Principal/ Chief Civil Engineer

RailBays; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is recruiting for a senior role in railway civil engineering. The position involves acting as a Contractor’s Responsible Engineer or Engineering Manager on railway schemes, delivering high-quality designs for new construction, renewals and maintenance, and coordinating with national and international design teams.

You will manage technical work, guide junior staff, engage stakeholders, and identify growth opportunities, while staying updated on industry standards and best practices.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering or related discipline.
• Professional qualification (CEng/IEng) and membership of the ICE or IStructE.
• Experience acting as CRE or Engineering Manager for railway civil engineering works or stations projects.
• Experience working with key clients such as Network Rail, HS2, local authorities or major Contractors and Developers.
• Good understanding of Eurocodes, DMRB, MCHW and Network Rail standards.
• Practical knowledge of railway civil engineering or station design.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to converse with a wide range of clients, stakeholders and colleagues across engineering disciplines.
• Good project management skills, commercial awareness, financial control and ability to deliver across a range of contract types.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Contractor’s Responsible Engineer for railway civil engineering or stations projects or act as an Engineering Manager on multi‑disciplinary railway schemes.
• Take pride in developing high‑quality civil engineering designs for new construction, renewals, maintenance works.
• Collaborate with both national and international design teams, using your expertise and leadership to create positive, sustainable impacts on society and the environment.
• Manage the production of, and review, high quality design documentation including sketches, drawings, 3D BIM deliverables, calculations, reports and specifications.
• Able to understand a client’s problem and bring the different capabilities of AtkinsRéalis together to develop a solution.
• Independently carry out technical work and provide guidance to junior staff members.
• Develop capability within the team and wider business.
• Engage with and manage internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify new opportunities and growth propositions and bring value into the business by seeing these through to new work for themselves and others.
• Lead bids and tenders, winning work and developing Client relationships.
• Keep abreast of state‑of‑the‑art methods and developments in area of specialisation

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Leadership

Education

Civil/Structural Engineering degree

CEng/IEng + ICE/IStructE

Job description

Required Experience A professional qualification (CEng/IEng) and membership of the ICE or IStructE.

Job Category Civil Engineering

Posted 27 Sep 2026

Closing Date 31 Oct 2026

Full Job Description

Your role

• Act as a Contractor’s Responsible Engineer for railway civil engineering or stations projects or act as an Engineering Manager on multi‑disciplinary railway schemes.
• Take pride in developing high‑quality civil engineering designs for new construction, renewals, maintenance works.
• Collaborate with both national and international design teams, using your expertise and leadership to create positive, sustainable impacts on society and the environment.
• Manage the production of, and review, high quality design documentation including sketches, drawings, 3D BIM deliverables, calculations, reports and specifications.
• Able to understand a client’s problem and bring the different capabilities of AtkinsRéalis together to develop a solution.
• Independently carry out technical work and provide guidance to junior staff members.
• Develop capability within the team and wider business.
• Engage with and manage internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify new opportunities and growth propositions and bring value into the business by seeing these through to new work for themselves and others.
• Lead bids and tenders, winning work and developing Client relationships.
• Keep abreast of state‑of‑the‑art methods and developments in area of specialisation

About you

• A degree in Civil or Structural Engineering or a related discipline.
• A professional qualification (CEng/IEng) and membership of the ICE or IStructE.
• Experience of acting as a CRE or Engineering Manager for railway civil engineering works or stations projects.
• Experience working with key clients such as Network Rail, HS2, local authorities or major Contractors and Developers.
• Good understanding of relevant design standards (e.g. Eurocodes, DMRB, MCHW and Network Rail standards).
• Practical knowledge of railway civil engeineering or station design.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to converse with a wide range of clients, stakeholders and colleagues across a number of engineering disciplines.
• Good project management skills, commercial awareness, financial control and ability to deliver across a range of contract types. This will include an ability to manage stakeholders, e.g. specialist suppliers, independent checkers and local authorities.

Source

Original vacancy published byAtkinsRéalis.Please refer to the official employerwebsite for current information.