Senior or Principal Design Engineer

Company: Civil Engineering Recruitment
Apply for the Senior or Principal Design Engineer
Location: North West
Job Description:

Civil Engineering Recruitment is acting as the recruitment partner for this position: Senior or Principal Design Engineer (hybrid working arrangements)

Job Description

A major Tier 1 contractor is expanding its in-house engineering team and is looking for a Senior or Principal Design Engineer with a strong background in temporary works and/or civil & structural design to take a leading role in design delivery across major UK infrastructure projects.

This is a pivotal role in shaping the engineering function, acting as a trusted advisor to the Head of Engineering, a mentor to the wider team and the go-to technical expert across the business.

Salary range of £55,000 to £75,000 + car allowance or company car + annual bonus plus many other health, wellbeing and personal benefits

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide final approval of complex temporary and civil & structural design deliverables prior to issue – the highest level of technical sign-off in the department
  • Design and detail complex temporary and permanent works across a broad range of structural forms, producing calculations, drawings, design risk assessments and technical reports
  • Review and check design deliverables produced internally and by external consultants, ensuring they meet requirements before issue to project teams
  • Research and develop new analysis methods for unique or challenging engineering problems
  • Provide authoritative technical advice across the business at all levels, from project teams to senior stakeholders
  • Support the Head of Engineering and Engineering Manager in delivering the department’s strategy and driving continuous improvement
  • Assist in measuring department staff competency and identifying development needs across the engineering team
  • Act as ICE Supervising Civil Engineer for Graduate and Apprentice Engineers across the business
  • Coach and develop engineers at all levels, sharing knowledge and raising technical standards across the department
  • Maintain high-level awareness of all major projects, acting as Engineering Department Representative (EDR) for allocated schemes
  • Produce design fee estimates and programme duration information for tenders and projects
  • Coordinate external consultants, agreeing scope, obtaining quotations, monitoring progress and reviewing deliverables
  • Undertake site visits to audit temporary works, resolve technical issues and ensure design intent is carried through to construction

Key Requirements

  • Degree in Civil Engineering (or related discipline)
  • Incorporated status (Senior Design Engineer position) and Chartered status (Principal Design Engineer position) with the ICE, IStructE or similar
  • Minimum 5 years design experience (Senior Design Engineer position) and 8 years design experience (Principal Design Engineer position)
  • Broad range of temporary and / or permanent works design experience
  • Demonstrable track record of technical leadership and delivery of complex engineering solutions at senior level

Our client is committed to building a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Our client is proud to be an equal opportunities employer.

Posted: August 2nd, 2026