Principal Design Engineer

Bennett and Game Recruitment LTD; England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Principal Design Engineer to join their dynamic team in the UK. In this pivotal role, you will be at the forefront of innovative design, leveraging your expertise in civil engineering to deliver complex projects in water and infrastructure. The position offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits, including a company car and private healthcare. You will have the opportunity to mentor junior designers and drive the integration of cutting-edge technologies like BIM into project workflows. This is a fantastic chance to contribute to impactful projects while advancing your professional growth in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Company Car / Allowance

25 Days Holiday + BH

Pension up to 10% match

Private Healthcare

Performance Bonus

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil/Structural Engineering and Chartered status required.
• Strong experience in Eurocode and Temporary Works Design.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of designs at tender and contract stages.
• Guide junior designers and manage external input.

Skills

Eurocode

Temporary Works Coordinator

AutoCAD

BIM

Geotechnical Design

Structural Design

Education

Degree in Civil/Structural Engineering

Chartered Engineer (ICE or equivalent)

Tools

AutoCAD

BIM

Common Data Environments (CDEs)

Job description

A leading civil engineering contractor is looking for a Principal Design Engineer to join their growing team near Henfield offering a competitive salary of up to 75,000, plus excellent benefits. The company delivers complex projects in water, infrastructure, and coastal protection – managing schemes from concept to completion.

This is an exciting chance to shape innovative designs, advise on geotechnical investigations, Temporary Works Design, develop BIM models, and drive smart new techniques – all within a business that values safety, wellbeing, and professional growth.

Principal Design Engineer Job Overview

• Support the delivery of outline designs at tender stage, temporary works and permanent works designs at contract stage
• Follow company procedures, keep your manager informed, and suggest smarter ways of working.
• Deliver creative and robust temporary and permanent works designs from bid to build.
• Guide and support junior designers while managing input from external specialists.
• Check and sign off designs to ensure they're accurate, safe, and compliant.
• Build strong relationships with clients and partners to enhance designs and uncover new opportunities.
• Produce clear, high–quality design documents that meet QHSE and CDM standards.
• Drive innovation by championing BIM, digital modelling, and cutting–edge tools.
• Take an active role in shaping the company's success and future direction.
• Stay sharp and up to date with the latest design technologies and software.
• Make BIM and Common Data Environments central to how every project runs.

Principal Design Engineer Job Requirements

• Degree in Civil/Structural Engineering + Chartered (ICE or equivalent).
• Strong Eurocode, CDM, and Temporary Works Coordinator experience.
• Solid commercial understanding (NEC4 & JCT contracts).
• Skilled in AutoCAD, BIM, CDEs, and geotechnical/ground stability design.
• Technically competent in Structural Design & Geotechnical works
• Knowledge of Building Information Modelling, CDEs and information management systems
• Design experience in temporary works design, including shoring, foundations, and ground stability analyses.
• Experience in interpreting ground information for soil stability analyses and current piling practices.

Principal Design Engineer Salary & Benefits

• Salary – 65,000 – 75,000 Dependent on experience
• Company Car / Allowance
• 25 Days holiday + BH
• Pension up to 10% match
• Private Healthcare
• Performance Bonus

Bennett and Game Recruitment are a multi–disciplined technical recruitment agency based in Chichester, West Sussex operating across the UK with specialist teams covering a range of industries.

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