Lead IEC 61850 Test Engineer

GE Vernova · Stafford

Job Description Summary

We're looking for a Lead IEC 61850 Test Engineer to help drive the testing, validation, and continuous improvement of our communication and substation automation solutions.

This is a great opportunity for someone with a strong foundation in IEC 61850, utility communication protocols, or software/systems testing, who is looking to grow into a role with real technical ownership and industry influence. You'll lead the development and execution of test strategies for IED communications and telecoms systems, integrating AI-driven test automation and predictive analytics to enhance regression efficiency, accelerate defect identification, and ensure the highest standards of reliability in complex IEC 61850 environments. You will work alongside developers, stakeholders, and customers to ensure our solutions are reliable, compliant, and built to the highest standard.

We know great candidates come from a variety of backgrounds — if you have strong testing fundamentals and are excited to build deeper expertise in IEC 61850 and substation automation, we'd love to hear from you, even if you don't check every box below.

Job Description

What You'll Be Doing

Develop and maintain test plans, test cases, and test reports aligned with product and customer requirements
Plan and execute new feature, regression, manual, and AI automated testing for software and communication systems
Validate software and system behavior against specifications and compliance requirements
Identify using AI-powered anomaly detection, investigate, and track defects and inconsistencies using standard bug tracking tools
Collaborate closely with developers to troubleshoot issues and improve overall product quality
Build and maintain automated test scripts using AI-assisted coding tools like GitHub and Copilot to speed up the development of test scripts, contributing to the evolution of our regression test suites
Set up and maintain testing tools and environments
Review logs and test outputs to spot issues and recommend improvements using Natural Language Processing (NLP) or pattern recognition to aggregate thousands of log lines into actionable summaries, significantly reducing the time spent on root-cause analysis
Help keep test tracking and reporting accurate and current
Support testing of telecoms systems — a valuable part of the role we can help you grow into if it's new to you
Liaise with customers, certification bodies, and standards organizations on validation and compliance activities
Represent the business at relevant industry and standards forums, where opportunities arise
Contribute ideas to improve our testing standards and processes

What We're Looking For

We're flexible on exact background — what matters most is strong testing experience and a genuine interest in communication systems and substation automation. Ideally you'll bring some combination of the following:

A degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Engineering, Power Systems, or a related field — or equivalent hands-on experience
Familiarity with SCADA and communication protocols
Some exposure to power system protection and/or IEC 61850 (deep expertise not required from day one — we support continued learning)
A general understanding of networking concepts, such as TCP/IP
Basic familiarity with XML
Experience in client/server environments
Any exposure to multi-user, stress, or load testing is a plus, but not essential
A solid grounding in software or communications testing, with good analytical and debugging instincts
Comfort writing test scripts and applying structured testing approaches
Experience with test automation tools, or a strong interest in developing these skills

Don't have direct IEC 61850 experience? If you have strong testing fundamentals and communication systems knowledge, we're happy to support your development in this specialist area.

Who You Are

You're likely someone who:

Pays close attention to detail and takes pride in quality work
Brings a proactive, can-do attitude to problem-solving
Manages multiple priorities well and stays organised under pressure
Is curious and enjoys continuously learning new tools, technologies, and standards
Works well with others, both internally and with external partners
Is comfortable balancing hands-on technical work with a broader view of product quality

Why Join Us?

Work on advanced, real-world digital substation and communication technologies
Take a lead role in shaping testing strategy and quality practices
Build deep expertise in a specialist, in-demand technical field
Collaborate with experts across engineering, telecoms, and international standards bodies
Grow your career in a role that offers real influence and technical depth
Be supported in developing new skills — we don't expect you to know everything on day one

Our Culture

Every action shapes our future. That’s why our north star is a culture of impact, where everyone is empowered to thrive and achieve.

Addressing the urgent need to build a more sustainable electric power system while improving the trajectory of climate change emissions are global priorities, and we take our responsibility seriously. That is our mission at GE Vernova: continuing to electrify to thrive and decarbonize the world. We play a significant role in leading a new era of energy.

Our technology helps generate approximately twenty-five percent of the world’s electricity today, and we are working to power the rest. If we want the future of energy to be different, then join us and be the difference. Together, we are the Energy of Change!

We're determined to be the best place to grow

We believe that strong careers are built on a variety of experiences, strong connections, and continuous development. We’re committed to providing you the tools to navigate and shape a strong career journey that aligns with a healthy work-life balance. No two careers are the same, and yours should reflect your personal and professional goals. Your people leader and trusted mentors will support you through navigating your journey.

We also prioritize fair pay, performance-based rewards, and wellbeing programs for you and your family. With opportunities to move across teams and functions, your career can keep evolving while sustainability stays at the core of everything we do.

Inclusion & Diversity

We are passionate about creating an inclusive work environment. By valuing the ideas and contributions of a diverse workforce we help inspire others to grow, succeed, and raise the bar for everyone.

As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, GE Vernova is committed to support disadvantaged groups whilst providing equal opportunities for both GE Vernova associates and applicants alike.

Join us at GE Vernova where results can be achieved by embracing a community of belonging.

Additional Information

Relocation Assistance Provided: No

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