Associate Director - Structural Engineering

ICE Recruit; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM is seeking an Associate Director to lead the UK & Ireland Building Engineering SW&W team, with a focus on Plymouth. The role emphasizes technical delivery of defence, aviation and education projects, plus leadership of the structural engineering practice.

You will guide projects through the lifecycle, mentor staff, develop proposals and contribute to growth. A strong seismic design background and security clearance are advantageous.

Qualifications

• Proven ability in structural design of steel and concrete.
• Experience in analysis and design of seismically qualified structures.
• Knowledge of safety case interfaces within the nuclear sector.
• Experience delivering projects within the defence sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of complex projects and manage commercial/resourcing aspects.
• Develop leadership within the structural team and contribute to business development.
• Prepare technical reports conveying complex engineering concepts to clients/stakeholders.
• Undertake independent technical reviews and quality control of work.

Skills

Seismic design

Nuclear sector experience

Defence project delivery

Leadership

Client engagement

Communication

Education

Master's/Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

ICE or IStructE Chartered Engineer

Tools

Finite element software

Revit/AutoCAD

Job description

Job Description

AECOM is currently recruiting for an Associate Director to join our UK & Ireland Building Engineering team. This technical practice comprises of over 1000 engineering professionals across 28 locations drawn from a variety of disciplines in the built environment. Within the structural engineering practice there are over 170 engineers across the UK. This particular opportunity has arisen in our South West & Wales (SW&W) business unit which has teams in Basingstoke, Bristol and Plymouth and a focus on projects within Defence, Aviation and Education.

The team undertake a range of structural engineering projects including those requiring innovative and practical solutions to complex problems. The right candidate will need to demonstrate a desire to be challenged, take on a leadership role and undertake technical delivery of projects. In return we can offer a challenging and rewarding role, career development, a positive working environment and a competitive reward package.

This opportunity would suit an individual who has broad experience, but who has a proven track record of the technical delivery of projects within the defence sector, including the assessment and design of seismically qualified structures. .. The role will have significant elements of representing the technical team in a client facing environment. You will therefore need to be adept at engaging with clients and other professions and using your engineering expertise to make a significant contribution to emerging designs. We would expect you to have experience in delivery of projects throughout the project lifecycle and an ability to run projects, manage resources and commercial aspects..

Some of our current and recent projects include:

• HMNB Devonport: Supporting the development of infrastructure at Devonport, the team have been involved in the design of seismically qualified upgrade works to existing dry docks required to support deep maintenance of nuclear‑powered submarines.

NPSCY: Supporting the new build of Australia's first nuclear powered submarine construction yard in Adelaide, Australia to facilitate the construction of the new SSNA submarines as part of the AUKUS venture. All infrastructure shall be designed for all design basis challenges, including seismic hazards.

We are increasingly supporting new and exciting projects across these markets, in the UK and globally

Location

This opportunity is to join the SW&W structural engineering team which comprises teams located in Basingstoke, Bristol and Plymouth.. AECOM has an established flexible working policy, ‘Freedom to Grow’. This supports flexible and remote working which works for the business, the client and the individual. The successful candidate could be located in any part of the UK, but a willingness to regularly travel to South‑West of the UK (or other UK offices) to support the team and project meetings is expected.

We are looking to enhance and grow the structures team with individuals with a sound technical background and who share our enthusiasm and determination to support our expanding workload.. This is a great opportunity to play a significant part in some exciting future construction projects.

Job Responsibilities

• Take on responsibility for leading the technical delivery of complex technical challenges, managing commercial and resourcing aspects of demanding projects whilst working without supervision
• Develop leadership skills and contribute to the development of the structural engineering team through business development, client relationship management and technical leadership
• Prepare technical reports which clearly convey complex structural engineering concepts to clients and other stakeholders
• Undertake independent technical reviews of work prepared by others
• Perform quality control reviews of work developed by others
• Mentor and coach others in their professional development
• Participate in development of technical proposals
• Provide estimates for the engineering budget and schedule to meet requirements on large projects
• Support the business in seeking out and winning new projects
• Have a desire to learn new skills and give due consideration to the wider engineering issues related to the projects being delivered
• There are opportunities for continuing professional development and career progression.

Minimum Requirements

• Proven ability in the structural design on structural materials, including steel and reinforced concrete.
• Experience in the analysis and design of seismically qualified structures
• Knowledge of safety case interface within the nuclear sector
• Experience and proven record of delivery of projects within the defence sector
• Proven ability to undertake structural design using current British Standards and Eurocodes and associated standards applicable to seismic design
• An understanding of project management principles and practices to support co‑ordination of technical delivery of projects with internal and external clients
• Excellent communication skills with a demonstrable ability to write compelling proposals and technical reports which are able to adequately convey complex technical concepts to clients
• Knowledge of construction contracts, professional agreements and experience in client engagement during the preparation of fee proposals and agreeing scopes of service
• Experienced in the use of commercially available design software packages, including finite element software package
• Able to decide on the level of reliance and accuracy to attach to a variety of results obtained from design software and finite element analysis and to interpret results into practical engineering solutions

Qualifications

Master’s/Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate Civil or Structural Engineering discipline

ICE or IStructE Chartered Engineer with post chartership experience

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain suitable security clearance for this role UK driving license

Additional Information

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in‑person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public‑and‑private‑sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

• AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well‑being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families.
• Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry‑leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long‑term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [e-mail] if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.