Lead Civil Engineer

Millbank Holdings; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Millbank Holdings Ltd is seeking a lead civil engineer to spearhead site-based remediation and berthing infrastructure improvements on a high-priority naval base project. The role balances design intent with constructability, security, and operational constraints, requiring hands‑on leadership and strong governance.

You will coordinate across disciplines, manage technical queries, RFIs, and contractor instructions to ensure safe, compliant delivery in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• UK national with Security Check (SC) clearance (or eligible)
• Accredited degree in STEM (or equivalent qualification/experience)
• Proven civil/structural engineering delivery on complex projects, ideally in regulated environments
• Extensive experience developing design assurance and managing detailed design
• Strong stakeholder engagement across the engineering lifecycle (client, design teams, contractors, site authorities)
• Desirable: defence sector experience; Desirable: Chartered Engineer status

Responsibilities

• Defining functional requirements, Works Information and GI specifications
• Responding to Technical Queries and RFIs, and managing engineering support to delivery
• Supporting optioneering and delivering proportionate, evidence‑based recommendations
• Reviewing and accepting drawings and technical documentation
• Managing detailed design in line with site standards and assurance requirements
• Assessing/approving contractor work instructions, method statements and risk assessments
• Providing technical supervision of construction/deconstruction to ensure compliance with design intent
• Supporting commissioning and/or decommissioning activities as required
• Engaging and coordinating with multiple stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle

Skills

Civil/Structural delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Construction oversight

Design assurance

Education

Accredited degree in a STEM discipline

Chartered Engineer status

Security Check (SC) clearance

Job description

Are you a proven Lead Civil Engineer with a track record delivering complex, safety‑critical infrastructure in a regulated environment (defence, nuclear or similarly controlled industries)?

Do you bring expert design assurance, hands‑on site engineering leadership, and confident stakeholder management from technical queries and GI scopes through to construction oversight and sign‑off?

This is a rare chance to take a visible, embedded role on high priority naval base remediation and future berthing capability works where your decisions directly influence operational resilience and safety.

The Opportunity

Join a major public‑sector estate and infrastructure delivery organisation with a clear transformation vision: delivering a better estate, a better service, and a better business. You’ll be part of a mission‑led, collaborative culture that values technical rigour, safety, and professional engineering standards. The environment is demanding, but you’ll be supported by an established project controls and delivery team focused on outcomes, governance, and doing things properly.

The Role

As Lead Civil Engineer, you’ll be a key full‑time, site‑based member of the team, supporting the delivery of remediation and berthing infrastructure improvement works. This is an embedded role where you will lead civil/structural engineering input across the lifecycle balancing design intent, constructability, security, safety, and operational constraints.

Typical activities include:

• Defining functional requirements, Works Information and GI specifications
• Responding to Technical Queries and RFIs, and managing engineering support to delivery
• Supporting optioneering and delivering proportionate, evidence‑based recommendations
• Reviewing and accepting drawings and technical documentation
• Managing detailed design in line with site standards and assurance requirements
• Assessing/approving contractor work instructions, method statements and risk assessments
• Providing technical supervision of construction/deconstruction to ensure compliance with design intent
• Supporting commissioning and/or decommissioning activities as required
• Engaging and coordinating with multiple stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle

You will have the following qualifications & experience

• UK national with Security Check (SC) clearance (or able to hold)
• Accredited degree in a relevant STEM discipline (or equivalent qualification and experience)
• Proven civil/structural engineering delivery on complex projects, ideally within regulated environments
• Extensive experience developing and applying design assurance and managing detailed design activities
• Expert stakeholder engagement across the engineering lifecycle (client, design teams, contractors and site authorities)
• Desirable: experience within the defence sector, defence design delivery, and engineering lifecycle management
• Desirable: Chartered Engineer status

Millbank Holdings Ltd is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background, and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, and we are committed to ensuring an accessible and supportive recruitment process for everyone. If you require any adjustments at any stage, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

Millbank operates as both an Employment Agency and an Employment Business