Pre-sales Technical Specialist - Distribution Automation

Our Grid Automation business unit delivers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions across substation automation, communication networks, protection and control, grid edge technologies, and enterprise software.

As part of the expansion of our Distribution Automation business across Asia Pacific, we are seeking a Technical Specialist - Distribution Automation to support the growth of our distribution portfolio and help utilities build more reliable, efficient, and secure power networks.

Reporting to the Distribution Automation Sales Manager, you will play a key role in the pre-sales process, working closely with utilities, country sales teams, consultants, and engineering stakeholders across APAC. You will support technical qualification activities, utility approvals, product acceptance, and customer engagement to ensure Hitachi Energy's protection relay and distribution automation solutions meet customer and utility requirements.

A key focus of this role is driving technical engagement with utility companies and distribution network operators to secure product approvals, technical acceptance, pre-qualification, and inclusion within approved utility specifications and vendor frameworks.

• Support technical pre-qualification activities for Distribution Automation opportunities across APAC.
• Engage with utilities, consultants, and end customers to understand technical requirements and secure product approvals.
• Lead technical discussions related to protection relays, protection & control systems, substation automation, and distribution automation solutions.
• Support utility approval, technical acceptance, product qualification, and vendor registration activities for protection relay and automation solutions.
• Work closely with utility engineering teams to secure the acceptance and specification of Hitachi Energy products within customer technical standards and approved vendor lists.
• Collaborate with country sales teams to evaluate opportunities, identify technical gaps, and develop solution recommendations.
• Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations, workshops, and customer training programs.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including utilities, engineering consultants, channel partners, sales teams, and global product teams.
• Support bid strategy discussions, technical reviews, and customer-facing technical engagements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, integrity, and regulatory requirements.
• Live Hitachi Energy's core values of safety and integrity, taking responsibility for your actions while caring for your colleagues and the business.

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience in power systems, protection & control, substation automation, distribution automation, or grid automation environments.
• Strong knowledge of protection relays and protection systems.
• Experience working directly with utilities, transmission operators, distribution network operators, or electrical network customers.
• Demonstrated experience supporting technical approval, product qualification, vendor registration, technical acceptance, or specification of protection relay and automation solutions with utility companies.
• Understanding of SCADA, RTUs, IEC 61850, DNP3, IEC 60870-5, Modbus, or related communication protocols is advantageous.
• Pre-sales experience is beneficial but not essential; candidates from protection engineering, application engineering, commissioning, service engineering, or technical support backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage both technical and commercial audiences.
• Fluency in English and Mandarin (spoken and written) is required, as the role supports customers and stakeholders across Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines
• Willingness to travel across the APAC region (approximately 25%).