PRINCIPAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

PCR Talent; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

PCR Talent is seeking an experienced Principal Structural Engineer to lead a growing Brisbane team while staying connected to the engineering that built your career. This role combines technical leadership with client development and business influence.

You will oversee major structural projects, provide direction on complex designs, and mentor engineers, while nurturing client relationships and driving successful outcomes for the business in a dynamic market.

Qualifications

• CPEng or equivalent senior professional level.
• Strong Australian structural consultancy experience.
• Ability to lead experienced engineers.
• Client-focused with strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead significant structural projects and project teams.
• Provide technical direction across complex designs.
• Remain hands-on when projects require senior input.
• Manage and develop key client relationships.
• Understand client expectations and ensure they are delivered.
• Identify opportunities within existing and new clients.
• Mentor Senior Engineers and develop future leaders.
• Plan resources and balance team workloads.
• Maintain control of programmes and deliverables.
• Review project quality and technical standards.
• Manage fees, variations and project commercials.
• Support proposals and business development.
• Work closely with the wider leadership team.

Skills

Leadership

Client Relationships

Mentoring

Team Leadership

Technical Direction

Education

CPEng or equivalent

Job description

PRINCIPAL STRUCTURAL ENGINEER - Brisbane

• Lead People. Develop Clients. Stay Technical. Progress to Associate Director.
• Some of the best structural engineers reach Principal level and then find themselves stuck between two worlds.
• Too senior to simply design projects all day - but not given enough opportunity to genuinely influence the business.
• Great salary: $230-200k depending on experience.

This Brisbane opportunity is different.

We are looking for an experienced Principal Structural Engineer who wants to play an increasingly important role in the development of a structural team while remaining connected to the engineering that built their career in the first place.

It's a position combining four important areas: projects, people, clients and business.

You'll take a senior role across the structural operation, helping ensure projects are technically strong, commercially well managed and delivered in a way that keeps clients coming back.

Your involvement will include:

• Leading significant structural projects and project teams
• Providing technical direction across complex designs
• Remaining hands-on when projects require senior engineering input
• Managing and developing key client relationships
• Understanding client expectations and ensuring they are delivered
• Identifying opportunities within existing and new clients
• Mentoring Senior Engineers and developing future leaders
• Planning resources and balancing team workloads
• Maintaining control of programmes and deliverables
• Reviewing project quality and technical standards
• Managing fees, variations and project commercials
• Supporting proposals and business development
• Working closely with the wider leadership team

Ideally, you will be CPEng or working at an equivalent professional level, with strong Australian structural consultancy experience.

• Technical credibility is important because you'll be leading experienced engineers.
• However, this isn't a Technical Director position where you disappear into calculations and only emerge when somebody has a difficult design problem.
• We want somebody who enjoys people.
• Someone who can sit with a client and understand what they are trying to achieve, then come back to the office and give the team the direction and support required to deliver it.
• Someone who notices when a younger engineer needs help.
• Someone who understands that maintaining a client relationship doesn't begin when the next fee proposal lands - it's built through how you communicate and deliver every project.
• And somebody who still enjoys getting involved technically when their experience can make a difference.
• The opportunity beyond Principal is important.

Associate Director is the next step.

• You'll have the chance to demonstrate your ability across team leadership, client development, project delivery and commercial performance, positioning yourself for a broader role within the leadership of the business.
• For somebody currently at Principal level who feels they've reached a ceiling, this could provide the room to move forward.
• It could equally suit a very strong Associate or senior-level engineer who is already operating at Principal level and is ready to be recognised accordingly.
• The aim isn't simply to find somebody capable of doing today's job.
• It's to find someone who can become part of tomorrow's leadership team.

Note: Only Australian / New Zealand applicants with local experience are encouraged to apply.