Graduate - Civil Engineering - Rail

Arup; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Accident insurance and Income protec

Flexible benefits

Profit Share

Job summary

Arup in Manchester is seeking a graduate Civil/Rail Engineer to join our multidisciplinary rail team. You will help prepare preliminary and detailed layouts, perform design calculations, and develop design options under supervision, delivering technical studies and project documentation.

You should have a bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering, strong numerical and communication skills, and a proactive approach.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering required.
• Strong numerical skills and analytical thinking.
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities.
• Full working rights in the country of application.

Responsibilities

• Prepare preliminary and detailed engineering layouts.
• Perform design calculations and technical analysis.
• Develop and assess design options and alternatives.
• Produce technical studies, reports and project documentation.

Skills

Numerical skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Initiative

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Structural Engineering

Job description

The Opportunity

Our multidisciplinary rail team brings together specialists from across civil engineering, rail systems and infrastructure design. Working collaboratively, we deliver high-quality solutions that support the development and improvement of railway infrastructure for our clients and the communities they serve. Your work may include preparing preliminary and detailed engineering layouts, undertaking design calculations and technical analysis, developing and assessing design options, and producing technical studies, reports and project documentation. We focus primarily on providing the civil engineering designs to support the rail systems disciplines, for which you will collaborate with colleagues across all rail disciplines to help create coordinated and practical design solutions. This is an opportunity to further develop your civil engineering, rail design and design management capabilities. Some example rail projects are Network Rail Transpennine Route Upgrade from Manchester to Leeds, Merseyrail extension including Headbolt Lane Station, and Network Rail Eastern Region Development & Design Partnership Framework (DDPF) to support the delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). The ideal candidate would have:

• Strong numerical skills with an analytical thought process and strive for technical excellence
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work on your own initiative, be proactive and take responsibility.
• Enthusiasm for a career in rail civils, underpinned by a knowledge and understanding of our sector and work.

Is this role right for you?

For this opportunity, we are seeking the following qualifications, skills and attributes:

• Understanding of civil engineering design principles, standards and construction methods, with an awareness of the CDM Regulations and their application to design.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to work collaboratively with colleagues, clients and specialists across all rail technical disciplines.
• Ability to manage their own tasks with appropriate support from the Rail Civils team.
• Enthusiasm for a career in Rail Civils, underpinned by a knowledge and understanding of our sector and work.
• A bachelor's degree in relevant academic discipline, such as Civil or Structural Engineering.

To be considered for a graduate opportunity, your application must include a copy of your academic transcript and meet the following criteria:

• Full working rights in the country of application
• No more than 12 months of full-time experience in a comparable role
• Recently graduated, or on track to graduate, from your most recent degree, related to your role of choice, before employment starts.

Alongside your degree, we look for the following core attributes;

• Changemakers: A passion for sustainable development and creating a better world is key.
• Innovative minds: We’re looking for critical thinkers who embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo.
• Growth seekers: You have a growth mindset, always eager to learn and explore new ways of working.
• Adaptable adventurers: You’re ready to take on any challenge that comes your way.

You should be able to start this opportunity on 1 September 2027.

Advert Closing Date: 12 November 2026

Please note, in the event of high applicant volume, this role may be closed ahead of the advertised closing date. Early application is recommended.

Eligibility: Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Therefore, you must ensure that you are eligible to work permanently in the UK without our sponsorship.

What we offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling permanent members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We take an approach to flexible working that supports the diversity and wellbeing of our graduates.

We also provide for our permanent members:

• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Accident insurance and Income protection cover
• Flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.
• Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling permanent members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Different people, shared values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas - this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please [e-mail] to let us know if you need anyassistanceor reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

As a Disability Confident Level 2 Employer in the UK, we will strive for one third of all ourinterviewplaces to beallocatedto candidates who havedisclosed they are disability confident and best meet the requirements of the role.