Principal Civil & Structural Engineer (Rail)

With continued growth in all of our sectors, Costain is hiring for a Principal Civil & Structural Engineer to join our Civil & Structural team within CEL, our in-housemulti-discipline engineering and design team who deliver design mainly across Costain projects. The design outputs range from studies to detailed design for permanent and temporary works. We focus on the delivery of sustainable, safe-by-design outputs with a strong constructability ethos.

This Principal Civil & Structural Engineer role is to work on HS2 HV Compounds which is designing foundations for substations, fencing, steel frame structures, lots of RC structures and foundations, earthworks, raft foundations, piling - all with a big Rail interface.

So experience with HS2 or Network Rail and experience of designing those kind of structures is what we're looking for. You will need to be able to lead a team of about 3-5 engineers with hands on design checking plus liaising with the client/project team and making sure we are following the HS2 specs etc.

If you are a 'CRE' Contractors Responsible Engineer, that would be ideal but not essential.

The fundamental requirement of this role is to be carry out a lead role on projects, being the main representative to the client for the civil and structural engineering discipline, working with them to understand and deliver work packages, and coordinating and managing teams to deliver to quality, programme and budget requirements.

You will provide specialist civil and structural support across projects in various sectors.

There will be the opportunity to progress into a leadership role within the Civil & Structural Engineering team with more responsibility for management, technical assurance and business development within the discipline.

This full time, staff role will be based out of our Manchester or London office, with office attendance utpo 3 days a week with a blended approach to remote working to promote well-being.

Key Responsibilities

• As a client facing Principal Engineer, your responsibilities could involve:
• Production of high-quality C&S engineering deliverables in a timely and cost-effective way.
• Take responsibility for leading projects from a technical perspective.
• Maintain the required technical quality of work produced by the team.
• Communicate effectively with other disciplines and construction teams.
• Communicate confidently and authoritatively with clients.
• Challenge and deliver value engineering solutions.
• Lead, support and mentor team members.
• Assist in developing the knowledge and skills of the Civil and Structural team, including assisting in the training and technical development of engineers.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Essential

• Have UK experience in the full cycle of project design delivery from inception to detailed design - foundations for substations, fencing, steel frame structures, lots of RC structures and foundations, earthworks, raft foundations, piling - all with a big Rail interface.
• Experience of working within UK multidisciplinary teams and able to provide technical monitoring to Graduate Engineers and technicians.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Have wide reaching engineering experience across the full engineering lifecycle – client sales to legacy close out
• Be able to manage resources and drive career development – single and potentially multiple disciplines
• Be able to accurately report progress / risk / opportunities / change etc, be digitally proficient
• Understand and deliver on sustainable design requirements
• Able to work accurately and deliver to promise, predict and report potential challenges to delivery
• Actively learn and share best practice into the discipline team
• Excel at building and maintaining positive relationships with all, including client and construction teams
• The ability to empathise and communicate with all people, regardless of their background or circumstances
• Excellent organisation, communication, and time management skills
• Able to lead estimate development – scoping / hours / risks / assumptions for tendering or project change
• Ability to deputise for Discipline Lead in your technical discipline (eg temporary absence cover)
• Have clear knowledge of UK Regulatory framework associated with technical discipline, ie CDM, Electrical, Environmental, Process etc
• Eligibility to obtain Security Clearance.

Desirable

• Mobility to work on various projects throughout the UK
• Have site or construction experience
• Experience from multiple sectors / industries ideally including Rail
• Be able to work independently
• Have experience in updating corporate guidance and operating controls
• Have an innovative approach, be able to challenge and drive new approaches to engineering and construction delivery

Essential

• Hold professional qualifications such as Chartership or Incorporated Status
• Educational experience relevant to their engineering discipline, ideally degree qualified to a 2:1 or better
• Secondary level education, such as A levels, BTEC, T levels etc
• Safety passport or similar

Desirable

• Additional technically focused qualifications / training