Principal Building Physics Engineer

Stantec Consulting International Ltd.; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering consultancy in the UK is seeking a Principal Building Physics Engineer in Plymouth. This role involves technical leadership in building performance, guiding design teams, and overseeing energy strategies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in building physics, strong communication skills, and proficiency in IES-VE and other modeling tools. You will also play a key role in mentoring junior engineers and developing sustainable design solutions for a variety of projects.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in consultancy delivering building physics.
• Advanced proficiency in IES-VE including complex simulations.
• Strong understanding of low-carbon buildings and passive design.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical delivery of building physics workstreams.
• Oversee dynamic modelling including energy and daylight analysis.
• Mentor building physics engineers and sustainability specialists.

Skills

Building physics and energy modelling

IES-VE proficiency

Project leadership

Communication skills

Passive design knowledge

Education

Degree in Building Physics or related field

MSc/MEng (preferred)

Tools

IES-VE

DesignBuilder

TAS

Job description

We are recruiting a Principal Building Physics Engineer to help lead and grow our national capability to be based in Plymouth.

About The Team:

Our Building Physics specialists play a critical role in shaping our design strategy influencing early-stage decisions, driving energy performance, and ensuring our solutions stand up to technical scrutiny. We work across a broad portfolio that includes science & technology, healthcare, education, commercial, transport hubs, and regeneration projects throughout the UK and internationally.

At Stantec, we create the connections that get people and communities moving. Across our Buildings & Sustainability teams, we design high-performing, low-carbon, human-centred environments. Our collaborative culture brings together engineers, designers, modellers and sustainability specialists to deliver buildings that are resilient, efficient, and ready for a net-zero future.

When we say community, we mean everybody with a stake in the work we do from the clients we collaborate with across many sectors, to the populations we reach, to the thousands of us working together to serve them.

Our promise, our values, and our voice support our purpose and guide us in all that we do.

We are defined by more than our services. We are defined by what we stand for, what we believe, and why we do what we do. We make a difference in the world by creating communities.

Purpose & Values | Stantec

The Opportunity:

As a Principal Building Physics Engineer at Stantec, you will act as a technical leader, project advisor, and discipline specialist guiding clients and internal design teams through building performance, energy strategy, façade optimisation, and sustainable design decisions.

You will provide strategic input at concept stage, oversee complex modelling and simulation activities, and drive the integration of building physics principles across MEP, architecture and sustainability workflows.

You’ll also have a key role in mentoring our growing team and supporting the long-term development of our national Building Physics offer.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership & Delivery:

• Lead the technical delivery of building physics workstreams across large and complex projects.
• Oversee dynamic modelling (IES-VE, TAS, DesignBuilder) including thermal, energy, daylight, overheating, natural ventilation, and comfort analysis.
• Develop and review energy strategies, operational energy assessments (TM54), embodied carbon considerations, and net-zero design solutions.
• Provide expert guidance on façade performance, passive design strategies, solar control, and building fabric optimisation.
• Ensure compliance with relevant UK regulations (Part L, TM52/TM59, EPC requirements) and support BREEAM/WELL/LEED credits.
• Author high-quality technical reports and present findings to clients, design partners and stakeholders.
• Strategic & Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration
• Work closely with Stantec's MEP, Architecture, Sustainability, and Digital Engineering teams to embed building physics into integrated design solutions.
• Influence early-stage design decisions including massing, orientation, façade hierarchy, glazing ratios, shading strategies and natural ventilation feasibility.
• Support the development of digital workflows and modelling best practices across the Buildings business.

Client & Project Leadership:

• Act as a key client-facing representative for building performance and sustainability topics.
• Support bidding, project scoping, programme planning and technical strategy for major opportunities.
• Build long-term relationships with public- and private-sector clients including developers, local authorities, universities, healthcare trusts and major infrastructure bodies.
• Team Development & Mentoring:
• Mentor and develop graduates, building physics engineers and early-career sustainability specialists.
• Provide internal technical training and champion excellence in building physics across the UK offices.
• Contribute to shaping Stantec’s national building physics capability, thought leadership, and innovation roadmap.

About You:

Essential:

• Extensive experience delivering building physics and energy modelling work in a consultancy environment.
• Advanced proficiency in IES-VE (or equivalent) including complex simulation, calibration, and modelling QA.
• Strong technical understanding of passive design, low-carbon buildings, façade performance and dynamic environmental behaviour.
• Demonstrable project leadership experience and ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary project teams.
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to engage clients and present technical information clearly.

Desirable:

• Experience supporting net-zero carbon strategies, operational energy modelling, heat decarbonisation or embodied carbon analysis.
• Knowledge of digital tools, parametric modelling or workflow automation.
• Experience in mentoring and line management.

Qualifications:

• Degree (and ideally MSc/MEng) in Building Physics, Mechanical/Environmental Engineering, Building Services Engineering or related field.
• Chartership (CEng) via CIBSE, IMechE or equivalent