Associate/ Senior Engineer (Building Services Engineering)

HKA Birmingham; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

HKA is seeking a Senior Engineer in Forensic Technical Services to deliver high‑quality technical analyses across construction disputes and infrastructure projects. You will work with leading experts to investigate issues related to building service systems, performance, defects and commissioning on international matters.

You will contribute to technical reports, chronologies and evidence reviews, while mentoring junior colleagues and supporting business development initiatives within a global

Qualifications

• Degree in Building Services Engineering or related discipline.
• Membership of a relevant professional body.
• Chartered Engineer status or progression towards chartership with a recognised institution (CIBSE, IET, IMechE, etc).
• 15+ years' experience in building services consultancy or contracting.

Responsibilities

• Conduct technical investigations and engineering analysis for construction disputes, failures and performance issues.
• Review drawings, specs, calculations, commissioning records and reports to identify key issues.
• Produce structured, robust technical outputs and peer-reviewed deliverables for litigation or arbitration.
• Support senior experts with reports, chronologies, evidence reviews and presentation materials.
• Participate in site inspections, technical reviews and client meetings to gather evidence.

Skills

Building Services Engineering

Professional body membership

Chartered status

MEP systems

Disputes & forensic investigations

Technical report writing

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, supporting high‑profile disputes and developing specialist expert witness skills within a market‑leading consultancy.

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.