About the role

Great Britain's electricity system is undergoing an ambitious, exciting and vital transformation. Together with industry, we are creating a cleaner, greener system, one that protects the planet and serves generations to come.

As a Senior Optimisation Engineer, you'll serve as a subject matter expert in the Balancing Transformation program, designing and delivering new tools for deployment in the Electricity National Control Centre (ENCC) to  help balance the system.

You'll collaborate with a team of experts, engaging with both IT and business stakeholders in an Agile delivery environment to deploy solutions on a cutting-edge, cloud-native IT platform.

The primary requirement for success in this role is a solid understanding and practical experience with numerical optimisation methods, specifically "mixed integer linear programming," commonly utilised in resolving scheduling issues in power systems (e.g., determining units to dispatch or switch on/off). Familiarity with a broader range of algorithms, such as "dynamic programming" or "stochastic programming," would also be advantageous.

The Balancing Programme is accountable for the ongoing delivery of new capabilities into the Electricity Network Control Centre. These capabilities are at the heart of the Electricity System Operator - ESO, enabling our ENCC teams to secure the GB electrical network and balance it in real-time 365 days a year, while delivering for the end consumer. The programme is set to replace legacy IT infrastructure, while improving existing tools/algorithms and associated processes

This role is based at our Warwick or Wokingham  office which has free onsite parking, and we continue to offer hybrid working from office and home.

We are open to full time and part time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.

Apply now for the opportunity to make a real impact and be a part of our ESO community of specialists.

About you

We’re seeking someone who:

• Possesses an operations research background, with an excellent grasp of optimization methods (particularly mathematical programming techniques) and a track record of applying them to real-world problems.
• Demonstrates strong coding skills, preferably in Python.
• Exhibits an analytical mindset and feels comfortable collecting and interpreting data to inform solution design.
• Shows a keen interest in energy systems.
• Holds a degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, or Operations Research.

Desirable qualifications include:

•  Understanding of electricity markets and power system operations.
•  Experience with delivering IT solutions in cloud-native environments.
•  An MSc or PhD in a related field.

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply and look forward to welcoming diverse perspectives to our team.

What you'll do

• Contribute to the development of control and optimization algorithms for balancing the UK’s electricity system.
• Enhance and maintain existing algorithms and control processes.
• Contribute to the design of the ENCC (Control Room) control framework.
• Collaborate with internal teams to implement new capabilities in our IT platform.
• Partner with external collaborators to integrate research project outputs into our framework.

Waht you'll get

A competitive salary of circa £55,000 -70,000 – dependent on capability.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%. You will also have access to a number of flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

About us

Becoming the National Energy System Operator

In Summer of 2024, the ESO will transition to becoming the National Energy System Operator, or NESO for short. Previously denoted as the Future System Operator (or FSO), the new National Energy System Operator will be the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system.

The ESO, including all of its existing roles, will be at the heart of the new National Energy System Operator. As NESO, we will build on our existing roles, capabilities, and ways of working significantly to create an organisation the energy system and its users’ need. Our new capabilities will enable us to look across vectors, including electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and crucially consider the trade-offs between them.

The organisation will be set up as a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors, with complete operational independence from government, the regulator and any and all commercial interest. As the ESO are today, NESO will be licenced and regulated by Ofgem through price control agreements and obligated to identify optimal solutions to system operations and planning in the most sustainable, affordable and secure way for all.

The time to deliver is now. As part of our team, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in Great Britain – you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

More information

This role closes on 18th  March at 23:59, however we encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible and not wait until the published closing date as this can vary. 

We work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

We're committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve, and a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.