Associate/ Senior Engineer (Building Services E... Forensic Technical Services (FTS) · Glasgow, UK ·

HKA Birmingham; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

HKA invites applications for a Senior Engineer in its Forensic Technical Services team to deliver high‑quality technical analysis across construction and infrastructure disputes. You will work alongside leading experts to investigate complex issues such as building services, performance, defects, and commissioning, with potential to progress toward expert witness work.

You will develop expertise through live commissions, training, and close collaboration with senior professionals, while

Qualifications

• Degree in Building Services Engineering or related discipline.
• Membership of a professional body.
• Chartered Engineer status or progression toward chartership with institutions such as CIBSE, IET, IMechE.
• 15+ years' experience in building services consultancy or contracting.
• Strong technical experience in design, delivery, commissioning, operation or management of MEP systems.
• Experience on construction projects across sectors including industrial, commercial, healthcare, and data centres.

Responsibilities

• Build and apply knowledge in mechanical, electrical and public health engineering; progress toward expert witness skills.
• Conduct technical investigations and engineering analyses for construction disputes and failures.
• Review project documentation to identify key issues and support conclusions.
• Deliver robust technical outputs and ensure peer review alignment with expectations.
• Support experts with reports, chronologies and evidence reviews for dispute resolution.
• Participate in site inspections, technical reviews and client meetings.
• Contribute to business development and client engagement efforts.
• Mentor junior colleagues and collaborate with senior engineers.
• Represent the HKA brand in client interactions and professional settings.

Skills

MEP engineering

Analytical thinking

Report writing

Client engagement

Technical leadership

Communication

Education

Building Services Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer status or progression

Membership of professional body

Job description

HKA is a leading global consultancy in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, expert witness and litigation support. We anticipate, investigate and resolve complex challenges by harnessing world-leading multi-disciplinary expertise and experience.

As trusted independent consultants, experts and advisors, we deliver solutions amid uncertainty, dispute and overrun, and provide the insights that make the best possible outcomes a reality for public and private sector clients worldwide. Our experts have testified across the globe on many of the largest quantum, delay, engineering and commercial damages matters.

At HKA, you can expect:

• A collaborative environment where you will play a key role in supporting and delivering engineering expert commissions relating to mechanical, electrical and public health engineering matters across major disputes and investigations.

• The opportunity to apply and deepen your existing knowledge and skills while developing a pathway towards becoming a technical expert witness through hands‑on experience, mentoring and exposure to expert witness assignments.

• Exposure to a broad range of engineering disputes, forensic investigations and technical advisory appointments, providing the ideal platform to build confidence, credibility and capability within the expert environment.

• A culture that values professional excellence, encourages growth and supports your development through training, mentoring and close collaboration with established engineering experts.

• A role where your technical knowledge, analytical thinking and attention to detail will make a meaningful contribution to clients, legal teams and fellow experts involved in high‑profile matters worldwide.

The Opportunity:

As a Senior Engineer within our Forensic Technical Services (FTS) team, you will support the delivery of expert commissions and play a central role in producing high‑quality technical analysis across a wide range of construction and infrastructure disputes.

Working alongside leading experts and experienced engineers, you will investigate complex technical issues relating to building service systems, building performance, defects, design responsibility, commissioning, construction delivery and operational failures. Depending on your experience and development, you may support appointed experts on major international disputes while building the skills required to progress towards expert witness work in your own right.

You will be supported in developing your expert capability through exposure to live commissions, expert witness training and close collaboration with senior experts across the business.

You will contribute to our success by:

• Building and applying your knowledge and skills in mechanical, electrical and public health engineering and actively progressing towards expert witness skills.

• Conducting technical investigations and engineering analysis relating to construction disputes, engineering failures, defects and performance‑related issues.

• Reviewing project documentation including drawings, specifications, calculations, commissioning records, programmes, contracts and technical reports to identify key issues and support expert conclusions.

• Delivering accurate, structured and robust technical outputs, ensuring all work undergoes appropriate peer review and aligns with expert‑level expectations.

• Supporting appointed experts through the preparation of technical reports, chronologies, evidence reviews, presentation materials and engineering assessments for use in litigation, arbitration, adjudication and other dispute resolution proceedings.

• Participating in site inspections, technical reviews and client meetings to gather evidence and develop a clear understanding of engineering issues.

• Contributing to business development activities, including supporting scope discussions, project timescales and drafting responses to enquiries for approval by senior leadership.

• Managing and mentoring junior colleagues, supporting technical and administrative team members on assigned projects.

• Building client relationships and supporting senior team members in strengthening and expanding client engagement.

• Representing the HKA brand with professionalism, including client interaction, technical output quality, networking activity and appropriate use of social media.

Skills & Experience:

We're looking for a technically strong and ambitious Senior Engineer who brings:

• A degree qualification in Building Services Engineering or a related discipline.

• Membership of a relevant professional body.

• Chartered Engineer status, or clear progression towards chartership, with a recognised professional institution such as CIBSE, IET, IMechE or equivalent.

• 15 plus years' experience in building services consultancy or contracting.

• Strong technical experience in the design, delivery, commissioning, operation or management of MEP systems.

• Experience working on construction projects involving buildings across different sectors, such as industrial, commercial property, further education, healthcare, transport or data centre projects.

• Excellent analytical, investigative and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to assess complex technical issues and communicate findings clearly.

• Strong report‑writing and communication skills with a focus on accuracy, detail and quality.

• A genuine interest in developing expertise within disputes, forensic investigations and expert witness services.

• A commitment to professional excellence, high‑quality technical output and collaborative working.

Why HKA?

Joining HKA means stepping into a global expert services environment where your development is supported, your expertise is valued and your contribution has real impact.

This is an opportunity to take the technical knowledge you have gained throughout your MEP engineering career and apply it in a new way; investigating complex engineering challenges…

If you're looking to move beyond traditional project delivery and build a career in disputes, investigations and expert services, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

ED&I at HKA:

HKA has a thriving ED&I committee working hard to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for a truly diverse set of employees. We are committed as a business on the continued improvement of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, please visit our careers page for further information or feel free to ask our recruitment team for further information.

All HKA employment decisions are firstly made on merit and shall be made without regard to age, disability, gender or gender reassignment, marriage, and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation, or anyother basis in compliance with local legislation.