Electrical Principal

Our Opportunity

Work Location:  Site Based (Rotation to All Sites – Eliwana, Solomon, Iron Bridge, Christmas Creek, Cloudbreak, Bonney Downs), with frequent visits to Perth Office as required

Roster: 4D3R 

At Fortescue, we are driving the global energy transition and looking for an experienced Electrical Principal to strengthen electrical safety, Major Hazard management and operational risk across Energy Operations.

Reporting to the Energy Operations Maintenance Manager, you will provide technical leadership across Fortescue's growing energy portfolio, ensuring electrical risks are effectively identified, controlled and governed. As Energy Operations moves toward a network operator model, this role will support the electrical safety, compliance and governance required to ensure safe operations.

The Energy Operations portfolio includes Fortescue’s 220kV transmission and 11kV/33kV distribution networks, thermal and emergency diesel power stations, a 117MW solar farm and battery energy storage systems supplying power to all Fortescue sites and villages. By 2028, the portfolio will expand to include 1.2GW of solar, 600MW of wind, 5GWh of battery storage and 620km of 220kV overhead transmission.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead electrical safety, regulatory compliance, risk management and network governance across Energy Operations.
• Review and improve electrical safety systems, procedures, policies and technical documentation, including HV switching, isolation, access, permits, earthing and electrical authorisations.
• Represent Energy Operations in electrical Major Hazard working groups and support improvement of the Major Hazard framework and Critical Control Performance Standards.
• Provide technical oversight through audits, design reviews, inspections, compliance monitoring and readiness reviews.
• Establish an imbed statutory and regulatory compliance requirements, including electrical logbooks, EEHA, gas, fire and refrigerant requirements.
• Identify electrical and network compliance gaps and support practical actions to close them.
• Support electrical incident investigation, reporting, assurance and continuous improvement.
• Provide electrical safety training, competency support and technical guidance to site teams.
• Support Energy Operations’ transition toward a network operator model, including electrical safety and compliance requirements.
• Build strong relationships with Site Electrical Principals, site teams, contractors and engineers through regular site engagement.
• Prepare and review reports and operational documentation as required.

Qualifications and Experience

• Electrical trade qualification.
• High Voltage Switching certification with significant network switching experience.
• Strong experience across HV transmission and distribution networks, preferably within a utility or regulated network environment.
• Proven experience in electrical safety, regulatory compliance, risk management and statutory requirements.
• Good knowledge of network electrical safety legislation, standards and requirements, including AS 5577.
• Experience with network safety rules, HV switching and access, permit systems, network control and electrical authorisations.
• Experience conducting compliance audits, gap assessments, readiness reviews and electrical incident investigations.
• Experience supporting network safety reporting and/or transition to a network operator model is desirable.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and coaching capability across engineers and technicians.
• Strong communication, problem-solving and organisational skills.
• Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas (EEHA) training desirable.
• Supervised gas fitter qualification and experience with gas/refrigerant compliance desirable.
• Collaborative, self-motivated and team-oriented approach.

About Us

Be part of something big. Fortescue is leading the world with our plan to decarbonise our iron ore operations, projects that harness renewable energy and the development of technology that will change our planet forever.

Our Commitment

Fortescue celebrates individual strengths and team members are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Our global workforce drives and promotes an inclusive culture, both within our organisation and throughout the communities we interact with. Diverse backgrounds include First Nations Peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community, gender, neurodiverse, cultural diversity, all age groups, and those with an intersectional or multiple diverse characteristics. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

https://fortescue.com/careers 

Internal Candidates / Current Contractors please apply via Success Factors Careers Portal. For further information on how to apply please visit the Fortescue Hub. 

Fortescue reserves the right to close applications early should a suitable pool of candidates be identified. Fortescue will never contact you to ask for payment of any kind, whether directly or through a third party.