Principal Civil Engineer

Joseph Gallagher Limited; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Joseph Gallagher Limited is seeking a Principal Civil Engineer to lead complex ground engineering, underground infrastructure and heavy civils projects from tender to site. You will provide technical authority, design assurance and construction support across shafts, excavations, foundations and tunnels.

The role requires Chartered Engineer status or a clear plan to achieve it, with substantial experience in design and construction of major infrastructure and a track record of technical

Qualifications

• Requires a civil or structural engineering degree and Chartered Engineer status or clear path to it.
• Substantial design experience on complex heavy civils, underground infrastructure or ground engineering.
• Experience across concept/tender, detailed design and construction support and multidisciplinary coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead civil design strategy and complex engineering solutions from tender through construction.
• Own design bases, calculations, drawings, specifications, reports and design risk assessments.
• Integrate temporary works, permanent works, construction sequence, access and methodology.
• Challenge analyses to achieve safe, robust, buildable and commercially viable outcomes.
• Manage interfaces across civil, structural, geotechnical, geological, utility and construction disciplines.
• Resolve site queries, changes and non-conformances through auditable decisions.
• Represent Joseph Gallagher Ltd in client reviews and discussions with consultants and approving bodies.
• Support bids and ECI with scope, programme, fee, risk and opportunity input.
• Mentor engineers and strengthen JGL’s standards and checking practice.

Skills

Leadership

Design strategy

Design assurance

Calculations & drawings

Interdisciplinary coordination

Client reviews

Mentoring

Bid support/ECI input

Education

Civil/Structural degree

Job description

Please note: This position is open only to candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Location: Belfast Office

About The Role

Joseph Gallagher Ltd is seeking a Principal Civil Engineer to lead complex temporary and permanent works solutions for ground engineering, underground infrastructure and heavy civils projects. This is a senior technical authority role in a design-and-build contractor, combining engineering judgement, design assurance and direct construction support. You will take requirements from tender or concept through optioneering, calculations, detailed design, approvals and delivery. Work may include shafts, excavations, retaining systems, foundations, underground structures, tunnelling and trenchless interfaces, utilities, water, energy, rail, highways and cable infrastructure.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead civil design strategy and complex engineering solutions from tender through construction.
• Own or assure design bases, calculations, drawings, specifications, reports and design risk assessments.
• Integrate temporary works, permanent works, construction sequence, access and methodology.
• Challenge analysis and details to achieve safe, robust, buildable and commercially viable outcomes.
• Manage interfaces across civil, structural, geotechnical, geological, utility and construction disciplines.
• Resolve site queries, changes and non-conformances through timely, auditable decisions.
• Represent JGL in client reviews, presentations and discussions with consultants, checkers and approving bodies.
• Support bids and ECI with optioneering, scope, programme, fee, risk and opportunity input.
• Mentor engineers and strengthen JGL’s standards, checking practice and technical knowledge.

What We’re Looking For

• A civil or structural engineering degree, or equivalent relevant qualification.
• Chartered Engineer status, or clear readiness to achieve it within an agreed period.
• Substantial design experience on complex heavy civils, underground infrastructure or ground engineering work.
• Strong understanding of structural behaviour, geotechnical interaction, temporary states and construction sequence.
• Experience across concept or tender, detailed design and construction support.
• A record of technical assurance, multidisciplinary coordination, developing others and working directly with Network Rail, National Highways and/or comparable major infrastructure stakeholders and approving authorities.

Desirable Experience

• Design-and-build or contractor-side experience.
• Experience in shafts, tunnelling, pipe jacking, microtunnelling, HDD, utilities, rail, highways, water, energy or cable infrastructure.
• Temporary works, Category 2/3 checking, ECI or additional Environment Agency, major utility or comparable UK asset-owner assurance experience.

Why Join JGL?

You will work at the point where engineering decisions affect programme, cost, risk and the way work is built. The role offers authority over technically demanding solutions, involvement from bid to site, and the opportunity to improve JGL’s engineering capability while developing the next generation of technical leaders. It suits someone who wants broader delivery influence than a traditional consultancy role normally provides.

We are one of the UK's leading civil engineering and tunnelling contractors, offering a wide range of construction and specialist services.