Principal Civil Design Engineer

Principal Civil Design Engineer - Water

Our client is seeking an experienced and highly capable Principal Civil Design Engineer to lead the delivery of civil engineering design solutions across a range of water industry projects. This is a key technical leadership role responsible for ensuring the highest standards of design quality, safety, compliance, and innovation throughout the project lifecycle.

The successful candidate will provide technical direction to multidisciplinary design teams, act as a senior engineering authority, and support the continuous improvement of engineering standards and best practices across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of civil engineering design solutions for water and wastewater projects.
• Ensure all design deliverables meet required safety, quality, technical, and regulatory standards.
• Review and approve design deliverables, Design Risk Assessments (DRAs), reports, calculations, and specifications.
• Identify efficient and practical engineering solutions through scope reviews and site visits, communicating recommendations to clients and project teams.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and development support to engineers, CAD technicians, and graduate engineers.
• Ensure designs comply with relevant industry regulations, professional standards, and water company specifications.
• Manage and implement design changes, ensuring all modifications are accurately recorded and controlled.
• Ensure engineering activities are undertaken in accordance with established procedures and quality management systems.
• Estimate engineering hours and resource requirements for design packages.
• Attend and present technical solutions at project review meetings, ALM meetings, KM meetings, and other stakeholder forums.
• Review, interpret, and communicate updates to engineering standards, procedures, and technical requirements.
• Undertake the role of Professional Head for the discipline and act as Responsible Engineer / CRE on designated projects.
• Provide technical leadership and specialist input to project delivery teams and tender submissions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance technical standards, processes, and project outcomes.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 10 years' relevant design experience within the regulated water industry at Senior Engineer or Principal Engineer level.
• Proven experience undertaking hydraulic calculations and developing hydraulic profiles.
• Experience delivering both clean water and wastewater projects.
• Strong background in both infrastructure and non-infrastructure design.
• Experience in outline design, detailed design, and design development.
• Degree or HND in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Strong IT skills and familiarity with industry-standard engineering software.

Technical Knowledge & Expertise

• Excellent understanding of water industry standards, specifications, and regulations.
• Sound knowledge of construction methods, materials, and buildability considerations.
• Strong understanding of engineering drawing practices and technical documentation.
• Ability to provide technical assurance and guidance across complex engineering projects.

Key Competencies

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong technical leadership and decision-making ability.
• Results-focused approach with a commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Proven ability to mentor, develop, and support others.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities within a fast-paced project environment.
• Demonstrates expertise within a primary engineering discipline and a strong understanding of associated subsidiary disciplines.

Salary & Benefits

Salary: £45,000 - £65,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

Our client offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support professional development, wellbeing, and work-life balance, including:

• Competitive salary package based on experience and qualifications
• Company pension scheme
• Professional membership support and chartership mentoring
• Clear career progression opportunities and structured development programmes
• 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Additional annual leave entitlement after two years of service
• Option to purchase additional annual leave
• Regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and technical training opportunities
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Monthly team events and social activities
• Flexible working arrangements
• Outside IR35 contract opportunities available