineer on site.
• An Enhanced Technician will also provide guidance and on the job training to Technicians and other UKPN operatives on SCADA systems.
• Negate the need for attending an Engineer on site.
• An Enhanced Technician will be entrusted to manage external contractors.
• Negate the need for attending an Engineer on site.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

Employees need to be aware that for some craft and operational roles that work at height, or use fall arrest devices, there is an upper weight limit of 116Kg due to maximum safe working load of the safety equipment that is used.

If in doubt ask!

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at careers@ukpowernetworks.co.uk quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.