Principal Civil Engineer

Penguin Recruitment Ltd; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Principal Civil Engineer to join an environmentally focused consultancy in Cambridge. This role offers the chance to lead drainage design and Flood Risk Assessments while mentoring junior engineers. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Civil Engineering, strong experience in drainage, and be comfortable in a client-facing leadership role. This position is pivotal for those looking to make an impact in sustainable civil engineering solutions.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Civil Engineering or similar.
• Strong experience in drainage, SuDS, and flood risk.
• Chartered or working towards chartership is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead drainage design, SuDS strategies, and Flood Risk Assessments.
• Oversee technical quality, reports, calculations, and design outputs.
• Manage project delivery, budgets, and client relationships.
• Mentor and support junior engineers and graduates.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams across the business.

Skills

Experience in drainage

Flood Risk Assessments

SuDS strategies

Client-facing leadership

Technical quality oversight

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering or similar

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

MicroDrainage

Job description

Principal Civil Engineer

Cambridge

New job, new year. This is a rare opportunity for a Principal Civil Engineer to join an environmentally focused, multi-disciplinary consultancy in Cambridge at a key stage of growth. If you are a Principal Civil Engineer or a Senior Engineer ready to step up, this role offers real influence, long-term progression and the chance to shape a growing civil engineering team.

As a Principal Civil Engineer, you will take technical ownership of drainage design, Flood Risk Assessments and SuDS strategies across a varied portfolio of development and regeneration projects. You will work closely with environmental, planning and water specialists, helping integrate sustainable civil engineering solutions from concept through to delivery.

This Principal Civil Engineer position combines hands‑on technical leadership with mentoring, quality control and client engagement, making it ideal for someone who enjoys both design and team development.

Key responsibilities

• Lead drainage design, SuDS strategies and Flood Risk Assessments
• Oversee technical quality, reports, calculations and design outputs
• Manage project delivery, budgets and client relationships
• Mentor and support junior engineers and graduates
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams across the business

About you

• Degree qualified in Civil Engineering or similar
• Strong experience in drainage, SuDS and flood risk
• Confident using AutoCAD, Civil 3D and MicroDrainage or similar
• Chartered or working towards chartership
• Comfortable in a client‑facing leadership role

Eligibility to apply

Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. Sponsorship is not available.

If you are a Principal Civil Engineer looking to make a genuine impact in Cambridge, this role offers the platform to do exactly that.

Penguin Recruitment is operating as a Recruitment Agency for this position. For more information, contact Andy Hopkins, our Civil Engineering specialist with over 30 years’ recruitment experience.